Caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Africa: An Integrated Model in Mozambique & Namibia Andee Cooper, Project HOPE

Presenter Disclosures (1)The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months: Andee Cooper “No relationships to disclose”

OVC in Africa Almost 12 million children in sub-Saharan Africa are orphans due to HIV/AIDS Effort to keep children in their own communities, with extended family members

OVC Needs Families already struggling with poverty and unemployment are supporting additional children The needs of the OVC are tremendous - Many are coping with loss of a parent or parents or helping to care for sick family members Some are also sick themselves Many face stigma and discrimination

Caring for OVC in Africa Seven established domains of OVC care agreed upon by the international community: HealthEducation NutritionProtection Shelter & CarePsychosocial support Economic strengthening

Rationale : Caring for OVC is an Economic Issue Majority of OVC care is through informal fostering (relative & non-relative families) Poverty – a significant barrier to achieving even the most basic needs of OVC Expanded household size increases basic needs requiring more financial resources HIV contributes to reduced economic productivity while assets are liquidated for needs Vulnerability of children is linked to economic resources available

Percentage of Project HOPE Micro-credit Clients Caring for Orphans

Project HOPE’s Program Sustainable Strengthening of Families of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Mozambique and Namibia USAID Funded project April 4, 2005 to April 2, 2010 Aim: Improve economic status and quality of life of 45,000 OVC and strengthen the capacity of families to provide care and support to 75,000 OVC

Program Area Gaza and Zambezia Provinces, Mozambique Omusati, Oshana, and Ohangwena Regions, Namibia

Integrated Model  Focus on OVC caregivers Economic strengthening Health education/ parenting skills Community outreach OVC Caregivers require economic strengthening and an increased ability to provide comprehensive care & support leading to improved well-being for children

Economic Strengthening Families in our current program care for an average of 3.5 OVC Micro-credit loans are provided to OVC caregivers, primarily women, to start or expand businesses Enables caregivers: with the means to implement the lessons learned in health education & parenting skills training with greater financial resources with expanded self-sufficiency So they can better provide for needs of their families

Economic Strengthening – Group Based Focused on Caregivers Self-selection of participants creates peer-pressure for performance Formal management structure reinforces roles & responsibilities, develops leadership skills Self Management – gain capacity to overcome problems Emphasis on solidarity to help each other Safe environment to explore issues

Economic Strengthening – Micro Loans & Savings for Income Generation Loans start small & grow upon repayment Invested in productive activities Collective guarantee (all are responsible if one doesn’t pay)

Education/Training for Caregivers Responsible Parenting Preventative Health Family Nutrition Child Development HIV/AIDS Psycho-social needs Protecting Children: child rights Linking and increasing access to services

Follow-up Support for Caregivers & OVC at Home Community volunteers are trained Weekly home visits are conducted Status/conditions of children and housing is assessed and reviewed Develop household improvement plan Provide appropriate training as needed Referrals to services & resources needed

Community Gardens Volunteers in Mozambique started community gardens Caregivers involved with working gardens Food provided to OVC families & sold Profits used to buy school materials & clothes for OVC

Measuring Program Success Tools to measure program success include our “Member Profile” Economic indicators Child-level data Baseline & after 1 year in the program New low literacy “Parenting Map” for use at household level recently developed & implemented to measure impact at the child level across all 6 domains

Results: Caregiver Economic Impact – Namibia

Results: Caregiver Economic Impact – Mozambique

Results: Child-level Impact – Health Namibia

Results: Child-level Impact – Education Namibia

Results: Child-level Impact – Protection Namibia

Results: Child-level Impact – Shelter & Care Namibia

Parenting Map

Results Across the 6 Domains

Data Collection Results

Conclusion and Lessons Learned Innovative & sustainable approaches are needed to address the needs of OVC Economic strengthening is shown to be a valuable component of comprehensive OVC care and support Interventions need to accommodate a social and not only financial relationship Follow sound principles and well-established procedures Integrated OVC-focused training is critical to foster changes in care and support

Success Story By strengthening economic capacity with teaching skills to care for OVC, HOPE is helping families and communities help themselves. Marta Gavilela, is a treasurer of VHB named Malanguizo that is in the process of receiving their 5th cycle loan in Milange. Marta is caring for 7 orphans and 5 of her own children. She says that she used the money received in the first cycle to bake biscuits to sell with tea at the central market. When the group received the 2nd cycle loan, she moved into a prepared food business, and with the loan received in the 3rd cycle, she was able to start a new business of selling capulanas (women’s wraps also used to carry babies) and did improvements in her stall. “I am happy because now I can feed my children and buy them clothes. I see my life improving, and I thank Project HOPE for that”.