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RAISA YEBO May - June 2003
Regional AIDS Initiative
of Southern Africa/VSO
June 27, 2003
Read the workshop
report online at http://www.vso.org.uk/raisa/workshops.htm
This edition
of Yebo is focusing on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC’s),
one of the key focus areas for RAISA’s 4th year. Orphan
Estimates at the end of 2001 for RAISA countries totalled 2,949,000,
and by 2010, it is estimated that this figure will have risen to
6,190,000.
‘HIV & AIDS
is having a devastating impact on the world’s youngest and most
vulnerable citizens. Since researchers first identified HIV &
AIDS nearly a generation ago, more than 20 million people around
the world have died from the disease. An estimated 40 million are
living with HIV today, including almost three million children under
the age of 15.’ (Children on the Brink 2002 UNAIDS, UNICEF, USAID)
The issues facing
whole countries and individual communities are familiar: Governments
do not have the capacity to care for all these children, nor are
creating institutions the answer (both for the children and for
financial reasons). Local and community responses are needed to
support these vulnerable children. More and more households are
being run by children, especially girls. Options for these children
are diminished due to lack of income, familial support, education
and nutrition thus support networks suffer as well. Frequently children
are growing up experiencing minimal support from the community or
families, minimum education and very possibly putting themselves
in positions of risk in order to make money (i.e. child sex workers)
resulting in both physical and emotional stress as well as long
term impacts. Financial transfers from the state to carers in recognition
of the resources these families lack is essential in enabling communities
to continue to care for the increasing number of orphans and vulnerable
children. It is important that social welfare ministries are sustained
and encouraged to expand their potential to create relief for these
people both in terms of finances and recognition. It is imperative
to acknowledge that both the sick, and those who care, need support.
The watchword needs to be education, education, education; children
grow into adults and therefore it is vital to target children and
provide necessary information and support around HIV & AIDS
for future generations.
Additionally
there is a need to be flexible and innovative in how children access
that education.
Last year RAISA
distributed 12 small grants to support organisations working around
orphans and vulnerable children. RAISA Zimbabwe held a workshop
last December on Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC’s) and RAISA’s
conference for Year four will also be focusing on OVCs.
From 12 to 21
May 2003 RAISA organized a study tour in partner ship with UNASO
(Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organsiations), which took place
in Uganda. The theme of the study tour was Community Responses
to Orphans and Vulnerable Children and it aimed to give participating
organisations the chance to create stronger networks and share learning
and good practice in both Uganda and other RAISA countries (Namibia,
Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa). The tour
involved 11 participants from RAISA countries working with Orphans
and Vulnerable Children. Many AIDS support organisations in Uganda
have OVC as one of their core services and UNASO selected organisations
that covered these issues well.
These organisations
provided participants with a lot of issues to discuss and consider,
with three main areas emerging as most striking for the tourers:
- The level
of coordination between AIDS Service Organisations working in
Uganda
- The multi-sectoral
nature of the responses
- The use of
the memory book to capture the thoughts of PLWAs
Besides the
feedback on the tour in this newsletter, a report will be made available
of the tour. Please contact your Country Coordinator for more details.
Some info
on OVC’s from the 6 RAISA countries:
South
Africa
Orphans
and vulnerable children are a big concern in South Africa. At the
moment the statistics show that there are 662,000 AIDS orphans in
South Africa and the predictions are that by 2010 it will be 1,7
million (Unicef, "Children on the Brink 2002"). One of
the main issues is that our children are our future and the foundation
of a new society. If we don’t take care of these children we will
have an unstable society in the future. Children need to be brought
up with love and attention, which is very difficult when we think
of orphans, street children, orphanages etc. That’s why it is so
important that orphans can be brought up in an as natural environment
as possible, a family run by at least one parent. More and more
organisations are trying to create this environment for orphans.
One of these organisations is the Durban Children’s Society. One
of their projects is a (designated) one-parent household with 6
children. One of the advantages is that orphaned siblings can stay
together and live a normal family life in the community. This project
has been sponsored by the Dutch multinational Unilever. Maybe a
step in the right direction for other corporates to get involved
in such projects as above.
In South Africa
OVC’s can get partial or complete exemption from paying school fees
based on the income of their guardian/foster parent. The foster
parent can claim grants they might qualify for:
- The Child
Support Grant: This is given to a primary caregiver that cares
for a child/children who are under the age of seven (As of February
2003 the age limit has been moved up to 14). The caregiver can
be the mother, father, grandparent, relative, friend or older
brother/sister
- The Foster
Child grant: This is for children who are placed with a person
who is not the parent, such as a grant parent. A court must endorse
the foster relationship. (Department of Social Development,
South Africa 2002).
For more information
you can contact the Department of Social Development at 0800 601
011 (toll free) or visit the website at www.socdev.gov.za
In South Africa
VSO/RAISA has placed volunteers in organisations that work with
orphans and abandoned children such as the Durban Children’s Society,
Leamogetswe Safety Home and Moretele Sunrise Hospice.
RAISA also has
sponsored food garden projects through the Small Grant Fund for
home-based care projects and a Safety Home taking care of OVC’s.
Also a workshop on herbal medicine gardening has recently taken
place.
For the study
tour in Uganda, RAISA South Africa had a representative from Durban
Children’s Society and Moretele Sunrise Hospice. Aspects of learning
from this tour were among others the "Perma Culture Programmes"
and the "Memory Box Programmes". Both participants are
planning to implement these programmes into their own organisations.
For any reporting on this tour please contact Carine.Munting@vsoint.org
Zambia
One
serious consequence of AIDS deaths of men and women in their prime
childbearing ages is an increase in the number of orphans. Two years
ago, in 2001, there were about 572,000 orphans as a result of AIDS.
The number is expected to rise to 836,000 by 2010 (Unicef
). Therefore, the cumulative number of children orphaned by the
epidemic is much higher than can be seen at any one point in time.
The central statistics office (Government body) estimates the number
total number of orphans in Zambia to be about 650,000. There is
already a tremendous strain on social systems to cope with such
a large number of orphans and provide them with needed care and
supervision. With the breaking down of the extended family systems
due to urbanisation and prolonged economic pressures, most orphans
have no option but to seek survival on the streets and others are
forced to take up the roles of adults to head households. At the
community and national level, there is already an increased burden
on society to provide services for these children, including orphanages,
health care and school fees. Many orphans will never receive adequate
health care and schooling, increasing the burden on society. The
present Zambian government have as from last year introduced free
basic education (i.e. first seven years of schooling). This is hoped
that this will give orphans access to education and easy the burden
for guardians. The implementation of this policy is still under
way. Communities have also simply decided to get on board and supplement
the government efforts through introduction of community schools.
The question of the quality of education offered remains unanswered.
A number of local and international NGOs have identified vulnerable
children and orphans as a social priority area and are enhancing
implementation of strategic plans to support the management of this
problem. Among such organisations that are helping in Zambia are
the EU, UNICEF, Christian AID, Oxfam, Zamsif, and VSO that provide
technical support through volunteers and other tools such as small
grants and mainstreaming. For more info please contact Chad.Kalobwe@vsoint.org
Zimbabwe
In
Zimbabwe the statistics showed that in 2001 there were 782,000 AIDS
orphans and for 2010 the expectations are almost 1,2 million (Unicef
). There is a growing realisation that as part of the fight against
stigma and discrimination, communities should support initiatives,
which can enable OVCs to go to school. It is important that OVCs
have as normal school lives as possible, so that they can benefit
from formal education and develop socialisation skills in order
to cope with their predicaments. Seven RAISA small grants were disbursed
in March 2003 and the activities will be reported on during the
current financial year. At least five of these disbursements to
partners target OVCs through various community-based initiatives.
Some grants have been used for children to attend schools and wear
school uniforms.
Currently, the
only grants available for those who take care of orphans are being
accessed through the Aids Levy, which is administered by the National
AIDS Trust Fund (NATF).
Plans are in place, funds permitting, to set up a Child Welfare
Fund where resources from various stakeholders and Government will
be pooled together and distributed to those involved in childcare
and protection.
The Government
Department of Social Welfare, whose mandate is the care and protection
of children, has an operational manual on care and advocacy issues
of OVCs. The Zimbabwe National Strategy on Children in Difficult
Circumstances. There is still need for its wider distribution,
translation into the vernacular and discussion on the implications
of this document among stakeholders.
There are Government
plans to set up a Child Welfare Council for coordinating and monitoring
child welfare Issues. The Government is also advocating for the
greater involvement of traditional leaders in communities so that
they can facilitate OVC birth registration and obtaining of birth
certificates for OVCs to gain entry into the formal education system.
The two Zimbabwe
delegates (Joyce Chavarika and Eliam Mahohoma) for the study tour
to Uganda, represented a Children’s Home (Matthew Rusike Children’s
Home), which is based near Harare, and one community based project
operating in the provinces (Rural Unity for Development Organisation).
For more info please contact nhatendi@ecoweb.co.zw
Namibia
In
Namibia there were about 47,000 orphans in 2001. For 2010 the expectations
are 118,000. This with a total population of only 1.5 million. Last
year a small community group (TOV Multipurpose Group) received a
RAISA small grant. This group was newly formed and its main purpose
was to help provide care and support to the increasing number of
orphans in their community. Through the RAISA grant the organisation
started a feeding programme. 30 children are now fed 3 meals a day
7 days a week. Since then RAISA has been able to provide further
assistance by providing clothing and volunteers to help out with
their school holiday programme. Since this first application for
OVC support RAISA Namibia has continued to offer support to similar
small, possibly high risk organisations such as AIDS Orphan Trust,
Omaheke Gospel Trust, Mother’s Voice and KWID so that they can provide
desperately needed care and support for other children affected
by AIDS. In Namibia the government provides free primary school
education, however, often these schools charge enrolment fees, examination
fees and costs for textbooks and stationary. These expenses can
prevent children affected by the pandemic from having access to
education. Legislation currently being drafted should help improve
this situation as well as providing support benefits for caregivers
of affected children so the burden is decreased. The two participants
who joined the UNASO study tour from Namibia are from the Catholic
AIDS Action who has the largest OVC support programme in Namibia.
For more info please contact Lisa.Davidson@vsoint.org
Malawi
Currently
Malawi has approximately a total of 500,000 orphans who have either
lost one or both parents. Out of this about 65,000 are infected
with HIV/AIDS. The predictions are there will be 741,000 AIDS orphans
by 2010 (Unicef ). Currently there are 97 community-based
organisations working with orphans and 20% are offering education
support. Interestingly a ratio of 0.94 orphaned to non-orphaned
children is attending school. The community-based organisations
are affiliated to the Government Social Welfare Department. VSO
supports three District Social Welfare Departments through provision
of volunteers to work on child welfare and OVC.
One of the lessons
that Desmond Mhango from the Centre for Youth and Children Affairs
learnt from the UNASO Study tour is about the Mobile Schools. Desmond
is interested in modifying what he is currently doing with orphans,
and incorporating the mobile schools model. According to Desmond,
this is a school which is taken to the community, identifies orphans,
trains them in skills development such as farming, and provides
life skills lessons and assists in marketing of the products that
the orphans produce. For more info please contact Steve.Tahuna@vsoint.org
Mozambique
In
Mozambique there are about 418,000 orphans today and by 2010 one
expects over one million (Unicef).
In Mozambique
there are no grants to be given as such to care givers of OVCs,
however organisations such as NGOs and CBOs, which work in Home
Based Care and counseling and train care givers give these volunteer-caregivers
an incentive which is food (rice, sugar, mealie –the basic) and
other organisations give money (a small stipend).
Regarding government,
the Ministry of Women and Coordination for Social Action, which
is working with the World Food Programme, is supporting OVCs in
terms of food supplies; The Ministry of Health supports OVCs by
giving free access to health services; The Ministry of Education
allows free access to education for orphans. Apart from NGOs and
Government, the Church has a very important role, whereby orphans
are taken care of by the Sisters in Children’s Homes and where they
have access to food, education, health care and shelter, all for
free. RAISA
intervention
has taken place at DPMCAS Sofala, the Provincial representation
of the Ministry for Women and Coordination of Social Action in Sofala
Province by placing a volunteer, Ignatius. Ignatius has been working
along side with local colleagues on designing and conducting a survey
on OVC’s. The outcome of the study is that DPMCAS has an accurate
knowledge on the OVC situation in the province and this has encouraged
partners to support activities on OVC’s in the province. Another
organisation, which has been working with RAISA is ASVIMO, a humanitarian
organisation working with widows, elderly and vulnerable children.
Through a volunteer and a RAISA grant a programme was started on
social and psychosocial support for people (mainly children) living
with AIDS.
With the study
tour to Uganda it was Doroteia Balane, the chairperson of the association
for the support and development of AIDS orphans and Maximo Bonifacio,
the Head of the Social Action department who represented Mozambique.
For more info please contact Clara.Makulube@vsoint.org
Resources
Books:
- The
Sourcebook
It
documents 13 education based HIV/AIDS prevention programmes targeting
children and youth from seven sub-Saharan African countries. It
is sponsored by UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA, DFID, USAID, Ireland
Aid and the World Bank. The Sourcebook is available on line. You
may download it from any of the following websites:
- Videos:
- Karate
Kids
It is a
cartoon, which may go together with a book : what we need
to know about AIDS
The video is good for those who work with OVCs especially
children on the street. It can be obtained from Media for
development; email mfd@mango.zw
or mfd@samara.co.zw
- Just
a little Smile
The video
explores ways of building resilience of small children and
changing patterns of care giving through a unique pairing
of OVCs with rural youth. Email Lrichter@hsrc.ac.za
- Websites:
Visit
the VSO Zimbabwe fact sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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