Originally formed as a savings and loans group in 2008 in order to increase their individual economic circumstances, this group of 30 (26 women and 4 men) people is an officially registered Community Based Organization that regularly conducts community outreach and education events in their community.
Seven members of Moringe Plus are HIV positive, and several other members are HIV widows or are caring for orphans. As such, this group feels strongly the importance of not only providing HIV/AIDS education and awareness to other community members, but also the importance of promoting dignity and a sense of self-value to those who are HIV positive.
In order to assist both their HIV/AIDS community outreach activities and their livelihood activities, Moringe Plus was given 10 bicycles by CAP/AIDS. Capitalizing on their entrepreneurial spirit, each member contributed a portion of money to the group such that they were then able to buy 2 additional bicycles! A total of 12 bikes were then distributed among group members.
One woman who received a bicycle is caring for 2 orphans whose parents died of HIV/AIDS. She now rents out her bike to other people and sometimes has a line of people waiting first thing in the morning to rent it! With the money she makes from this, she is able to pay for the school supplies of the children.
Another woman allows her son use her bike to get to and from secondary school, as it is quite a long distance away and she could not afford to pay for his transportation. Now he is able to continue his secondary schooling.
Yet another woman keeps a cow and now uses the bike to go out and find cow feed. They money she is able to make from keeping the cow helps her to afford to keep her children healthy and in school.
As a small group that operates without any sort of outside financial resources, the bicycles that Moringe Plus have received are invaluable and have also allow them to volunteer their time and passion to conducting HIV/AIDS awareness activities. Moringe members regularly speak at two secondary schools and two churches in their Ward, where they provide information and education on HIV prevention and stigma reduction.
