To support provision of primary education to vulnerable children, infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
To equip widows, guardians, and vulnerable children with knowledge and skills for income generation and self-reliance through vocational skills development, access to financial services, and technical trainings
To reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the community through education; to provide homecare for the sick, elderly, and frail; to provide emotional and psychosocial support to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
The Mpoma Community AIDS/HIV Initiative was founded in 1999 by a group of people, mainly women, infected and affected by HIV/ AIDS. What began as a small group of sick and frail caretakers concerned about their children’s futures has blossomed into a dynamic, motivated, healthier, and, most especially, hopeful community of positive living. The principal activity undertaken thus far has been the creation of a community primary school - The Johnson Nkosi Memorial Primary School in 2002.
The Mpoma Parish is a sub-region of Mukono District, which is located in south-central Uganda. While the area is only 20 kilometers outside the bustling capital of Kampala, the access to services and opportunities found in the city are not present here in this semi-rural, agricultural-centric locale. Residents of the area have been affected especially hard by the HIV epidemic as Mukono lies on the trans-continental highway which links central Africa with the Indian Ocean coast. Within Mpoma there are approximately 7,000 residents. Despite a national drop in HIV-prevalence during the past decades, the Mpoma population still has an astonishing ratio of 15-20% HIV-positive. Female-headed households comprise 60-70% of homes as many husbands have either passed away or left their wives and children to care for themselves. The average life expectancy is 45 years old.
The Board of Directors of Mpoma are a diverse, talented group of individuals, representative of all the Mpoma stakeholders. They are bound by the common goal of education, health, and security for their constituents; however, their backgrounds and skills are quite different. There are Board members who are HIV-positive, a government education official, an elected local government representative, the Nkosi headmistress, an agricultural expert, and secondary school students who graduated from Nkosi.
It is divided into five committees: Education, Income Generating Activities, Vocational Skills, Psychosocial and Savings Scheme.
Mpoma Board of Directors