This programme aims to strengthen the quality and ability of community-based organizations, families and community members support for vulnerable older people caring for people living with HIV/AIDS and orphans and vulnerable children and improve responses to their needs. It combines awareness rising at the community-level to address stigma with wider awareness raising among relevant stakeholders to promote inclusive approaches in relation to HIV/AIDS and foster alliances for collaboration. Practical activities such as shelter repair and income-generating activities will be piloted for replicating and adapting in other countries and districts.

Despite the declaration of HIV/AIDS as a national disaster by the government of Kenya , the direct and indirect impacts of the epidemic on older people are seldom recognized or addressed. Older people are routinely excluded from data collection, prevention and awareness campaigns and direct interventions to tackle the epidemic. This has negative consequences for older people and their families, significantly hampers the national and global fight against the epidemic, and under utilizes their potential contribution in educating and counseling families and communities.

An analysis of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns and information carried out by HelpAge Kenya during 2002/2003 revealed that most of these target younger age groups, denying older people access to accurate information and leading o lder men and women to believe that HIV/AIDS only affects younger people.

Older people identified the lack of appropriate forums for them to be taught about HIV/AIDS. They stated their preference to be taught by peers of the same age over younger people, and by people they respect for their knowledge of sexual matters and respect for traditions and customs.