AIM
This project was started in March 2007 with the initial aim of supporting 959 orphans and vulnerable children [OVCs] and their 216 caregivers. The level of support was based on the principle of ₤1/month/child for the 5 year period of 2008-2012. Such support needed to incorporate an income-generation project so that help for the OVCs can continue after external funding has ceased.
PROGRESS
Within Busia District there is a major HIV epidemic. Medicos Sin Fronteras-Spain has in recent years reported the rate of HIV prevalence to be 33% amongst adults. In a 2001 survey they reported that 23% of 10-14 year old primary pupils had experienced sexual intercourse, but only 9% had used condoms. What is clear from many discussions with community leaders during the 2007 and September 2008 SGG field visit is that HIV has had a devastating impact on the development of Busia District. This is true both in terms of sick adults unable to contribute to the economy and also in terms of the large numbers of dependent orphans supported within the extended family. Food security and the eradication of poverty cannot be achieved here without addressing this problem.
During the 2007 field visit SGG met 5 community-based organizations working with PLWHAs [people living with HIV or AIDS] and OVCs. These discussions led to the development of a project in which the carers of OVCs would be able to participate in small business enterprises & improved farming schemes in exchange for looking after OVCs on a ‘homecare’ basis. Although only 5 organisations were visited by SGG, it was decided in conjunction with OWDF that up to 10 such HIV Self Help groups could submit plans & proposals to be included within this project.
These ladies are part of Bukhayo West Widows Group. The group is 41 widows who are all struggling with the combined problems of death within the family, food insecurity, poverty and the need to care for their children or grandchildren.
The 10 HIV Self-Help Groups who submitted plans and attended a workshop on 27th February 2007 were Bukhayo West Widows, FON Self-Help Group, Matendo HIV, Bunema Women Group, ‘Asante Kwa Jembe’, ‘Habari Njema’, New Hope Emaseno Women, Khuyala Day Care Centre, ‘Namulekhwa Wedinye’, and Jerusalem Women Group. The total active membership of these community-based organizations was more than 300 people, and they were aware of 1704 orphans within their villages. Such a humanitarian problem is too large for OWDF or SGG, both with limited finance and resources, to tackle on their own. Thus, it was decided to reduce the OVC list to below 1,000, which was considered the maximum number for which we might get funding. The final list of OVCs was 959 children and 216 carers of these orphans. It was also agreed that the main hope of obtaining help for these children was a successful application to a major UK funding agency. In May 2007 when such an application was made, it was estimated that the total project cost for the 5 year period would be £68,608. SGG pledged to raise at least £4,000 per year and at least £20,000 in total, so the additional funding required is ₤48,609 over 5 years. This is the equivalent to £9,402 per year.
In the 2007-8 financial year the target for SGG was to raise a total of £10,000, which was to be invested in 10 projects in Tanzania, Kenya or Zambia. Thus an annual target to raise ₤4,000 for one particular project was a major commitment for the charity. It was expected that most of SGG’s fund-raising efforts from 2007 onwards would go towards raising this ₤4,000 minimal contribution.
Some income generation projects for the carers of HIV orphans have been very successful. In March 2007 Bukhayo West Widows received a small donation of £45 from Ash Field School in Leicester. They chose to purchase four goats and start a ‘goat merry-go-round’ project. Thanks to the generosity of St Paul’s Church, Whitley Bay, and also successful breeding among the goats, each widow now has her own goat. In this photo Monika Masiga is giving her kid goat to another of the widows. Thanks to all who contributed to this scheme.
Between March 2007 and September 2008 SGG donated £7,610 to OWDF, so we fulfilled our initial commitment. However, no major funding source has yet been secured which means that the project is not yet fully underway. As most of the funds donated by SGG in 2007 were used to improve the economic status of the carers, direct food aid to the 959 orphans has been irregular. With these problems in mind, the following points have emerged from discussions with community leaders:
- A £4000 donation to support 959 children means that SGG was providing a grant of £1/child for 12 weeks. This is approximately equivalent to Ksh.10/- [about 8 pence in English currency] per week. It is agreed that this is insufficient to purchase one good meal a week - and insufficient to make a significant difference to the lives of these most unfortunate children.
- Whatever funds SGG secures in the UK, the burden of costs must be borne by the carers for the foreseeable future and until a large grant is gained.
- Several of the income-generation schemes to help carers of these orphans have been very successful [e.g. the goat merry-go-round at Bukhayo West Widows]
- The meagre funds supplied to these 10 women’s groups can benefit more orphans if those funds are used to provide a once/twice weekly communal meal. Such a communal meal for a group of 50-100 young children is likely to cost Ksh.15/- per child. Furthermore, a communal meal allows the OWDF childcare worker to keep a watchful eye for those particularly in need.
- OWDF and SGG believe it important that they can demonstrate that this project brings significant benefit to these children, as demonstrative improvement is more likely to attract the funding upon which the whole project depends. Thus, with great reluctance it has been agreed to limit the food aid programme to 500 orphans in 2009. This sad decisions is made with the knowledge that OWDF community leaders are begging SGG to include 2,000 such orphans in the scheme, and with the knowledge that official figures state there are 17,137 children ‘needing special protection’ in Busia District.
On 30th September SGG arrive at Namulekhwa Sibwoni group to record details of 48 orphans, but more than 100 children come - all hoping to join the food aid programme.
OWDF collect details at Namulekhwa Sibwoni for a baseline study of orphans.
- SGG will try to raise at least £6,000 from its own supporters in 2009. This increase from SGG will allow the principle of ‘£1/month/child’ to be implemented for the first time.
- The above modifications should enable the 500 orphans to benefit from at least two nutritious meals per week.
- The HIV orphans groups will be able to continue developing their income-generation schemes by making use of the microcredit scheme mentioned in Project 1. It has already been announced that they will have some priority as a ‘preferred partner’. Thus, it is planned that these groups will have access to at least £2,000 for investment as well as at least £6,000 for the basic food programme.
A planning meeting for OWDF staff and leaders of the HIV orphans groups.
- While food is the first requirement of many of these children, there are other ways in which help can be provided. SGG and OWDF will work in 2009 to support the work of the Dutch Rotary doctors, particularly with reference to preventative medicine. This partnership is likely to involve the distribution to 1,000 mosquito nets. Other possible schemes concern vaccination programmes and improved child nutrition.
- If external funds become available during 2009, SGG & OWDF will be prepared to return to the original number of up to 1,000 orphan beneficiaries.
In order to administer such a programme SGG is dependent on each women’s group having at least 4-5 volunteer helpers who are paid nothing for their considerable services. It is essential that the programme is coordinated by OWDF staff, who then report to SGG. As OWDF is concerned primarily with improving environmental conditions and increasing agricultural production, it has been agreed to employ an OWDF Childcare Worker. As the only paid employee of this project, her salary has been agreed at £30/month, to be paid by SGG.
In order to demonstrate clearly to potential sponsors that this project brings tangible benefits to many orphans, it was agreed to undertake a baseline study of approximately 1,000 children. This was a major activity during the 2008 SGG field visit. Within one year SGG and OWDF will have considerable data to demonstrate the value of this ‘home-based childcare’ programme.
Gladys Achieng of New Hope Emaseno pleads for this young orphan to be included in SGG’s Project 2.
The role of SGG in 2009 in support of this programme is to find suitable sponsors from within the European Union. Without such sponsorship these unfortunate children will remain trapped in poverty and misery not of their own making. If anybody in the European Union wishes to take immediate action to ‘MAKE POVERTY HISTORY’ and to contribute towards the Millennium Development Goals, this is an excellent place to start.