MERCY ORPHANS SUPPORT GROUP PROGRAM
C/O ST.CAMILLUS DALA KIYE CHILDREN WELFARE HOME
P.O BOX 119 – 40401 KARUNGU
mercyorphanstcb@gmail.com
OVC Project
ANNUAL REPORT
October 2013 – September 2014
1
Acronyms
AIDS
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
ART
Antiretroviral Therapy
CBO
Community Based Organization
CHW
Community Health Worker
CRS
Catholic Relief Services
HBC
Home Based Care
HHVA
Household Vulnerability Assessment
HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
CIG
Common Interest Group
MOA
Ministry Of Agriculture
MOPHS
Ministry Of Public Health and Sanitation
MOH
Ministry Of Health
MOSGUP
Mercy Orphans Support Group Program
OVC
Orphans and Vulnerable Children
PLWHA
People Living With HIV Aids
TCB
The Children Behind
VCT
Voluntary Counseling and Testing
SILC
Savings and Internal Lending for Communities
PTA
Parent Teachers Association
JFFLS
Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools
2
I.
Introduction
This report presents an overview of program activities implemented by MOSGUP in Migori County
during the period October 2013 to September 2014. The report presents a general operational context,
background of MOSGUP and its programme areas institutional development, performance monitoring
framework detailing activities that were implemented and what was achieved in relation to output and
results; achievements and challenges encountered. Mercy Orphans Support Group Program (MOSGUP)
is a Community Based Organization that is keen on integrating community based care and support for
OVC through livelihood approach. MOSGUP is registered as a CBO with the department of Gender and
social services.
The OVC being measured to get school uniforms
The organization implements the six plus OVC core service areas as stipulated in the Kenya National
OVC guidelines. These include Health Care, Shelter and Care, Child Protection, Education and Skills
Training, Food and Nutrition, Psychosocial Support and Economic Strengthening in Migori County,
Nyatike Sub County. MOSGUP therefore works to assist the communities to realize meaningful and
sustainable development through a number of community-driven interventions. The organization
beneficiaries are listed among the poorest households in Nyatike Sub County due a myriad of factors.
These factors include children headed households, widowed caregivers and caregivers infected or
affected by HIV/AIDS.
Vision
To be an organization that promotes improved livelihoods and equal opportunities to the OVC and
community
Mission
To initiate an effective community response to bring about holistic development of the OVC to
participate in community development
3
Program Area 1:- Health Care
Through health education by the Social
Workers and the CHWs, the organization was able to reach the community with disease
preventive messages i.e. prevention of malaria, preventing and managing diarrhea through
WASH education, prevention of HIV and providing care and support to Orphan and Vulnerable
Children. Referral of OVC and caregivers for treatment to the health facilities, follow up with
health facilities for referred cases and promoting the health seeking behavior of these
households.
The CHWs managed to refer 856 OVC (382 Males and 474 Females) and 379 caregivers (70
Males and 309 Females) for treatment of various ailments to the health facilities and made
follow ups to ensure they access the services at the facilities. Through partnership with St.
Camillus mission hospital, 52 (3 Males and 49 Females) caregivers received health education on
prevention of pneumonia. 400 OVC (Females) received hygiene talk on menstruation. Through
station days, the project also reached children and their caregivers with health education and
treatment. During the year, 212 people (99 Males and 113 Females) were reached with different
health messages
HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support
The organization intervened in areas of HIV/AIDS
prevention through referral of caregivers and OVC for
voluntary counseling and testing, HIV prevention
education and had drug adherences sessions with
caregivers on ART through PLHAs support group
meetings and household visits. In charge methodology
was also implemented in schools targeting children in
school with HIV preventive messages.
During the year all the OVC and caregivers registered under the ART program underwent drug adherence
sessions with the social workers.
4
Program Area 2: Education and Vocational support
Within the reporting year 2014, MOSGUP supported the OVC through Secondary sponsorship,
Vocational training sponsorship, special education sponsorship, ECD levies payment, payment of KCPE
levies and supported needy OVC with school uniforms. All these were done through need based
assessment through household and school. The education support is aimed at ensuring that the OVC
access quality education and promote regular school attendance among the OVC. The Vocational training
empowers the OVC to develop skills that promote self reliance among the OVC which in turns enables
them to support their households after the trainings. Secondary sponsorship is pegged on the annual
academic performance of the OVC in school. Hence the social workers engage the students through a
rigorous process and guidance and counseling during the holidays by reviewing their report forms and
during the last holiday of the year in December have a meeting with the caregivers to brief them of the
performance of their children in school and the number who will benefit from the secondary and
vocational sponsorship. The secondary sponsorship this year reached a total of 155 OVC (103 Male, 52
Females). Through partnership with the county government of Migori and the National government, a
total of 50 OVC (28 Males and 22 Females) received CDF bursary, ward bursary and presidential award
bursary. Through needs assessment, a total of 902 OVC (488 Males and 414 Females) received school
uniforms. These scholastic materials help the OVC to attend school regularly. The organization also
promotes early childhood development through supporting the ECD requirements of the children
between 6-7 years. 254 OVC (135 Males and 119 Females) received ECD levies. To enable the OVC
complete primary education, the project support payment of KCPE enrolment for the OVC who proceed
to class eight. 233 OVC (137 Males and 96 Females) in class eight received KCPE registration fee.
5
Program Area 3: Psychosocial Support
This is the provision of emotional, spiritual, mental
and physical needs of the OVC and their household
to promote their holistic growth and development.
It aims at ensuring that the emotional needs of the
OVC are met to enable them relate well with their
peers and adults. The project participated in the
international days for the OVC e.g. World Orphans
Day and the day of African Child which was used
to promote child participation.
Guidance and
counseling was also done to the OVC both at home
and at school to help the OVC understand their environment and be able to promote assertiveness among
the OVC. During the year in report, 1812 OVC (852 Males and 960 Females) received guidance and
counseling services through home visits, school visits and through OVC/caregivers meetings to openly
share the problems faced by OVC in the community. Through the joint meetings with the OVC and their
caregivers, the social workers discussed school academic performance and child delinquencies among the
OVC. 239 Caregivers (118 Male and 121 Female) received counseling services.
Program Area 4: Food and Nutrition Support
Through food and Nutrition support, the project aims at strengthening the capacity of the caregivers and
the community to provide regular and adequate food to the OVC and their families and ensuring that the
food is of good quality and of required quantity that promotes the desired child growth and development.
Through partnership with the MOA, the project promotes extension services to the CIGs and
households to promote establishment of kitchen gardens, promote farming of local and sustainable
vegetables which are easily accessible to the households. Through knowledge on horticulture
disseminated to the caregivers support groups by the MOA extension officers, 1411 caregivers ( 92
Males and 1319 females) were involved in horticultural production at individual level were visited to
check on their progress and to offer technical support. One of the caregivers support group which had
6
planted water melon was visited. Another caregiver support group rearing poultry was also visited and
found to have only 9 chickens remaining after selling 27 of their stock raising Ksh 9,500. One caregiver
group is also involved in bee keeping.
Program Area 5: Economic Empowerment
SILC
Economic empowerment is aimed at enhancing
the capacity of the vulnerable households to
mobilize their own resources to engage in
business through savings and internal lending
community. These are aimed at enabling the
households to meet the basic needs of the OVC
and the members of the households hence
becoming self reliance. The project implements
SILC through the support of 10 PSPs and 8
apprentices. They train the groups on the SILC
methodology and gets money for service. The project currently has a total of 341 SILC groups with a
total membership of 9016 people (2019 Males and 6987 Females). The percentage profit for the year
stands at 89% with accumulative savings of Kshs. 19,824,865.
Objective 1: 3,644 OVC and their families demonstrate enhanced medical and psychological well
being
I.R 1: OVC and their households have access to regular and adequate food in order to ensure desired
growth and development (Food and Nutrition)
Planned Activities
Achieved Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Essential Action : Conduct ongoing assessments of the community's food and nutrition needs
Conduct household need assessment
on food and nutrition
316
Sensitize caregivers on importance of
proper food and nutrition
1414
42
274
1,462
95
1,319
1,462
7
I.R 1: OVC and their households have access to regular and adequate food in order to ensure desired
growth and development (Food and Nutrition)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Remarks
Essential Action : Map and link stakeholders and resources available for food and nutrition services
Conduct community mapping of
stakeholders on resources available
for food and nutritional support
-
1
1
I.R 1: OVC and their households have access to regular and adequate food in order to ensure desired
growth and development (Food and Nutrition)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Remarks
Essential Action: Institute effective referral and linkage services with institutions involved in food and
nutrition support services.
Facilitate agricultural extension
support visits by M.O.A extension
workers.
7
203
12
14 Visits
The extension
officer visited the
CIG- 210 caregivers
(7 Males and 203
Females) were
reached
I.R 1: OVC and their households have access to regular and adequate food in order to ensure desired
growth and development (Food and Nutrition)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Increase access to nutritious food by OVC and their households
Strengthen of JFFLS
48
25
5
1
Facilitate linkages of OVC with
food and nutrition needs
There was no
incidence referred
for food and
nutrition
0
Facilitate establishment of kitchen
gardens among caregivers
26
1475
900
16
403
3
This is Cumulative
throughout the year
1501
Caregivers with poultry
419
8
I.R 2: OVC and household member are facilitated to access preventive, promotive, curative and
rehabilitative health care services( Health)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Males
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Prevent childhood illnesses in OVC, as per KEPH age groups
Sensitize caregivers on childhood
illnesses during community meetings
Link OVC under 5 to THRIVE for
ECD
900
414
27
387
40
18
22
Linkages with MOH for provision of
ITN
Linkage with MOH for de-worming
of OVC
-
-
340
-
3,611
By the time of
reporting the MOH
had not concluded
the distribution of
ITNs hence we
could not get the
data
3,611
1088
561
527
I.R 2: OVC and household member are facilitated to access preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative
health care services( Health)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Enhance access to appropriate services for OVC and their households
Referral of CGs for treatment
Referral of OVC for treatment
Facilitate enrollment of OVC HHs
to NHIF
1,040
379
70
309
856
382
474
2,600
300
118
11
107
I.R 2: OVC and household member are facilitated to access preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative
health care services(Health)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
9
Essential Action: Promote safe water, hygiene and sanitation practices and in OVC households
Educate CGs and OVC on water
and sanitation
480
149
331
240
Conduct hygiene talks to girls
during menstruation/ sanitary
towels
400
-
400
935
I.R 3: OVC and household members are provided with emotional, social, spiritual, mental and physical
support (Psychosocial support)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Remarks
Essential Action: Conduct community mobilization and sensitization activities to create awareness of the
PSS needs of OVC and their households
Conduct field events to inform
the community on PSS(WAD,
DAC, WOD)
-
3
3
I.R 3: OVC and household members are provided with emotional, social, spiritual, mental and physical
support (Psychosocial support)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Build capacity of OVC to recognize, understand and meet their PSS need
Guidance and counseling for OVC
1812
852
960
1,342
72
51
21
200
Home visits by staff
1142
33
1,109
1,462
These were the
households visited
by the SWs in the
year
Home visits by CHWs
59346
113
1,349
62,786
Some of the
households were
visited more than
once. Hence the
number is
cumulative
Hold annual OVC graduates
congress
Conduct station day
4
99
113
4
10
Objective 2: 3,644 OVC and their family members gain necessary skills to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS
infection
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Males
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Enhance access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for OVC
Counseling and testing of OVC
86
37
49
500
HIV prevention using In Charge
methodology
06
81
59
10
Counseling and testing for CGs
239
118
121
450
Conduct drug adherence session
for PLHA/TB Clients
2
2
Conduct PLHA support group
meetings
15
08
49
45
24
Objective 3: Targeted local communities prioritize needs of the OVC households and carry out
activities to care for and support them
I.R. 3: OVC are provided with structured age appropriate teaching and relevant learning process provided by
registered educational and/or training institutions (Education)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Sensitize and mobilize the community, especially key stakeholders, to support age
appropriate education and training for OVC
Conduct stakeholders meeting to
address barriers to education
01
-
-
1
Linkage of OVC with devolved
funds and financial institutions
50
28
22
25
Conduct OVC quarterly meetings
to review OVC performance
236
Planned Activities
3
116
Achieved
120
Gender
12 Months
target
Remarks
11
Males
Females
Essential Action: Develop and implement appropriate mechanisms that address education barriers and
enable OVC to enroll, continuously attend and complete school and/or training.
Conduct school visits
201 Visits
N° of OVC visited in School
3177
Payment of secondary fees
420
70 schools were
visited in the year
(we work with 70
schools in the target
area)
1242
1726
1451
155
103
52
120
Payment of KCPE levies
233
137
96
239
Payment of special education fees
6
1
5
10
Payment of ECD levies
254
135
119
250
Provision of school uniforms
902
488
414
800
Payment of vocational levies
11
11
15
I.R. 4: OVC reside in a structure which is safe, secure, adequate and habitable while receiving love and
protection from at least one adult caregiver (Shelter and Care)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Conduct household needs assessments determine and support appropriate community
shelter and care initiatives for OVC households.
Conduct household needs
assessment
710
58
652
680
Support shelter improvement
through linkages with IGAs,
support groups and SILC groups
359
29
330
250
These were
caregivers sensitized
to identify and
support shelter
improvement
12
I.R. 4: OVC reside in a structure which is safe, secure, adequate and habitable while receiving love and
protection from at least one adult caregiver (Shelter and Care)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
Males
12 Months
target
Remarks
Females
Educate OVC and communities on Child Rights, responsibility and protection
Support procession of birth
certificates for OVC
128
69
59
450
Sensitization of OVC on child
rights, responsibilities and
protection
1,232
531
701
602
Support children's participation in
Children Assemblies
03
02
01
10
I.R. 4: OVC reside in a structure which is safe, secure, adequate and habitable while receiving love and
protection from at least one adult caregiver (Shelter and Care)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Males
Remarks
Females
Essential Action:- Build the capacity of and strengthen household and local community structures to
enhance OVC protection and maximise utilization of available resources.
Training of Sub County AAC
members
01
Holding quarterly meetings with
AACs
2
10
10
-
1
-
4
I.R. 4: OVC reside in a structure which is safe, secure, adequate and habitable while receiving love and
protection from at least one adult caregiver (Shelter and Care)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Remarks
Essential Action: Establish and strengthen data collection and documentation mechanisms on child
protection that build into a national data bank.
Conduct support supervision by
the DCO
03
-
-
01
Data sharing with the DCO
01
-
-
01
13
I.R. 4: OVC reside in a structure which is safe, secure, adequate and habitable while receiving love and
protection from at least one adult caregiver (Shelter and Care)
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Males
Remarks
Females
Essential Action: Advocate for the protection of the OVC at all levels
Conduct visits to the county
government to share data on child
protection issues
01
-
-
01
Objective 4: Targeted households and their families demonstrate improved quality of life
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Males
Remarks
Females
I.R. 5: Vulnerable household members are assisted and their capacity built to mobilize and manage
resources as to meet basic needs of OVC and members of household( Household Economic Strengthening)
Essential 2.7.3 Initiate and facilitate successful economic strengthening interventions for OVC households,
informed by the community action plans.
Training of PSPs on business skills
Postponed to next
financial year
Conduct supervision visits of SILC
groups
27
11
583
Conduct meetings with PSPs
9
13
5
12
Objective 5: Strengthen the capacity of local implementing partners to deliver quality care and support
to OVC and their families
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Remarks
I.R. 6: Support creation of a structured, systematic and monitored process that enhances service providers’
networking and essential services to OVC ( Coordination of Care)
Essential Action: Establish and/or strengthen new coordination units for the integration and/or
harmonization of OVC service provision at all levels to avoid duplication and encourage prudent utilization
of resources
Establish and train QI teams
2
-
-
2
QI team meetings
6
-
-
24
Conduct monthly CHW meetings
12
29
60
12
Conduct monthly staff meetings
12
3
6
12
14
Staff training on finance and grant
management
4
1
3
Bi-annual and annual review
meetings
1
-
-
1
Objective 5: Strengthen the capacity of local implementing partners to deliver quality care and support
to OVC and their families
Planned Activities
Achieved
Gender
12 Months
target
Participate in SMILER review
meeting
-
-
-
4
Participate in M and E working
group meetings
-
-
-
4
Participate in project evaluation
data collection.
2
-
-
1
Remarks
Monitoring and evaluation
Partnerships
Partner
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Agriculture
Department of Children services
Civil Registration
Nyatike CDF
Dala Kiye
Migori County government
Areas of support
 Referral and treatment of OVC and caregivers
 Health education and immunization
 Enrolment of OVC into normal learning
 Agricultural Extension services
 Presidential bursary award
 Promotion of child right activities
 Registration & provision of birth certificates to OVCs
 Secondary sponsorship to deserving OVC
 Referral of HIV+ OVC for institutional care
 Ward Bursary for OVC
Challenges
1. Implementing some of the issues on Child protection especially registration for birth
certificate because there is very scanty information available from their next of kin,
making the process very slow.
2. Constant migration of OVC to other areas to stay with relatives and changing of
households and schools. This makes it difficult to monitor their progress in school.
3.
SILC groups reported theft of money from the box or disappearance of the box.
15