EGPAF Kenya celebrates 30 years of impact

More than 30 years ago, Elizabeth Glaser and her two friends Susie Zeegen and Susan DeLaurentis sat down at a kitchen table with a mission to save the lives of her children. Elizabeth’s 7-year-old daughter, Ariel, had died after a long and painful bout with an AIDS-related illness. Elizabeth feared that her son, Jake, also HIV-positive, would soon meet the same fate unless someone spoke out for children. Today, her efforts to advocate for children living with HIV/AIDS have impacted millions of children and families around the world.

In Kenya, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) celebrated 30 years of impact by hosting a cocktail for donors, partners, and beneficiaries. “I want to congratulate the real change and impact on children lives that you have had. Let us all work to improve Kenya one baby at a time,” said Dr. Tami Daniel, PEPFAR Coordinator.

Dr. Jackson Kioko, Director of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health and Hon. Sabina Chege cut a cake to commemorate EGPAF’s 30 years of impact. Photo Credit: Delfhin Mugo

The event was graced by Members of the Legislature, led by Honorable Sabina Chege, Chair of the Health Committee at the National Assembly and Hon. Gladys Wanga, Homabay County Women Representative.“There is great work being done in Homabay County by EGPAF. Continue to work hard to make a difference,” said Hon Wanga.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Health and County governments, EGPAF in Kenya has averted over 18,000 new infections among HIV exposed infants and provided comprehensive adolescent-focused HIV services to more than 180,000 adolescents. “The results we are celebrating are not just EGPAF’s but for all our partners,” said Titus Syengo, EGPAF Regional Director

I want to recognize and applaud the leaders, friends, and partnerships that have been indispensable to the progress toward ending AIDS in children Dr. Eliud Mwangi, EGPAF Country Director

For 30 years, EGPAF has prioritized children when it comes to HIV through research, public policy, and on-the-ground programs. “Children born with HIV in the past were not celebrating their first birthday, but today we commemorate and celebrate EGPAF’s investment for the point of care early infant diagnosis,” said Nelson Otwoma, from the Network of People Living with HIV (NEPHAK).

EGPAF Adolescent Champion, Lydia Vera, shared her personal story of fighting HIV in Kenya. Vera spoke about the challenges that adolescents have adhering to medication, and how she has used her own struggle as an opportunity to help other adolescents living with HIV.

Finally, the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Jackson Kioko, who was the Chief Guest at the event, spoke of implementing AIDS programming and high impact interventions. “We are celebrating EGPAF’s 30 years of work, triggered by a woman who chose to turn what could have been viewed as a misfortune into an opportunity to reach women and children thousands of miles away. It is a great inspiration,” said Dr. Kioko.

Guests included County Executives for Health (representing Homabay, Turkana and Kisumu Counties), Civil Society Organizations represented by NEPHAK and Kenya AIDS NGO Consortium (KANCO), Local Foundations, beneficiaries, and development partner representatives (UN, PEPFAR).

The focus of the cocktail was not limited to past successes, but also touched on the need for new commitments to continue the fight Elizabeth began 30 years ago.