Improving the Nutritional Status of Vulnerable Families and HIV-Affected Individuals through Greenhouse Farming

Real Medicine Foundation has been working in Turkana County, Kenya since 2009, when we began our ongoing Lodwar Clinic & Turkana Drought Relief and Mobile Medical Outreach Project, initially providing emergency drought relief and continuing to support free health care at Lodwar Clinic and mobile outreach clinics. In 2011, we began our ongoing support of Lodwar District Hospital, improving infrastructure, building capacity, and providing much needed emergency drugs and other supplies, especially to the Pediatric ward. Thanks to RMF’s support, as well as the hard work of RMF Kenya and hospital staff, the hospital was recognized for excellence by the Nursing Council of Kenya and the Kenyan Ministry of Health and renamed Lodwar County & Referral Hospital in 2015.

Building on our 7 years of experience in Turkana County, in January 2017, RMF initiated our greenhouse farming project for food-insecure and vulnerable families and HIV-positive community members and their families. The project will target 150 households, primarily those of HIV-positive women and mothers of childbearing age who seek treatment at Lodwar County & Referral Hospital. This project aims to improve the nutritional status of HIV-affected families by providing farming supplies, training, crop storage facilities, and assistance with the marketing and transportation of crops. In offering this support, it is RMF’s goal to provide vulnerable women and families with long-term food security and skills, improving their nutritional status and overall health and lowering mothers’ chances of passing the disease on to their children.

Respect and Community Ownership

• Listen to beneficiaries’ concerns and needs
• Aid beneficiaries in developing their own action plan and prioritizing projects
• Work in collaboration with the local community, Lodwar County & Referral Hospital, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Disaster Management
• Consult other organizations to compare best practices, avoid duplication of services, and identify service gaps

Livelihood Training and Support

• Rapidly assess farming and livelihood needs in cooperation with relevant government ministries
• Support 150 non-nomadic PLHIV households with farming inputs
• Establish 10 greenhouse farming facilities in target areas
• Construct 4 storage facilities in the agropastoral zone location in Lodwar County & Referral Hospital
• Train beneficiaries on greenhouse farming, budget planning, good agronomic practices, and leadership
• Oversee the project, collect data, and conduct regular meetings with local partners and county officials (at least bimonthly) to ensure project efficiency

• High level of food insecurity
• Higher levels of HIV prevalence among women
• Potential inter-clan conflicts

In initiating our greenhouse farming project, RMF is committed to providing a long-term, sustainable solution to under nutrition, food insecurity, and limited livelihood skills among HIV-positive women and mothers, as well as their families, in Turkana County, Kenya.