2nd National Conference on Orphans and Other ... - FHI 360

Impacts on OVC:
1. Psychosocial needs, i.e. emotional support and counselling
2. Physical needs, e.g. food and clothing
3. Access to information (on education, health care etc.)
4. Access to state assistance nationally (social grants – foster parent, maintenance and disability)
5. Access to free education and health care
Strategies:
1. Strengthen the capacity of communities to be responsive and accountable by means of:
training traditional leaders;
community-based training for volunteers (to assist OVC and service providers);
community education, with the focus on school teachers and principals because they have
the most access to children on a daily basis;
empowering children and women through rights education, sensitisation on resources etc.;
social workers (overworked and underpaid);
networking (to aid resource distribution etc.); and
funding (donors should channel to where funds are needed most).
The previous four groups had covered everything that this group had to cover in the report-back, so
the rapporteurs just read through and elaborated very briefly on the points on the flipchart.
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON GROUP 3 (RED GROUP) REPORT-BACK
Comment: We cannot solve all the problems
in one day. I think we just need time to educate
the communities about the services available. I
would like to thank the DDSWS, the Orphan
Emergency Fund and the Red Cross for the work
they are doing. The important thing is that we
are doing the work. Let us look at the positive
contributions as well as the negative.
Comment (participant from Ohangwena
Region): On the issue of service co-ordination,
this conference should come up with a structure
through which all OVC-related issues are dealt
with throughout the country. In some regions
there is no proper structure to work through.
Comment: On the issue of channelling donor
funding to where it is needed most, I would like
to add that people must be honest and use donor
funding for the purposes intended rather than
pocketing it for their own benefit.
Comment (Pelucy Nfambirweki, Regional
Advisor on OVC, UNICEF): I would like to
share with you some information on Uganda’s
experience which may prove useful as you
progress. As you know we have had an AIDS
problem for many many years (almost 16), and
we have learnt a lot. First I want to commend
you and say that you should not lose heart; you
are doing a lot and should not feel that you are
getting nowhere. Even what I have witnessed in
my two-day stay here has been a lot. Things
can only get better. You need only streamline
what you have. I would like to thank everyone
here for the work you are doing. Having worked
with OVC-supporting NGOs for 10 years I know
the hardships you face.
Uganda has over two million orphans – more
than Namibia’s whole population. Many were
dropping out of school due to all the problems
that have been raised here – lack of money for
fees uniforms, stigmatisation etc. To fight stigmatisation
we made it a national issue by using the
words of a song written by a person living with
HIV/AIDS: “Today it’s me, tomorrow it’s you.”
Government also exempted school fees. Four
children per family do not pay fees, and orphans
– especially those who have lost both parents –
do not pay fees. If you insist that they pay fees,
they will simply drop out. Another strategy was
to increase household income so that families
<strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children – Windhoek, Namibia, 25-27 June 2002: Full Report
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