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Country Profiles |
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FHI Works to Improve the Lives of Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children |
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AUGUST 2007 — One of the worst aspects of the AIDS epidemic is the toll that it has been taking on the young, dimming hope for the future in many countries. As of 2005, an estimated 15 million children under 18 had lost one or both parents to AIDS, and this number may reach as high as 18 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone by 2010. The task of reducing orphaning, along with the deprivation and vulnerability that come in its wake, could not be more critical. International donors, NGOs, and faith-based organizations are among those hurrying to devise interventions and policies that protect and care for orphaned and other vulnerable children, who often have no access to essential services, no one to advocate for their rights, and no defense against the abuse and predatory behavior that the most vulnerable among us often attract. Improving these interventions and policies and applying quality standards to them is required to ensure that children and youth whose lives have been blighted by personal tragedy are properly nurtured and sheltered from harm, and that they grow to be healthy and productive adults. The protection and care of orphans and other vulnerable children has been an urgent mission of FHI for more than a decade. Its work in this area is widely recognized for its technical excellence and comprehensiveness, as attested by an upcoming training session and recent youth workshops with heavy FHI involvement.
Training on quality assurance and improvement Among FHI staff who contributed their expertise to the methodology to be taught is Gretchen Bachman, senior technical officer in FHI's Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC) Unit, Prevention and Mitigation Division, based in Arlington, Va. Lucy Steinitz, PhD, Regional Senior Technical Officer for OVC, who is based in Namibia, and FHI consultant Dee Dee Yates have also played key roles. They have taken the lead in training others and disseminating the methodology in Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia, and they have facilitated the active involvement of children and youth orphaned or affected by AIDS in the development of quality standards. Topics addressed by the training include dimensions of quality, supportive supervision of front-line OVC staff, how to spark change within local practice, and how to change processes to improve quality and achieve service standards. Participants will have many opportunities to share experiences and ideas with colleagues on how the QAI process can be used to make a measurable difference in the lives of children orphaned and made vulnerable by AIDS. The training is funded by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and has been organized by the Office for Sustainable Development in USAID's Bureau for Africa. Other co-planners with FHI are the University Research Corporation, PACT, and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Workshops involving those most affected
The workshop in Ethiopia, held in February 2007, involved adults who represented PEPFAR partners. But it was soon realized that those most affected by orphaning—the children themselves—would provide invaluable input for workshops on quality standards and outcomes for services designed for their benefit. Their participation would also advance the PEPFAR mandate that orphans and other vulnerable children be actively involved in determining their own future. Accordingly, the workshops in Zimbabwe and Namibia centered on this goal. They engaged between 16 and 35 youthful participants from diverse backgrounds and evenly divided by gender. Steinitz said that several children with severe disabilities joined the group in Zimbabwe and "contributed enormously to the experience." Given the insecurities and challenges already experienced by these young people, planners ensured that the workshops were held in secure settings and included adult chaperones. The work of the workshops When introducing themselves, the youngsters were asked to mention something they were proud of, and the facilitators wove this recounting into their descriptions of the seven core service areas. A "River of Life" exercise was another interesting feature: participants were asked to chart the ups and downs of their short lives to date and express their hopes for the future.
Expertly facilitated small-group discussions at the workshops yielded comprehensive and detailed recommendations for improvements in all service areas. Among these were leadership workshops, extramural activities, and tutorials in all schools, insistence on training in child rights and communication skills for adults who work with children; and the involvement of children in community gardens. Feedback from the workshops USAID/Namibia's OVC Technical Coordinator Gabriel Kalungi acknowledges the excellence of FHI's technical assistance: "This relationship between FHI and the OVC is like that of a good mother to her children. FHI staff have incredible knowledge, skills, and attitude, which are ideal for mentoring those who are junior in the OVC field… FHI was instrumental in a very big way, and in the role that involved the children and youth to provide their input in the draft of the quality standards. PHOTOS: (Second photo) A somewhat older facilitator with strong leadership skills was selected for each small group. In this group, Lejeune Locket, deputy director of the Peace Corps in Namibia (third from left and seated), facilitates the discussion. (Third photo) In small groups like this one, the youngsters came up with answers to the following questions about one core service, such as education, protection, and psychosocial support: Where can you get this service in your community? What gets in the way of all children getting this service who need it? What can be done to overcome the problems or obstacles described? Who should take responsibility for solving the problem or taking away the obstacle? (Bottom photo) Dennis Weeks, center, the PEPFAR country representative for Namibia, listens to the concerns of one of the small groups. Each group focused on a single core service area of their choosing. (Photos by Lucy Y Steinitz, FHI/Namibia)
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The participants also voted for the service areas that they considered the most important. In both countries, education topped the list. They also got to choose the service area on which they wanted to focus during in-depth, small-group discussions.