By Albert Oluoch Mugenya, Sega Women's Group (SWG), Kenya
Training and Counselling

Our group has set up a Women’s Development Centre (WDC) in Sega division of rural Kenya.

We train our members on how to make dresses using sewing machines so that they can be self–reliant.

We also have a counseling office where volunteer counselors help women deal with issues affecting them, such as domestic violence, discrimination, and gender inequality.
Food Security and Alleviation of Hunger

One of the challenges that for a long time faced our community is hunger.

Subsequently, the members have adopted some new technology strategies to address this problem; some of these strategies include:
Improving a cassava variety –each member has been supported to adopt this new yielding, and disease and drought-resistant variety.
Planting soy beans – the group has achieved this through partnership with Muungano Development Gateway.
Condom Distribution and HIV/AIDS

Despite all the efforts made to provide care to those already infected, it was important for Sega Women's Group (SWG) to note that a majority of members remain HIV-free – but at a risk of being infected.

Therefore, to address a need to strengthen prevention efforts within the community, SWG had 20 condom distribution points within the community.

Support to women living with AIDS – Anti-retroviral Therapy, scaled up; 10 of the original 30 members of the group have since died because of HIV/AIDS.

However, with the arrival of life-saving anti-retroviral drugs in the area, women – most of whom have been trained as community health workers, have contributed towards the scale- up of aid in the following ways:
Through community testing, many cases have been identified and referred for treatment at a Catholic mission hospital in Sega.
Nutritional support to the patients who have been disabled by the disease until such time that they are able to fend for themselves.
Through home visits, the members have provided home-based care services to the afflicted community members.
Paralegal Program

As the AIDS mortality continues to arise within the communities, other legal challenges arise.

We have come to realize that the human rights of those most infected and affected by HIV/AIDS were violated: most of the cases involved right-to-own-property issues, inheritance upon the death of a spouse, and violence against women and girls affected by AIDS.

The legal training to the paralegal has been tailored to address some of the most common legal challenges women and girls face in the community .
Breast cancer screening: the Right to Know

Breast cancer is a major concern for all women – including those with disabilities; we also provide them with mammogram screenings.

SWG has developed a series of health promotion materials (e.g. posters ,print advertisement and tip sheets) to increase awareness of breast cancer among women with physical disabilities, and encourage them get screened .
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Leaving No Woman Behind...
Rescued from forced sex, violence and alcoholism - Grace

One of the women in the group caught up with a pregnant young girl and a one year-old baby in the market selling bananas and small silver fish, omena.

Our SWG sister got curious and talked to her about the pregnancy and this was her story.

At the age of 13, Grace was the breadwinner of the family.

Grace lost her mother to HIV and had to care for her siblings and her ailing father who had turned to alcohol – a local brew known as Changaa.

The father either stole or beat up Grace to get her meager earnings to buy Changaa.

Sometimes her father never came home, and Grace had to go out looking for him only to find him passed out in a bush or at the local brewer's house .

The saddest part of her story was that Grace got fish from the fishermen in exchange for sexual favors. SWG took in Grace and her siblings; the youngest one was one year old, whom Grace never left behind.

She gave birth to a bouncing baby girl who is now in the care of her sister.
Helping and supporting an AIDS victim - Ann

Ann lost both parents to HIV/AIDS.

She subsequently married early since her education was interrupted by the death of both parents.

Her story is like that of many young women in Nyanza province of Western Kenya: she married early not of choice, but out of necessity for survival.

Her husband, too, died of the scourge leaving her with one child to care for. Living with HIV/AIDS was not easy for her. As a member of SWG she was identified as a needy case and we subsequently provided a heifer for her.

She gets milk for her family consumption and sells the surplus for income.

Most importantly, the group has helped her access free anti-retroviral therapy, and she also gets psychological support from the members.

Caring for orphans - Rosemary

In Sega village, Sega Women's Group (SWG) has a vibrant community health workers program running.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Agaya of Sega village passed away in January 2011 and left seven orphans under the care of their eldest daughter, Rosemary Adhiambo, 17.

Rosemary had to drop out of school to care for her six younger siblings.

During this difficult period, SWG never abandoned the family; we identified Rosemary for vocational training at Ndere Youth Polytechnic in Siaya .

The principle of Ndere reported her performance as excellent, and with the help of SWG – in terms of seeds under the a program that targets vulnerable children, the family farm was cultivated and planted with certified seeds.

The family is hoping for adequate food this season .

Currently, training focuses on traditional subjects including carpentry, masonry and tailoring.

However the demand for these skills has remained low because of excess supply, thus limiting the chances of the orphans and vulnerable children securing jobs upon completion of the training
Famine Interrupts SWG's Work
We have had a long spell of drought since December.

The poverty level has also increased, and social economic activities have been interfered due to migration caused by drought: e.g., business and farming have greatly been affected.
Contact/Donate

Sister Gertrude Mware, Executive Director

Sega Women's Group,

P.O. Box 4
Busia
Code 40614 Kenya
Kisumu
Nyanza
40614
Kenya

Email: segawomen_group@yahoo.com

Phone: +2540738655724 or 0733242119

Physical address – Landi Mawe – Sega - Kenya

http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/field-partners/partners-in-kenya/fp-sw...