Office of Global Health and HIV (OGHH) Office of Overseas Programming & Training Support (OPATS) Health The Global Response to Caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

The Global Response  Guidance for addressing the needs of vulnerable children – UNICEF – Taking Evidence to Impact – PEPFAR’s Guidance – PL – US Foreign Assistance for Children in Adversity – National Plans to Support Children – Peace Corps Plan to Support Children

The context for Peace Corps’s role in working with orphans and vulnerable children  PEFPAR funded therefore we are accountable for: – Follow PEFPAR guidance – Reporting back on PEFPAR indicators.  Follow best practice & international standards  Coordinate with other USG partners (e.g. USAID, CDC) to further USG goals for working with children in adversity (PEFPAR & PL )  Support national and community goals

PEPFAR Guidance for OVC Programming  PEPFAR Guidance 2012: helps PEPFAR country teams and implementing partners develop country operational plans (COPs) and design programs that support vulnerable children in their contexts, align with known best practice, and incorporate potential innovation.

PEPFAR Guiding Principles  Strengthen families as primary caregivers of children  Strengthen systems to support country ownership, including community ownership  Ensure prioritized and focused interventions that address children’s most critical care needs  Promote child development  Work within the continuum of response to achieve an AIDS-free generation

Integrating Various Sectors Into Program Design  Education  Psychosocial care and support  Health and nutrition  Child protection  Legal protection  Household economic strengthening  Social protection  Capacity building of families, communities and children

PL-109 US Foreign Assistance for Children in Adversity  Public Law : The Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 (PL )  Coordinated, multifaceted action can help ensure that children in adversity benefit fully from policies and services.  PL-109 Perspective: Children in Adversity - Efforts to assist vulnerable girls and boys in low- and middle-income countries have often focused on single vulnerability cohorts and categories rather than ALL vulnerable children

Action Plan for Children in Adversity  Objective 1: Build strong beginnings: The U.S. Government – will help ensure that children under 5 not only survive, but also thrive by supporting comprehensive programs that promote sound development of children through the integration of health, nutrition, and family support.  Objective 2: Put family care first: U.S. Government assistance – will support and enable families to care for their children; prevent unnecessary family-child separation; and promote appropriate, protective, and permanent family care.  Objective 3: Protect children: The U.S. Government will facilitate – the efforts of national governments and partners to prevent, respond to, and protect children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.

Our National Plan of Action  POST WILL FILL IN.

PEPFAR-Country Partnership Framework  POST WILL FILL IN areas and goals re: OVC

Our Peace Corps Project Framework  POST WILL FILL IN.

Peace Corps Goals Related to OVC  Commitment to in country PEPFAR Partnership Framework  PC Project Framework

The Peace Corps Approach  The Community Care of OVC (CC OVC): Peace Corps Volunteers will be able to engage OVCs, caregivers and their communities in holistic, family-focused child development activities that will support OVCs in all phases of their lives including early childhood, primary school age, and adolescence.

Peace Corps: Key Elements  Family and community centered approaches  Support for development of children through the ages and stages of childhood into adulthood  Focus on the strengths of family and community  Responding to the needs of children by strengthening caregivers in community groups known as Core Groups  Engaging groups through foundational activities  Use of a supportive curriculum to work with adults and youth in the community.

Foundational Activities We refer to the common activity that brings a group together as the Foundational Activity of the group. This activity is usually at the heart of why the group meets. It gives them purpose.  Savings and Loans practices  Gardening  Sports  Music  Dance

Supportive Curriculum for Adult Core Groups - Positive Parenting  Economic Strengthening: Providing for a Strong Family – Themes: Reducing Economic Vulnerability of Families, Identify Low-Risk Ways to Provide For Your Family, Preventing Future Risk Exposure, Building Resilience  Psychosocial Care and Support: Positive Parenting Approach – Themes: Attachment, Emotional Responsiveness, Positive Discipline  Health and Nutrition: Keeping Your Child Healthy – Themes: Early Interventions and Development, Integration; From Clinic to Home; Child Focused Activities  Education: Helping Your Child Succeed in School – Themes: The Value of Girls Succeeding, Importance of Completion, Supporting Your Child in School and Out of School Activities

Supportive Curriculum for Youth Core Groups- Transitioning to Adulthood  Economic Strengthening: Building a Strong Financial Future – Themes: Reducing Economic Vulnerability of Youth, Identify Low-Risk Ways to Provide For Yourself, Preventing Future Risk Exposure, Building Resilience  Psychosocial Care and Support – Themes: Positive Peer Support, Life Skills Promotion, Self protection from abuse  Staying Healthy – Themes: Nutrition & Health, Youth Sexual Reproductive Health, Support for Young Mothers  Education: Succeeding in School and the World of Work – Themes: Young Women Succeeding, Importance of Completion, Positive Out of School Activities

Guiding Questions for the PEPFAR Overview 1.How do you think these strategies will directly relate to the service you will be carrying out these next 2 years? 2.How do the Peace Corps and USG strategies relate to the National Strategies of this country? 3.What are the common themes you have observed among the multiple approaches that have been presented? 4.What differences have you observed among the multiple plans that were presented? 5.What do you think are the 5 key components of a good support system for vulnerable children and do you think any of those elements are missing from these plans?