Our organization Joined other Dignitaries and Guests ,Communities in celebrating PEPFARkenya @20 Anniversary Celebration Event at the Maktaba kuu (Kenya national library) in giving hope and even honoring Heroes who continue to be a symbol of hope in the Fight to End HIV. One of the Honored Heroes being Dorine Akinyi Mbudu a Lean on Me foundation Team member .
Dorine is not only a survivor of HIV and proof that if it possible to live a beautiful Life after infection, She has also been a force of change and resilience in intentionally seeking girls and children living with HIV within the community and acting as a link between the facilities and Lean on Me foundation Kenya for transformative help and change .
Our organization is proud in recognizes Dorine in her resilience and we are honored to celebrate Dorine’s success story and her recognition by His Excellency the president of Kenya, USA ambassador as a HERO at the PEPFARkenya@ 20 Anniversary Celebration .
Her story resonates not only as a testament to personal triumph but also as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of others. Just as PEPFAR has been instrumental in shaping Dorine's life, she, in turn, continues to be a beacon of hope, positively impacting countless lives within our community. Dorine symbolizes the transformative power of hope, echoing the positive change she inspires in others' lives
"I discovered my status when I was in class 8 at Obinju primary, it was not easy to accept but after being linked to an adolescent support group where I was empowered and got support through counselling I accepted it.
After my secondary school education ,I went to FHOK and was trained on how to handle young adolescent girls and women. I have also been trained by, WOFAK,NEPHAK and EGPAF .We later formed a group called "Sauti Skika".
I then started volunteering with Lean on me Foundation in 2021 where we link adolescent with cases such as GBV, adherence problem, stigma and discrimination and TB as a major problem affecting the community."
In her PEPFAR 20YEARS Of Hope story she summarizes: “I am so happy with my beautiful life… Through PEPFAR, I am able to take my meds in time, without anybody’s support. If PEPFAR had not provided anybody to support me in counselling, to support me in PMTCT, I could have given birth to HIV positive children, as my mother did to me… I am also so happy about getting this supportive husband who has supported me through this journey, together with our children. As an OTZ champion, I encourage young adolescents to know partner status, to take their partner for HIV testing, and I encourage young adolescents to keep their ART adherence as well as I am doing.”
