Meeting the Needs of AIDS Orphans in East Africa

Jessica Bassett '05, Political Science/English Double Major and
Patricia Siplon, Associate Professor of Political Science

Jessica has worked with Dr. Siplon on an ongoing basis on both research and service work dealing with HIV/AIDS in East Africa. During the summer of 2003, she was awarded a student research fellowship aidsfrom the Center for Social Science Research to work under the guidance of Dr. Siplon on a research project designed to explore the competing approaches to dealing with AIDS orphans in the countries of East Africa. The work involved assessing the needs of orphans to develop criteria for judging existing programs, and then analyzing whether institutional or community based approaches better met these needs.

Part of Jessica’s research plan was to conduct interviews during a service learning trip sponsored by Saint Michael’s College and co-led by Dr. Siplon that was scheduled to work at the Nyumbani AIDS orphanage in Kenya in May 2003.  When the trip was cancelled due to security concerns, Jessica was able to switch her research methodology and conduct other forms of interviews with professionals and volunteers working with East African orphans.  Since presenting her paper to the Saint Michael’s College community in October, 2003, Jessica has continued her collaborative work on HIV/AIDS.  She has since participated in a college service learning trip to the East African nation of Tanzania, has made presentations at a number of national student meetings and conferences, and has plans to co-author a paper with Dr. Siplon and another student for presentation at a regional political science conference in fall 2004.