Orphans and Vulnerable Children

With an estimated 16,000,000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa who need long term, sustainable support and assistance HOPE worldwide Africa (HWA) plans  to continue to assist HOPE worldwide affiliates to expand their Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs . These programs are based in disadvantaged communities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Botswana, South Africa, and Mozambique. We have worked with corporate, government, and civic partners to help these children across  40 large settlements at these sites.

Background

HWA has created effective, community-based models for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) which use a child-centered, family-focused, and community-based integrated approach. HWA’s model for community care and support through community mobilization has been recognized by UNAIDS as a “Best Practice” Model. Dr. Marc Aguirre, the Regional OVC Advisor for HOPE worldwide, is on the Steering Committee of Multi-disciplinary Regional Inter-agency Task Team (RIATT) on OVC, and Dr. Mark Ottenweller, Director of Development and Senior AIDS Advisor, works with the OVC Task Force with the US government in Washington. In Botswana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, and South Africa the staff of HOPE worldwide serve on the National OVC Steering Committees which develop national OVC strategies and policies in those countries.

HWA, in partnership with its affiliate programs, has assisted 32,000 new OVC during 2014 and 172,000 OVC in Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia,  and Zimbabwe over the last 8 years with funding from Coca-Cola, Shell Oil, Massmart, KFC, MTN, AusAid, CDC, and USAID.

Strategic Objectives

• Strengthening the capacity of households and caregivers to provide adequate care for OVC
• Strengthening the capacity of community-based organizations to provide quality services to OVC households
• Mobilizing and strengthening the capacity of affected communities to address the needs and challenges facing OVC

Program Strategies

• Training and Capacity Building of caregivers and other service providers
• Empowerment of Women and Economic Strengthening of households
• Employee Involvement of corporate donors and partners
• Engage partners in Parent Support Groups (PSG) and Kids Clubs (KC)
• Youth Development to assist adolescent-led households and Kids Clubs

Innovation and Developments in Household Economic Strengthening

Innovation is key to our success. HWA supports HOPE worldwide affiliates with program development with a special focus in Women’s economic Empowerment and ECD. With HWA support, over the last 2 years Affiliates have helped 1200 women start small businesses and income generating activities. The affiliates have implemented its effective model of OVC Care and Support which focuses strategies and related activities at three levels; Child, Family and Community, and it will utilize training and capacity building to stengthen caregivers, households, and community organizations to sustain these efforts.

HWA will continue to prioritize a ‘family-centered’ approach to its efforts which has been shown to maximize sustainable benefit and impact in the lives of the children and their households.