Health Seminars & MVCT
HEART’s goal is to saturate rural Kenya with the prevention
message of HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, Typhoid, and Hepatitis B
and testing for HIV through a Mobile Voluntary Counseling
and Testing (MVCT). HEART volunteer teams travel throughout
rural Kenya teaching age appropriate messages to adults, youth
and children simultaneously. Seminars about HIV transmission
separate facts from myths and encourage alternatives to traditional
African lifestyles which facilitate the spread of the disease.
HEART seminars are often the first exposure to basic disease
and prevention facts. All teachings are based on basic public
health messages and Christian principles. Participants eagerly
attend HEART’s free sessions, ask many questions, and
express gratitude for the teaching. All adults receive a HEART
health manual written in both English and Swahili, which becomes
a health resource manual for their family. The acquisition
of knowledge is evaluated by pre and post tests. HEART believes
that education is the best vaccine for HIV/AIDS. HEART has
been given favor with the Kenyan government officials. HEART
also receives assistance through the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID) and partners with the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) for the MVCT.
Program Successes
The 2 -3 day village-wide health education seminars (HES) with
Mobile Voluntary Counseling and Testing (MVCT) for HIV has
reached many areas of Kenya. Since project inception, 80 seminars
have been conducted in various areas including Meru, Taveta,
Taita, Kisumu, Kericho, Kisii, Nyamira, Tombe, Nakatch and
Magadi; and several urban slums around Nairobi including:
Kibera, Mathare and Kasarani. Overall, the program has served
more than 140,500 participants since 2000. Based on seminar
feedback, our strategy to teach adults, youth and children
simultaneously, about the process and prevention of disease
transmission, prevention and care focusing on HIV/AIDS, has
been embraced by the communities of Kenya.
HEART MVCT counselors were trained and participated in oral
testing for HIV, newly introduced to Kenya oral testing for
HIV. This testing does not require a blood sample.
Opportunities to Help
The seminars are the heart of the HEART effort to reach rural
Kenya, and there is an opportunity for you to join us as a
team member and be a part of this outreach in person. Let
us know if you are interested in joining or building a team
to partner with us in a seminar.
Each seminar costs HEART approximately $1500, and the MVCT
another $500. This means that for seminars hosting 2,000 people
it costs us just over $1, per seminar attendee, to provide
life saving education, and behavior changing HIV testing that
is impacting the nation of Kenya.
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