There are over 2.6 million jigger infested Kenyans. Poverty rate of 52.9% and subsequent lack of proper hygiene in western Kenya causes jigger infestation. Children from such rural communities infested with jiggers come to school with sleepless nights & barely concentrate in class as they are distracted by the pain caused by the sores on their toes ,soles on their feet and other parts of the body making some of them disabled. Adults from these communities also get affected with jigger infestation and this makes some of them unable to walk/work and fend for their families. Jiggers feed on blood hence causing infection, malnutrition and hunger among the victims.
The organization through this program has treated more than 3K jigger victims within the communities in Western Kenya. It has sprayed hundreds of homes with disinfectants to disrupt and destroy the jigger breeding sites in the homes.
Through this program, we provide shoes to both adults and children treated in these jigger infested communities to enable them not to expose their feet to dirt and dust which are jigger zones also run community sensitization programs to provide them with knowledge and information that empowers them to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation in their homes which has led to the reduction of jigger infestation in these communities, offer psycho-social support to jigger infested victims since they suffer rejection, isolation and ridicule from other members of the communities.
Execution
This program is executed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health Officials so as to ensure strict conformity to the government guidelines on Public Health.
