LOCAL LINKS
for OVC support Project
(Kenya)
Presentation to ECD Partners’ Meeting, Sept.
26-30, 2005 (Nairobi)
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Local Links - Objectives
Strengthen the economic coping mechanisms of OVC
families and communities
Strengthen the capacity of local organizations to meet the
needs and rights of orphans and vulnerable children
Reduce stigma and discrimination against orphans and
vulnerable children and their families.
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Kibera Informal Settlement, Nairobi, Kenya
13 villages spread across a 5 sq.
km area
Largest informal
settlement in Kenya
High population density
(1,000,000 people)
Poor sanitation (flying toilets) &
social amenities
Poor shelter (squatters)
Recurrent conflicts on land and
politics
High incidence of CSW and child
rights violations
High rate of unemployment
HIV/AIDS rate 17% in 2002
Insecurity and culture of
violence – lynching is common
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Key Partners
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
15 CSOs addressing
OVC issues in Kibera
10 faith based
organizations
Government (mainly
thro’ the Children's
Department)
10 community youth
groups
Local administration
(area chiefs, councilors
and headmen)
14 community schools
Project Components
Group Savings and
Loans schemes
Capacity Building for
CBOs (skills training and
provision of seed funds
for scale up)
Stigma reduction work
with the youth and
FBOs (PET, sermons,
sports, beauty contests,
IEC materials etc.)
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Key Achievements
Establishment of a functional field office
Participatory identification of causes of S&D in Kibera
Design and execution of successful stigma reduction campaigns
Involvement of AAC in coordination of children services
Provision of a variety of skills to partners (GS&L, S&D, IEC dev’t and
distribution, Project Design and Management, Child Rights, SPM and
PET)
Established GS&L services for 1,200 caregivers taking care of 6,000
OVC
Addressing of other emerging issues affecting OVC (deworming, child
rights and SPM for non-GSL members)
Numerous highlights of Local Links work on national media
High levels of community participation thro committees
Formation of a network of CSOs working on OVC issues in Kibera
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
GS&L features
Internal loans scheme – no
external injection of cash
5 module training
Groups comprise of 5-15 people
Most variables determined by
the group (interest, meetings
pattern, group membership etc)
Facilitates graduation of
members to conventional MFI
services
Cost effective
M&E tools for tracking group
progress and benefits to OVC
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Challenges
Stigma is deep-rooted but impact of
Local Links is starting to show
High incidence of child rights violations
Inadequate attention to children in pre-sch
Over-moralization of HIV makes FBO
engagement difficult
Inroads into Muslim community
Low capacities of partner CSOs;
“briefcase” CSOs
Insecurity
Dependency syndrome fuelled by other agencies working in Kibera
Reaching young women and the poorest of the poor
Mobilizing men and youth for GS&L
Lack of government concern/responsibility for informal settlements
Oncoming slum housing upgrading scheme
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Questions?
© 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved.