KIWAKKUKI is a Kiswahili acronym (Kikundi cha Wanawake Kilimanjaro Kupambana na UKIMWI) for Women Against AIDS in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. KIWAKKUKI was founded in 1990 around the theme of World AIDS Day “Women and AIDS”. It formally registered as an NGO July 1995 and complied with the NGO Act.24/2002 in February,2011 with No.00001413. KIWAKKUKI works in all the 7 Districts of the Kilimanjaro Region where it is now considered the leading HIV/AIDS service provider.
It is a women membership organization with 5460 women and about 133 men as honorable members in the grassroots groups and employees.The uniqueness of KIWAKKUKI is how women from different villages and households in Kilimanjaro Region formed grassroots groups and joined together. In one constitution they formed the BIG registered organisation that has gone through a lot of challenges at different stages during its formation due to culture, stigma, misconceptions and beliefs.
Some activities and achievements of KIWAKKUKI:
- HIV & AIDS awareness raising, 1990s to present. With community, youth, People Living with HIV&AIDs (PLHA).
- Home Based Care, 1990s to present. Over 3000 PLHA reached.
- Voluntary Counceling and Testing (VCT), 2003 to present. Over 32,000 people tested. Station & Mobile.
- Most Vulnerable Children (MVC) – 11000 assisted since programmes began.
- Drug dispensing for Opportunistic Infections (OIs) until 2010.
- Research collaboration with Duke University – conducted multiple research studies, and supported VCT, 2004 – 2010.