KANCO has been implementing A Community Action on Harm Reduction project designed to significantly increase the access of people who inject drugs to HIV prevention and care services. Besides increasing access to services, the programme promotes the human rights of people who inject drugs by fostering an enabling environment for HIV and harm reduction programming.
KANCO is the pioneer organization to have instituted a comprehensive harm reduction program in Kenya at the beginning of 2012 through five implementing partners four of which were based in the coastal region of Kenya namely Reach out Centre Trust, The Omari project, MEWA and Teens Watch and one in Nairobi namely the NOSET. Overtime KANCO increased the number of partners to include The University of Nairobi working in Central Kenya and Impact Research covering the greater Nyanza region.
By the beginning of 2016, KANCOs efforts in harm reduction reached more than 50% of the national estimated number of people who inject drugs of 18000 people.
KANCO has been at the lead partner in the development of PWID guidelines in the country besides leading in conducting, disseminating and publishing PWID research in the region. KANCO supported the National Key population dissemination forum in 2015 in conjunction with other stakeholders working with key populations where among others the access to care study conducted by KANCO in collaboration with the London School was disseminated.
Community Action on Harm Reduction (CAHR2) programme Phase 2 is a five-year project (2016 to 2021) implemented in seven countries (Kenya, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Senegal and Myanmar) and locally in Kenya by 8 partners.
Project goal
CAHR 2 Programme goal is to ensure that, People who inject drugs (PWID), People who use drugs (PWUD), their partners and children are healthier, less marginalized and more engaged in social and community life.
Project objectives
CAHR Phase 2 programme has 4 major objectives, namely:-
- Healthy People: Improving access to HIV and harm reduction services for IDUs, their partners and families
- Stronger Health and Community Systems: Building capacity (organizational and technical) in Kenyan civil society organizations to develop preparedness for harm reduction programming at scale.
- Inclusive and Engaged Societies: Supporting a partnership approach to HIV and harm reduction responses to promote an enabling environment for evidence-based responses to HIV and drug use, and to ensure a human rights-based response to the problem of HIV and drug use in Kenya.
- Strategic Information: Generating and sharing knowledge on effective models of HIV and harm reduction programming aligned with the national context and research agenda, and informed by international examples of good practice
Project beneficiary (s)
People who inject drugs (PWID), People who use drugs (PWUD), their partners and children
Partners/donors
Donors:
Dutch Government through the International HIV/AIDS Alliance
Partners:
- Teenswatch Centre in Kwale County
- OMARI project in Malindi
- KANCO Watamu DIC in Watamu
- Reachout Centre Trust in Mombasa County
- Muslim Education and Welfare Association in Kilifi County.
- Nairobi Outreach Services in Nairobi County
- Impact Research and Development Organization covering the Nyanza region
- University of Nairobi Centre for HIV prevention and Research in Kiambu County
Project Implementation period
1st January 2016 to 31st December 2021