Lillian Omondi

Social Capital, Access to Water and People Living with Hiv / Aids: Experiences from Ahero Irrigation Scheme, Nyando District in Western Kenya Lillian Omondi

The importance of social capital in community development cannot be underplayed. Social capital amongst other things acts as a safety net for vulnerable groups when it comes to the access of resources which are poorly distributed. Water is one such resource. Much of the suffering due to inadequate access to water and sanitation is borne by the poor, those who live in degraded environments, and overwhelmingly by women, girls and other vulnerable groups. One of the most affected vulnerable groups is the People Living with HIV/AIDS. This is because water is a vital component in the proper provision of home based care and the management and reduction of opportunistic infections. This book therefore seeks to bring to the fore the opportunities presented by social capital for the society in general and vulnerable groups that may be marginalized for one reason or another. This book will be instrumental for academics, community development practitioners and particularly those working with vulnerable groups and in the field of Natural Resource Management.