Overall targets
Increase the priority, attention and budget allocation to NCDs at the national and county levels.
Immediate targets
Objective 1: Enhance the capacity of the NCDAK and the groups of PLWNCDs (including youth) based on democratic and inclusive principles with a particular focus on coordination of activities in the six priority counties. Objective 2: Facilitate the NCD Alliance of Kenya to collect further empirical data and create awareness about NCD symptoms and risk factors among citizens and caretakers in the six priority counties. Objective 3: Improved access to strategic NCD services through increased advocacy by groups of PLWNCDs, County First Ladies (CFLs) and the youth in the 6 priority counties.
Target groups
Primary target groups The primary target groups for this project are described below. (i) The Groups of PLWNCDs in the six priority counties: The activities will target 30 groups of PLWNCDs (five per country) each with an average of 40 members (a total of 1,200 PLWNCDs). The NCDAK member organizations that bring together people affected with NCDs will be facilitated to support the formation of NCD chapters in the six counties. These networks include: (i) KDDA; (ii) KENCO; (iii) Stroke Association of Kenya; (iv) Africa Sickle Cell Foundation; and (v) Kenya Cardiac Society (KCS). It is anticipated that in each of the six counties there will be an NCDAK County Chapters (6 in total) that will bring together all the PLWNCD groups under one umbrella. The County NCD Chapters will coordinate all the activities at the county level and be the liaison between the 5 groups and the NCDAK national office. One of the groups will bring together youth living with NCDs. These chapters will include 9 persons, with at least 1 representative from each PLWNCD group and up to 4 external (health professionals etc.) per group. (ii) The County First ladies in the six priority counties: The CFLs have an association that provides a framework for collaboration and coordination with key partners. The CFLs from the six counties will receive technical assistance on advocacy on NCDs and will be supported in their advocacy roles. They will be key partners at the county level. (iii) Youth in the six priority counties: Engaging the youth is key to the advocacy campaigns that are planned for this project. In each county, the youth will be encouraged to form their own caucuses, across disease conditions to ensure that their voices are heard. It is estimated that the project will support at least 40 youth per county (clustered into PLWNCD groups – a total of 240 youth) to actively engage in NCD activities. They will also be supported to use social media as a communication and advocacy tool. In addition, they will be supported to develop platforms that use social media to communicate information on NCDs including WhatsApp, Instagram, twitter and Facebook. We plan to hold a boot camp with 18-24 youth leaders from the six counties during which they will be sensitized on NCDs and be given skills to engage in NCD advocacy. (iv) The NCDAK: The Alliance including 7 volunteer board members, 2 staff and a variety of other volunteers will benefit from technical support from the Danish partner. Its members and staff will be facilitated to enhance their capacities to engage in NCD actions and administrate project funds. The project will also enable the DNCDA to support transforming the NCDAK into a vibrant democratic, inclusive and well managed Alliance. (v) Decision Makers: The advocacy activities will target a variety of decision markers at national and county level. 16 members of the national health committee will be engaged through a national meeting with PLWNCD representatives. Further 72 county decision makers (12 per county) will be targeted through meetings with youth ambassadors and 42 (7 per county) though small stakeholder meetings with PLWNCD representatives. 26 decision makers are expected to be reached through a stakeholder meeting facilitated by the CFLs. We use a broad definition of decision makers including politicians, public officials and influencers with the ability to affect policy making. Secondary target groups (i) The broad association of the CFLs (44 members) will benefit from the advocacy activities. The NCDAK will organize annual meetings with the Association that will sensitize all the members on NCDs and share advocacy materials for their use. (ii) The endemic population: the advocacy activities, such as media engagement, website and printed materials will be shared widely and will reach people and groups that are not the primary targets. (iii) Caregivers for PLWNCDs although not primary targets will be secondary beneficiaries for information. Access to effective NCD services will positively impact on their caregiving responsibilities. (iv) At least 4800 Community members in the six priority counties that will participate in outreach activities and those that shall be reached formally and informally by the PLWNCDs.
Resume
The aim of this project is to work with groups of people living with none communicable diseases (PLWNCD’s) in six priority counties in Kenya to empower them with skills to speak for themselves and to advocate for improved policy and health service delivery in their counties. The project will have a special focus on youth. We intend to strengthen the existing groups of PLWNCDs to use their membership to identify and form groups in the six priority counties: Kisii; Vihiga; Taita Taveta; Nyeri; Makueni; and Isiolo. The capacity of the NCD Alliance Kenya (NCDAK) will be enhanced - based on democratic and inclusive principles - to ensure that it adequately supports the NCD activities in the six counties. The support will include the establishment of NCDAK County Chapters. A small part of the advocacy work will test new ways to do advocacy and work through and with the first ladies association.