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by Stella Gitia, Embu CHIC Volunteer
Edited by Patricia Bunyasi
July 2003
Popularly known as "the Computer place," WiRED International's Community Health Information Center (CHIC) in Butula is proving to be the best strategy for fighting AIDS. Confirming the popular notion that "information is power," the story of 11-year-old Joseph is a testimony to WiRED's work in this part of the world.
Embu Community Health Information Center (CHIC) has taken the Embu society by storm. It has been a Center where many are willing to spend a lot of their time and have a feel of the variety of the information. Clients are people from all categories, but one special group has made a difference to the Center and the staff.
The tradition of Embu Chic staff members is to wear their branded t-shirts when going for mobilization. This day they set out to visit their target groups. It was surprising when a group of street children who usually sit at the bus park stopped the three staff and asked them what they were promoting and if they could assist on the same. The staff took time and explained what they were doing and where they do it. The boys expressed their interest to visit the Center. Arrangements were made that they visited the Center as a group that afternoon.
They came to the Center and it was all excitement for them as they stared at the computers. The Center staff was not very comfortable for they were well aware of their cunning and knew that anything could disappear within the split of a second: a mouse, a mouse pad or the earphones. They had to be extremely alert. To our surprise the boys were well behaved and were keen to learn about the sexually transmitted diseases. They sat in a group and were guided through the CD by John, who was patiently translating the CD into the languages with which the boys were quite familiar: "sheng" (a mixture of adulterated Swahili and English) or sometimes in their mother tongue. They were all ears and one could see surprised and questioning faces on the boys.
When it was time for questioning, they said that they had a colleague who had been developing rashes on his face and thighs and pimples on his private parts. They said they always thought it was due to the dirty food they ate but now they knew better. They promised to bring him to the Center.
On coming to the Center the boy was very sick, and he could not walk properly. During further discussions with him, he agreed to open up and said he had multiple sex partners — both male and female. We encouraged him to visit the Provincial General Hospital STI clinic and one of the staff escorted him. He was diagnosed and treated.
The other boys were so happy, as he was a key member in their group and they were worried about his health. The boys have become great friends of the Center and we always look forward to their questions on various health issues. The Center has changed the lives of a very vulnerable group who are forgotten by society; the children in the street.
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