Effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in alleviation of psychological, social and economic problems experienced by HIV/Aids affected orphans: A case of Aids orphanages in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

Guidance and Counselling has been recognised as an important programme in Kenyan institutions to assist individuals to cope with psychological and social problems they experience. The government of Kenya has formulated and implemented national legislation policies for the protection of children affected by HIV/ A.IDS. Among the policies and action plans, is the need for guidance and counselling services which was recognized to play a vital role in assisting the orphans. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services on psychological and social-economic problems experienced by HIV/A.IDS affected orphans in Nakuru Municipality. The study was a descriptive survey which employed an ex-post facto research design. The research was conducted on a population of 212 HIV I AIDS affected orphans, 14 counsellors and 12 adminstrators. A sample of 140 orphans aged 10 - 18 years, 6 Counsellors and 6 adminstrators was drawn from the population. In order to identify the required sample, proportionate sampling method was used. Purposive sampling method was also used to identify the sample of counsellors and adminstrators. Questionnaires were used to collect data from counsellors and adminstrators, whereas interview schedule was conducted among the orphans in the 6 orphanages. Data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics. Frequencies, %ages and pie-charts were used for data analysis with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5 for windows. The major findings of this study indicated that guidance and counseling services have had a significant influence on the orphans' behaviour. Further evidence revealed that the orphans perceived the services more positively. Based on the finding of this study, it was concluded that there is need to enhance and strengthen guidance and counselling services in order for it to be even more effective in assisting the orphans handle the problems they experience in the orphanages. It is hoped that the findings of this study might help the Ministry of Home Affairs to lay strategies to empower the guidance and counselling services in the orphanages through administrative support and provision of resources to effectively promote the welfare of the affected orphans.