KLACC Meets and Renews Commitment
By Candise Heinlein
The Kenya Lutheran AIDS Coordinating Committee (KLACC), composed of AIDS chairpersons from each congregation and mission area, met in Nairobi on 26th and 27th of March. KELC Secretary General Matthew Dambala opened the meeting by welcoming all members. “We can walk together with other churches and the world in the HIV and AIDS epidemic,” he said. He claimed that millions have lost their lives and some do not even know they have the disease. According to Dambala “this committee is like a dot in the ocean towards the HIV and AIDS efforts,” but KELC has been instrumental in helping to overcome the challenges presented by HIV and AIDS. He encouraged members to work together with the new head office team (Darius Nyamai, coordinator, and Jefferey Osoi, field officer) to achieve greater success in AIDS work. He recognized that the work of the committee is challenging, but by working together we can make a difference.
KLACC members.
George Arende gave a brief history of the committee’s past efforts, and then each chairperson gave a brief report of their area’s activities. The members divided into groups to discuss past performance and give suggestions for future improvement. It was noted that there were failures in the past, but the committee was committed to finding a way forward and using this meeting as a fresh start. The main obstacles chairpersons and their groups face are transportation, communication between the different levels of KELC staff, and financial support. KLACC members discussed various means of overcoming these obstacles.
Following these discussions, Nyamai introduced the KELC/LWR Malaria and HIV and AIDS Project. Members prepared sample work plans, and Dambala called the meeting to an end. In closing, he stated, “We must use our past experiences, whether success or failure, to shape our future.”
