Buusia Community Based Support Services (BUCOSS) is an NGO founded by

a group of activists and health practitioners, interested in disrupting the

scourge of HIV among women and girls. Its based in Busia in Western
Kenya.
For close to two decades now, BUCOSS has been at the forefront of
championing the war against HIV/AIDS. We have done this through provision
of vital tools to vulnerable women, widows and girls in Busia County to
enable them overcome stigma, taboos, cultural beliefs and practices that
violate their fundamental rights and freedoms. BUCOSS is building a
movement geared towards catalysing the power within (agency) of the
vulnerable women so that they can rediscover and liberate themselves from
the bondage of outdated cultural beliefs and practices.
Building on the concrete experiences of womens lives, BUCOSS works with
individual women, organisations, networks and allies to build and strengthen
womens collective power for social justice. Consequently, BUCOSS has
established itself as a fearless, ingenious and innovative organisation at the
cutting edge of womens sexual and reproductive health & inheritance rights
and economic empowerment.
In this respect, BUCOSS envisions a society free of HIV/AIDS, where women
make decisions using their own free will without political, religious or cultural
influence. This explains why since inauguration, BUCOSS has undertaken
project activities seeking to give women and their households the tools to
cope with the challenges of HIV/ AIDS as either affected or infected as well as
building their capacities to become self-reliant, self-sufficient and proactive in
promoting their fundamental rights and freedoms at all levels of interaction.
At the moment, our activities are centered on:
1. Raising awareness on issues related to HIV/AIDS, sex and sexuality
2. Building strong movements and leadership that will amplify the voices of
women in demanding for their rights from families, communities, faith
based organisations and the government, including fighting stigma, taboo
and outdated cultural practices.
3. Providing affordable means for realising sustainable household
economies.
4. Creating safe spaces for women living with HIV and AIDS to reclaim their
power and dignity, renew energy and spirit.
5. Mobilising alliances to inform and persuade government and
regional/international mechanisms, urgent response to violations of
women living with HIV and AIDS

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The Advocacy areas of BUCOSS are based on emerging issues arising out of
implementation of the Home Based Interventions for People Living with HIV
and AIDS (PLWHAs) that have mainly witnessed:
1. Modification or completely abandoning of outdated cultural practices that
contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS and violate womens reproductive
health rights.
2. Fighting outdated cultural practices that reduce the abuse of
womens/widows and OVCs property ownership and inheritance rights
among other rights.
3. Poverty reduction.
In December 2009, BUCOSS evolved from a Community Based Organisation
(CBO) to a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). The change was
necessitated by the need to better address its core programs, which meant
having an enhanced capacity. As a result, the organisation re-branded from
Busia Community Based Services (BUCOSS) Project District-wide, to the
present Buusia Community Based Support Services (BUCOSS).
With its new status, BUCOSS is working hard to build the capacities of its
staff and members in terms of resource mobilisation; monitoring, evaluation
and learning; and communication. Being in a rural set up, BUCOSS is keen on
nurturing young feminist activists who will bring new energies to the
organisation while keeping the founding spirit burning. BUCOSS is also
striving to adequately exploit ICT to guarantee operational efficiencies and
build strong networks on the digital platform.
It is out of the fore-going that this organisation has used more than U$
348,838 (Kshs. 30,000,000) of financial and material assistance from donors
and well-wishers to implement its projects.
The support we continue to consolidate is geared towards implementing
uniquely designed programs to meet essential needs of the largely
vulnerable womens population in Busia County. As we move into the future
we intend to concentrate on the following areas:
1. Working with women from all backgrounds and walks of life and
strengthen their leadership capacity
2. Continuing to expand grassroots organising link it to mobilisation
and advocacy
3. Forging new alliances ad agendas with like minded organisations so as to
promote programmes that address womens poverty

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4. Making women leaders + feminist messages more visible + appealing to

the broader public (challenging prejudice, taboos + stigma)
5. Ensuring women have access to rights, dignity and freedoms

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