Jackie Macadam meets the founder of a Church partner project which is helping families affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya.

“WE provide healthcare, counselling and income-generating projects for women and their families affected by HIV and AIDS in Kenya.”

Esther Wanjohi is head of Ecudare, the project she runs in Kenya and is visiting Murrayfield Churches Together (MCT) in Edinburgh, which has been in partnership with the project since 2009.

Through the years they have helped provide livestock, mosquito nets, mattresses, school supplies, solar lighting and hygiene products.

“Our home improvements project has benefited hugely from this partnership”, says Esther. “The women we work with have lost their children to HIV and AIDS and have been left to bring up their grandchildren – often with little income and no resources but love.

“They need the basics to help them care for these youngsters – cups, plates, spoons, blankets, everything and our partnership with MCT supports us,” she explains.

Esther has personal experience of the losses AIDS has inflicted on Africa. Her own sister died from the virus. “I stayed with her for the last few days of her life,” she says. “At that time around 30 per cent of our nation was living with HIV and AIDS.

“There were so many children without parents or whose parents were dying and unable to care for them.

“I knew then, from being with my sister, that I wanted to find a way to get the knowledge and experience to allow me to train to work with those with AIDS.”

There were courses available and Esther was able to get sponsorship for a course at St Paul’s University, Limuru. The course had funding from the Church of Scotland HIV Programme and it was through a visit by members that she met Shirley Brown from Murrayfield Parish Church and subsequently the Ecumenical Partnership developed. This has been a great opportunity for the churches to come together and includes Saughtonhall United Reformed Church and The Good Shepherd Scottish Episcopal Church.

Ecudare gives women not just skills, but a stream of income they would not have otherwise had.

“The women do very good quality beadwork (they created the original beaded HIV ribbons which were part of a Church of Scotland Guild Project) as well as aprons, bags, purses, hats and beautiful beaded jewellery.

“We also maintain a small garden that helps aid self-sufficiency and high quality food for the women and the children.

Ecudare also runs a school, of which Esther is Head.

The principal aim of the school is to provide a decent education for the children that have been left behind. Though school is free in Kenya, all the supplies to attend it aren’t, so poor children can be left on the outside looking in.

“Some of the help comes from MCT. We aim to provide all needs including uniforms and even the meals they eat during the school day.

“We have over 50 children at the school,” Esther says. “And we are incredibly proud that one of our children has been accepted for university. That’s a huge achievement.

“Education will give these children the chance to lift themselves and their families out of the poverty that they have grown up with.”

Esther’s visit to MCT was helped by a Faithshare Grant. Kath Anderson from Murrayfield Parish Church said: “Esther lifted the profile of our Ecudare project immensely to all of the congregations and everyone that met her was inspired by all her enthusiasm and dedication and Christian spirit she brings to everything and especially to all the children and women in Ngong. Her visit has energised us all in working together to help her with her various projects.”