St. John’s Community Centre was established in 1957, with a mission to develop and enhance the social, economic, physiological and spiritual capacity of vulnerable individuals in Nairobi. The Centre’s main focus is assistance to orphans and vulnerable children through education and projects to fight HIV/ AIDS.
Many Norwegians have worked at St. John's as volunteers, and many have visited the Centre to learn and draw experience from the activities taking place there. Ambassador Elisabeth Jacobsen said in her speech on the occasion that ‘My impression is that all of them have left St. John’s very inspired by what they have seen. I think what inspires them is the commitment and initiative by the local community, the spirit of caring about each other and of helping the weakest of the weakest’
Ambassador Jacobsen highlighted the results achieved through the cooperation between St. John’s and Norwegian Church Aid, primarily on HIV/AIDS:
- Establishment of support groups by people living with HIV/AIDS
- Empowerment of peer educators to engage youth through behaviour change campaigns
- Improved access to medical care for people affected by HIV/AIDS
- Increased household incomes for People living with HIV/AIDS through microfinance projects
- Greater support for orphans and vulnerable children through the work of volunteer community based counsellors and through an existing child protection team
- Orphans and vulnerable children project sustained through local resource mobilisation.
The Norwegian Embassy congratulates St. John’s Community Centre with its 50th Anniversary!