Camilla is a community health care worker
recipient
Camilla
grants began
January 2015
children
C., now in her final year of high school
E., now in middle school S., now in his final year of elementary school
about Camilla
Camilla is a highly-skilled peer-to-peer community-health educator living and working in the poorest parts of Nairobi. In addition to coordinating a women’s support group attached to an urban public health centre, she also works closely with women in living with HIV/AIDS, making sure they are taking their medication correctly, helping them with breastfeeding while keeping their children free of the disease, and supporting these women as they navigate high levels of family violence, food insecurity and unemployment in their families and communities.
Camilla also supports women in accessing desperately needed public health services, including connecting women who have cancer and other serious diseases with appropriate medical care and supporting them through treatment.
One of the reasons Camilla is so dedicated to her work is that she is also HIV positive and has been able to take control of her own health — Camilla now has an undetectable viral load, and her own children are also HIV free.
Camilla is a single parent and like many single parents living in Nairobi, in spite of her skills and dedication to her work, Camilla can not afford to send her children to school.
through a grant, Pambanisha supports the education of Camilla’s children
this happens in three ways:
1.
Pambanisha covers all of the school fees for the three children. School fees increase as a student moves through the grades, so our yearly commitment to the children is not a pre-fixed amount.
2.
Pambanisha covers associated expenses, such as school supplies, school uniforms, books, and accommodation costs for boarding including bedding and other supplies.
3.
Pambanisha also provides educational support in the form of one-on-one tutoring in selected subjects, including English and mathematics. Camilla’s kids were not able to regularly attend school before Pambanisha was able to assist them, so they really benefit from the extra support tutoring provides to help them get up to speed with their lessons.
ethics disclosure:
The fundraiser itself, and all the information about Camilla and her children is vetted by Camilla before I publish it, including all pictures of Camilla and her children. One of the core values of this project is respect for the privacy and goals of the people involved. The names of her children, and the health centre have been modified to protect their privacy.
When asked if she would prefer me to leave out her HIV status, Camilla wrote back:
“Christina! I have no problem with [mentioning that I am living with HIV]. Remember, I am a mentor and a mother, and a role model to other women living with HIV. My status is not written on my forehead, so I am free.”