WHY ?

Zambia, a country with a population of about 12.2 million, is one of the most severely affected by HIV/AIDS (estimated HIV prevalence rate : 16%). As a result of this HIV/AIDS pandemic, more than 1 million Zambian children are believed to be orphans (defined as a child who has lost 1 or both parents) or need to take care of one or two sick parents. Because of the dwindling economic strength and the fact that nearly three-quarters of Zambians live in poverty, extended families and members of the community need support in raising these vulnerable children. They need assistance in monitoring their psychosocial status, accessing basic education, proper nutrition and healthcare.

WHAT ?

Seven local partner organisations from Volens assist and train community caregivers who mobilize and empower their disadvantaged communities along the line of rail in Southern Zambia.
The organisations try to the best of their abilities to provide basic care for the OVC’s and their families via feeding schemes, a roof, clothing and schooling. They also focus on HIV/AIDS prevention, testing and counselling. Moreover, all the partners acknowledge the fact that psychosocial aspects of these children’s lives should be taken into account. As OVC’s have often been confronted with traumatizing losses (parents, siblings, family, …) and live in very difficult circumstances, special focus should be put on their psychological and emotional wellbeing and growth, and on how to cope with loss and bereavement…
Besides taking care of the psychosocial needs of these children, the partner organisations provide interesting ideas and initiatives to make community care self-sustainable, mainly through the setting up of community structures and income generating projects. Many of these initiatives remain often too small scaled and isolated or are not sustainable.
This network therefore supports the organisations and their trainers in OVC care through capacity building and appropriate training in areas such as providing psychosocial support towards OVC’s, assisting in setting up IGA projects, organising sport and recreational activities with therapeutic value, …

HOW ?

Volens focuses on capacity building to support partner organisations in their challenges - strengthening them on three levels :

• Human : equipping the staff to better support and assist the OVC through different therapeutic tools. Two main ways of enhancing the staff skills are offered :
  • Attachments : exchanges of staff members between the partners, in order to share expertise
  • Scholarships : if the expertise isn’t available amongst the partners, external studying possibilities are explored
• Organisational : support to have the organisation function better, more transparently and achieve its goals
• Interinstitutional : reinforcing the positioning of the partners in society and networking towards other actors (policy making, donors, mobilising other instances).

WHO ?

The community support network in Zambia consists of 7 partner organizations that focus on OVC care and work with home based care and/or community awareness activities :

• Community Home Based Care Archdiocese Lusaka-Kabwe Deanery (CHBC), Lusaka
• Chikankata Health services – AMTS (training department), Mazabuka
• Family Health Trust (FHT), Monze
• Kara Counseling Trust, Choma
• People Action Forum (PAF), Mazabuka
• Simalelo Peer Education Project (SAPEP), Mazabuka
• Youth Development Organisation (YDO), Choma