In their own words...

This week I have been meeting with quite a few CARE for AIDS clients, asking them If they would like to write thank-you letters to the people who made their time at the centers possible. One client named Fredrick wrote a letter that does an amazing job of sharing what CFA does, from the perspective of a client. I've typed out the letter here, changing some spelling but keeping all of the words so you can hear his description just the way Fredrick puts it:

IMANI SHADE: How it has helped me and THE REST

1. I was introduced at Imani Shade center in the year 2009 by a friend of mine and I was immediately taken in.

2. I was warmly welcomed in the center by those who work there, Mr. Humphrey, Kevin, and Rosemary, who gave me hope and worth of living because I had lost it.

3. I was not recruited to the center along, but there were other clients recruited from other parts of Limuru and that gave me an opportunity to meet new friends.

4. In the center there are three main parts in it.

• The spiritual part, where someone is catered for spiritually by reading the world of God and praying.
• The other section is the medical; in this section we are taught about proper adherence in taking the ARV medication, how to feed well on balanced diet food and to have a good and proper hygiene.
• There is also a section of empowering; whereby the center staff look for professionals in various skills who come to train us their skills so that we can be able to stand on our own, in these section we have been able to learn about farming on green houses, detergent soap making, dairy goat keeping, and rabbit rearing just to mention a few, which all this trainings were facilitated by the Imani Shade center

5. Every time we visited the center, we never went back home empty handed we were given some food supplement, like maize, beans and rice and also women clients were supplied with sanitary towels.

6. Also the center provided bus fare to some clients who lacked, to go back to hospital for refilling of ARVs medicine.

7. The center staff and the friends of the center, paid us some home visits to see how we are faring back home and these visits made us feel loved and recognized, especially where we people living with HIV virus are stigmatized.

8. Through the Imani Shade center we have formed a support group for both men and women, who are living with the HIV virus, of which this support groups are registered by our government under the ministry of Gender and Social Services.

9. The center provided us with the money to register the support groups.

10. Lastly but not least, on behalf of other clients who have benefited a lot by the Imani Shade center, I want to thank all those who have supported the center in order to put a smile on our faces, may God bless them all and give them peace, joy and prosperity.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL

Yours Faithfully,
Fredrick Chege Gichire