On 24th January 2025, a few days after assuming power, President Trump announced a stop work order for all projects funded by USAID the world over.
BHESP clinic was among the affected; we closed immediately. Ten members of staff lost their jobs.
One hundred community workers made up of bar hostesses and other women in Eastlands also became jobless (in the next few series I will explain the role of community workers, also known as peer educators in our programme)
There would be no more pilau Thursdays, no more support sessions for over 2000 women living with HIV in our USAID –Mowlem site.
No more community outreaches and HIV testing as part of HIV prevention programme for over 20,000 women working in bars and lodgings in Eastlands area of Nairobi. It was lights off!
Tamiza is among the ten officers going home. Her journey to receptionist at BHESP has been hard-earned.
She is the link between staff and the community and keeps us all in tow. She is in charge of pilau Thursday a day when all women put their worries, their work, and and their families aside and just get together to cook and make merry.
That ends today.
Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme ( BHESP) was formed in 1998. HIV/AIDS was at its peak amidst denials and stigma.
As women working in the bars, we experienced a lot of suffering, fear, death and stigma. The late President Moi, declared HIV a national disaster in 1999 and it was all systems go! BHESP was supported to create awareness on HIV in bars under the World Bank project known as KHADREP ( Kenya HIV/AIDS Disaster Response Project) which would be later replaced by TOWA (Total War On Aids).
BHESP introduction to USAID was through a project implemented by Pathfinder International, whose contact lead was Dr. Margaret Makumi. She was introduced to BHESP through the National AIDS Control council in 2012.
Even then there was talk of USAID working with the most at-risk populations as a strategy of closing the “tap” to new infections. Eventually, in 2016 , Family Health International, partnered with key population organizations including BHESP, to set up community Drop In Centres (DICE).Tamiza Chege became our first receptionist. The job was well earned.
When we first met, Tamiza was very suspicious of my intentions and I of hers. Pathfinder International had given us a target to deliver 20 HIV positive women to the clinic each week, a young woman who had helped us get an office called my assistance aside and told her that she can help us get that target easily. Over the years Tamiza has delivered over one thousand (out of our total two thousand) HIV positive women for treatment at our USAID clinic.
I remember the day I lost my lap top after inviting Jane, a young lady from Korogocho to my office. I found her at the reception, and she said she wanted to discuss issues with me. I called Tamiza, who was very upset, and told her to keep her friends away from my office. I accepted my mistake and vowed to be careful in the future.
Tamiza was less accepting, and she would not lose her respect over a thieving client. She activated her contacts in the underworld, and within two hours the lap top was in my office!
I never saw Jane again.
My pledge to Tamiza
Although I have handed you the “termination letter,” you are still my girl, and your son, my grandson Ryan will not have to quit that nice school. His dreams to be the MYSA striker are valid, and I know that he will make it. He also promised to buy a car for his grandma, me!
Tamiza , I too have received the termination letter but this will not define us. As the good lady from SLF (Stephen lewis Foundation ) said we must dust ourselves and move on. We cannot dwell on the “Stop work order
Peninah Raising Ryan and having fun at the mall
From left Olivia, Peninah and Tamiza
