Kamwokya Christian Caring Community

Kamwokya Christian Caring Community (KCCC) was established in 1987 to mitigate the psychosocial and economic impact of HIV and AIDS on the community. Through voluntary efforts of the members of small Christian communities locally known as "Bubondo," a treatment, care and support project was started for persons living with HIV and AIDS plus educational support for children orphaned by the disease. The project also sensitised Kamwokya community members on the causes and effects of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The overriding aim of the sensitisation was to reduce the stigma that was attached to the disease at that time and to mobilize families and communities to care for those affected while supporting vulnerable groups (especially women and youth) to change their behaviour so as to avoid contracting HIV and AIDS.

As time passed by, KCCC realised that HIV and AIDS was inextricably linked to poverty, unemployment, gender, insufficient parenting, inadequate family and community support structures, harmful cultural beliefs and practices, peer and social pressure, moral degeneration, lack of education and personal development skills, lack of timely and correct information and lack of access to health services to treat STDs that increase ones vulnerability to HIV and AIDS infection.

To effectively achieve its objectives KCCC mobilised the community for a holistic and integrated community-based HIV and AIDS management and development programme that: (a) focuses on the whole person-body, mind and spirit, (b) builds on and utilizes existing community strength and resources, (b) looks at the root causes of existing problems, HIV and AIDS included, and (c) promotes community participation and contribution while ensuring that on-going multi-dimensional approaches to current and emerging problems are innovated and effective organizational development undertaken.