Jali Watoto’s WORTH Program: Household Economic Strengthening in Tanzania Leads to Improved Care for Most Vulnerable Children Presenter: Linda Madeleka, DCOP, Jali Watoto and Pamoja Tuwalee, Pact Tanzania AIDS Turning the Tide Together

Pact OVC Program Tanzania: 71% children lack basic needs; 83% absolute poverty in rural and 29% in urban(DHS 2004/05). HIV/AIDS prevalence 5.7% Pact’s Jali Watoto (JW) program: 40.6% of households in Lindi (South) are in the lowest wealth quintile as compared to 15.2% in the Kagera region (Lake Zone) - majority being vulnerable HIV-affected families 30% adult women have no education compared with 17% of adult men Proportion of female-headed households in JW areas being 59% More than 50% of OVC are cared for by their grandparents Fig 1: Geographical areas that have integrated WORTH model into OVC Program.

Overview of Jali Watoto $27 million dollar MVC program from (funded in partnership with USAID and Global Fund) 42 implementing partners received capacity building services and sub grants to provide services to more than 153,000 vulnerable children (target was 110,000) in 26 districts in 5 regions Program supported 26 district councils to identify MVC Services included health, education, shelter and care, psychosocial support, protection and legal services.

2. Using their new skills, group members learn how to develop their businesses and how to launch and manage a village bank. 3. Women borrow from their group savings to invest in businesses, the group charges interest on loans, which the women distribute to themselves as dividends from their village bank. 4. Women capitalize on the power of the group to tackle core infrastructure and social issues, including domestic violence. 5. Groups help launch other groups as community-based informal sector village banks. 1. Women in groups help each other learn to read, write and do simple math while they save together in a group fund. WORTH PROGRAM

WORTH - community platform for integration of health & social services Beginning of October 2008, Pact Tanzania incorporated WORTH program into the OVC program Training was incorporated for WORTH members on parenting skills, nutrition, hygiene, HIV prevention, stigma reduction, and community leadership. In 2009, Pact integrated child protection into WORTH Integration aimed at improving the livelihoods of caregivers, protection and care of children served under them.

WORTH Results IndicatorsResults Empowered Caregivers to support OVC 2008 – 2011 Pact facilitated formation of 1,061 groups with 20,166 caregivers supported 52,262 OVC. Increased Household income New businesses started and expanded Caregivers raised approximately Tshs 500 million (USD $319,693). Caregivers received loans worth Tshs 916 million (USD $575,448), which they used to start and expand income generating activities. Improved nutrition 71% of WORTH respondents reported they had 3 meals a day compared to 54% from non-WORTH respondents Children improved nutritional status (eliminated under weight, moderately to severely malnourished) Improved health status 77% of WORTH respondents reported improvement in health among OVC compared to 65% Improved literacy level Increased literacy rate amongst adult caregivers Strengthened community referral and supporting network Members influenced communities in addressing issues related to child protection Established supporting networks- increased child protection-Children welfare committees identify and report issues of child abuse. (birth registration/certificate; accessing protection services if experience abuse/neglect/exploitation) Reduction of stigma and discrimination

Successes and Challenges Successes: WORTH platforms for integration health and social services Platforms to discuss social cultural and development challenges Enhanced sustainability – (20%) household income increased and started IGAs using savings Empowered community to take charge of their life – enabled the poor HIV-affected members in charge of caring their families Addressed gender disparity - Involvement of men to form their own groups is at an increase. Increase opportunities for caregivers-to save, access loans, start up / expand businesses and provide essential age-appropriate services to children Challenges: Involvement of old guardians / caregivers is limited Bad experience by community members on other type of village banking discourages caregivers from joining the groups

Key Conclusion WORTH model has the potential to positively affect the care and protection of vulnerable children and increase the capacity of caregivers to sustain positive changes over time