Graduate School of Development Studies
Persistent Vulnerability: Analyzing NGOs strategies
for enhancing child-wellbeing in OVC households in
Uganda.
A Research Paper presented by:
Rose Keishanyu Nyamakuru
(Uganda)
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for obtaining the degree of
MASTERS OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
Specialization:
Children and Youth Studies
(CYS)
Members of the examining committee:
Dr. Auma Okwany (Supervisor)
Dr. Kristen E. Cheney (Reader)
The Hague, The Netherlands
November, 2011
Disclaimer:
This document represents part of the author’s study programme while at the
Institute of Social Studies. The views stated therein are those of the author and
not necessarily those of the Institute.
Inquiries:
Postal address:
Institute of Social Studies
P.O. Box 29776
2502 LT The Hague
The Netherlands
Location:
Kortenaerkade 12
2518 AX The Hague
The Netherlands
Telephone:
+31 70 426 0460
Fax: +31 70 426 0799
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Dedication
I dedicate this research paper to my elderly Mom Nkwanzi Angela Nyamakuru
to whom my absence left her too weak and frail.
My treasured family especially my lovely children Alvin and Fortunate who endured the absence of a mother for fifteen months without motherly love and
care.
Iam very grateful to Prossy whose efforts made it possible for me to concentrate knowing someone is taking care of my family in my absence.
Notwithstanding my friends Peter, Carol and Jackie whose support I will never
forget.
Acknowledgement
This research has been both challenging and learning experience. Many people
contributed to the process of my learning experience and shaped me while undertaking this study.
My appreciation and gratitude goes to my supervisor Dr. Auma Okwany
whose critical and professional guidance through the process has helped the
development of this paper. Dr. Kristen Cheney my Convenor and Reader
whose counsel and advice was very resourceful through the learning process.
To Ford Foundation through AHEAD for financial and social support to
make me a leader for social justice and Action for children for the prayers and
encouragement.
Thanks to ILIAD, ISS Housing and Facilities whose quick response to my requests made it easy for me to grasp enormous knowledge on development
challenges.
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Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Acronyms
Abstract
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Chapter 1: General Introduction
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Background
1.3 Framing the research issue
1.3.1 Provision of support to OVC households
1.4 Relevancy and justification
1.5 Research objective and Question
1.6 Methods of data collection
1.5.1 Ethical Considerations and research Dilemmas
1.7 Organization of the paper
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Chapter 2: Conceptual understanding of Vulnerability in OVC
households.
2.1 Introduction
2.2. Vulnerability and Child-wellbeing
2.3 Understanding the concept of OVC
2.4 Understanding of OVC households in Uganda
2.5 The social rupture and resilience theories
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Chapter 3: NGOs interventions to enhance child- wellbeing in OVC
households.
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Organisations purposively selected to show activities and programmes.
3.3 NGOs Perceptions of OVC households and their programming
3.3 Vulnerability of OVC households.
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Chapter 4: NGOs strategies to enhance child - wellbeing in OVC
households 19
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Strategies used by NGOs to enhance child wellbeing
4.2.1 Awareness and advocacy as a strategy to reduce vulnerability in
OVC households
4.2.2 Microcredit and Grants to reduce economic vulnerability in
OVC households
4.2.3 Community projects as a strategy for reducing vulnerability
among OVC households
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4.2.4 Institutionalization as a strategy for reducing vulnerability
among OVC households
4.2.5 Partnerships, Networking and Collaboration as a strategy for
reducing vulnerability among OVC households
4.2.6 Direct services to OVC households as a strategy for reducing
vulnerability among OVC households
4.3 Sustainability issues arising from NGO strategies
Chapter 5: OVC households’ perceptions of NGOs interventions.
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Key achievements from these strategies to enhance child wellbeing
5.3 Gaps in these strategies employed by NGOs to reduce vulnerability
5.4 Factors that can reduce Vulnerability in OVC households
5.4.1 OVC Households: Their role and attitude change
5.4.2 Community efforts to protect OVC households
5.4.3 Service providers’ perception and programming
5.4.4 Using existing Indigenous structures and systems
Chapter 6: Implications for Responsive Programming and
Conclusion.
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Quality and quantity with Donor requirements
6.3 Politicians involvement in NGOs interventions
6.4 Limited use of government standards and frameworks (Limited
coordination at district level)
6.5 Improved institutional structures of NGOs
6.6 Public private partnerships and uniting to reduce vulnerability in
OVC households
6.7 Weaknesses in NGO programming
6.8 Sustainability for OVC households.
6.9 Lessons learnt by NGOs
6.10 Conclusion
Appendices
References
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List of Tables
Table 1.1 Categorization of OVC children in Uganda:
Table 2.1 Showing criteria for choosing OVC and their households for
intervention:
Table 3.1 Showing the Demographic data of OVC households interviewed
for the study.
Table 4.1 Showing How NGOs finance their activities
Table 5.1 Showing average monthly income for OVC households.
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List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Showing perception of OVC by NGOs
Figure 2.1 Photo narration of OVC household headed by a grandmother.
Figure 3.1 The main source of income for OVC household
Figure 4.1 Type of Support received from NGOs
Figure 5.1 The use of the support given to Households
Figure 6.1 OVC household’s opinions on how effective are NGO
strategies in enhancing child-wellbeing in their area
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List of Acronyms
ABEK-Alternative Basic Education in Karamoja
AFC- Action for Children
AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
CAO- Chief Administrative Officer
COCC-Community OVC Care Coalitions
CSF- Civil Society Fund
CSO- Civil Society Organisation
CSO- Civil Society Organisation
DDP- District Development Plan
DHS-Demographic Health Survey
ECD- Early Childhood Development
FGD- Focus Group Discussion
HIV- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
MDLSD- Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development
MoFPED- Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development
NAADS- National Agricultural Advisory Services
NAP - National Action Plan
NGO- Nongovernmental organization
NOP- National Orphans and other Vulnerable Children’s Policy
NSSPI- National Social Strategic Plan of Implementation
OVC- Orphans and other Vulnerable Children
PPP- Public Private Partnership
SCIU- Save the Children in Uganda
SDIP- Strategic Investment Plan for Development
TSO- Technical Service Provider
UCRNN- Uganda Child Rights NGO Network
UNICEF -United Nations Children’s Fund
UORDP- Uganda Orphans Rural Development Programme
WVU- World Vision International Uganda (WVU)
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Abstract
The paper looks at the issue of orphans and vulnerable children which has
become a big concern in Africa especially within the era of HIV/AIDS, combined with wide- spread poverty at household level which has created many
orphans and vulnerable households. It shows how NGOs despite diverse intervention strategies, NGOs have ultimately failed to alleviate OVC vulnerability. This is because a majority of NGOs consider OVC as vulnerable with no
resilience something that has created less sustainable impact.
This conceptualization of the households informs NGO strategies such
that they transform OVC households. The research paper highlights the different strategies to support OVC by NGOs, the gaps in these strategies and the
extent to which it’s working. For a holistic picture, OVC and their households
give the key achievements, what is not known that is hindering the progress
and what can be done. The study highlights implications for responsive programming to reduce vulnerability among OVC households and enhance childwellbeing.
Not in the inability and vulnerability of OVC households but the gaps in
the NGOs strategies employed and programming mechanisms that persistence
in vulnerability in OVC households is rooted.
Keywords
Vulnerability, Child-wellbeing, Orphans and Vulnerable children, and OVC
households.
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Chapter 1: General Introduction
1.1 Introduction
The success of the national response to combat AIDS and efforts to spur economic
growth and fight poverty are both linked to how well the country cares for the millions of
orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. (Head of OVC secretariat, Ministry
of Gender Labour and Social Development)
“OVCs will continue to feature for a long time to come and well thought
out interventions are needed to address the challenges presented by the crisis.
NGOs and CBOs have provided relief to OVC but it’s not enough because
they do not empower vulnerable individuals and enable them to take control of
their lives”(Lombe and Ochumbo 2008: 192).
1.2 Background
The OVC situation in Uganda has been exacerbated by HIV/AIDS epidemic,
leaving many households with a challenge of child welfare as many children are
becoming orphans at an increasing rate. HIV/AIDS has reduced adult life expectancy and “created a burden of care of orphans and vulnerable children for
the traditional family structure” (Abebe and Aase 2007: 2058).
In Uganda orphanhood does not apply to HIV/AIDS alone but also due
to war in Northern Uganda, poverty over 24.5% (World Bank, 2009) and malaria which is number one killer disease (Ministry of Health 2008) plus social
orphans due to rural –urban migrations leaving the young ones with elderly
care givers or alone. Hence the increasing number of OVC households in
Uganda as a result of disease and social unrest that has increased parents death
resulting into a large population of orphans in the country.
Uganda is among the poorest countries in the world with over 24.5% of
the population living below the poverty line (World Bank, 2009). The population statistics show a burden of orphans and vulnerable children (Okiror 2008:
3). And the most affected by poverty included single mothers, widowed,
youths, elderly and the orphaned children (UPPAP Wakiso District Report
2002). Poverty prevents the enjoyment of basic human rights, security and
wellbeing.
Moser (1998) explains how UNICEF and UNAIDS convened the first
global forum for spelling out the strategies; principles and programming guidance to enable countries meet the global goals regarding OVC based on the
UNGASS declaration and contribution towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals. In 2003 October, the framework for protection, care,
and support for orphans and vulnerable children living in the world with
HIV/AIDS was endorsed. The framework also promoted the best interest of a
child as stated in the convention on the rights of the child, including rights to
survival, wellbeing and development (Moser 1998: 2).
To address the plight of OVC, government has come up with National
Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children Policy (NOP). This policy is an es-
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sential part of the Social Development Sector Strategic Investment Plan
(SDIP), which is an integral part of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan
(PEAP). In addition, the government developed the National Program Plan of
Interventions for orphans and other vulnerable children (NSPPI) “to guide
interventions for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Uganda.”
(Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development 2004:14). Developed
Children’s act and follows the “ National Plan of Action (NPA) for Orphans
and Vulnerable Children (OVC) is a government strategy document detailing a
set of key objectives and the corresponding activities to address the national
OVC situation”(Sabates-Wheeler and Pelham 2006: 1).
However, like many of the government's policy, this has not improved
social protection of the OVC households in practise. Smart (2003) argues that
“disconnect between policies, principles, and frameworks on the one hand and
practise and action on the other is the major impediment to effective responses
for OVC and needs to be acknowledged and affirmatively addressed” (Smart
2003: 23). So I set out to find out why there was persistent vulnerability amidst
NGOs efforts by analyzing the strategies.
Since 1986, there has been a rapid proliferation of both indigenous and international NGOs in Uganda (Kwesiga and Ratter, 1993). By 1995, more than
1200 NGOs had been registered with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Barton
and Bizimana, 1995). “NGOs in different areas grew constantly starting from
the end of the World War II however, the largest leap was observed during 80s
and 90s. The number of NGOs has increased from nearly 13,000 in 1981 to
more than 47,000 by 2001 according to the Union of International Organizations”(Sydorenko 2010: 15). “NGOs are playing an important role in every
sphere of our live today. They became the voice of those who cannot rise by
themselves and talk, or those whose voices are not heard. They are the voice of
society. It is not a new phenomenon, however today it is more important and
influential than any time in the history of humanity” (ibid. 2010: 15). I do not
agree with Sydorenko and the study show vulnerability in the OVC households
amidst NGOs intervention.
NGOs have consequently increased in coverage and scope of their services in rural areas, reaching the very poor at community and household levels
(Robinson 1992: 10). However, irrespective of the increase in the number of
NGOs and efforts, Child well-being among OVC households has not been
enhanced and vulnerability has continued to increase in these households. It’s
against this background that I decided to find out why NGOs strategies are not
improving OVC households to address vulnerability.
Uganda National OVC Quality Standards (2005: 23) stipulates that if OVC
programs are to be sustainable, household’s projects should be integrated into
the local government operations and local resource persons should be trained
on skills for continuous assessment of the needs of OVC and their households.
Ensure there is provision of support for short, medium and long term mechanisms. NGOs should build capacity of OVC households for self sufficiency
and complementary items of OVC households should make a minimum contribution of locally available materials (Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social
Development 2005) (Uganda National OVC service Quality Standards
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2005:23). Since this is not happening, there was a need for a study to find out
the extent to which NGOs have adhered to the OVC set guidelines to enhance
child-wellbeing in OVC households through their strategies.
Based on my own experience in NGOs work in Uganda, for the last seven
years as a social worker, and seeing the zeal of NGOs involvement, participation and commitment of OVC households motivated me to question why irrespective of NGOs efforts and resources there is vulnerability and OVC households have continued to suffer the brutal negative consequences of disease,
poverty and psychosocial challenges with many children in these households
performing badly on standard of living indicators. The study was based on the
several strategies used like directly giving support to OVC households, community projects, micro finance loans, and setting up of institutions or children’s villages.
The major reason to carry out this research was to get an answer as to why
there is persistent vulnerability in OVC households irrespective of NGOs support. I have been inspired by scholars like (Lombe and Ochumbo 2008; Cheney 2010) to analyse NGOs strategies for enhancing child-wellbeing in OVC
households. These reasons motivated this study to find answer to the issue at
hand as to what are the most effective strategies for reducing persistent vulnerability in OVC households.
1.3 Framing the research issue
Chirwa and Abebe’s characterization of households draws a picture on OVC
households. Writing on social exclusion and inclusion and reacting to challenges of orphan care, Chirwa quoted scholars interest being in arguing that there is
total breakdown in family structures and social support systems that safety nets
are collapsing and increasing numbers of orphaned children are becoming destitute. However, Chirwa believed that with HIV/AIDS pandemic, families and
social support systems are strained but building the resilience with varying degrees of success and failure (Chirwa 2002: 93).
Abebe and Aase viewed the two contradicting theories one assuming the
traditional system of orphan care being stretched by the epidemic and collapsing and the other suggesting flexibility and strength of informal child care practises and if supported by appropriate interventions can still support a large
number of orphans. They called for understanding of orphan care burden and
gave four types of families being rupturing, transient, adaptive and capable
families (Abebe and Aase 2007: 2058).
The state as the key duty bearer is not doing it work to protect OVCs and
their households and this has created a space that NGOs are filling. NGOs are
dominant in this area but even though dominant their outreach is limited and
they still leave out many vulnerable households. They use a lot of approaches
but they are not adequate.
NGOs strategies as currently employed are not effectively tackling vulnerability. Inadequacies underlying NGOs strategies include strengthening existing
community structures and systems, creating dependency in OVC households
with direct support, starting strategies that exclude particular category of vulnerable households like microcredit, failure to plan for sustainability of these
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households and starting projects that do not fit the local context like institutions for children.
Social protection is a right and all formal and informal public and private
interventions that assist individuals, households and communities should aim
at mitigating impact on households and vulnerability(UNDP poverty centre,
UNICEF 2007) as in (Mushunje and Mafico 2010: 267).
This research paper highlights that there is substantive literature on OVC
households focusing on HIV/AIDS and orphan crisis with none looking at
persistent vulnerability and the extent to which NGOs strategies are effective
in enhancing child- wellbeing in OVC households in Uganda.
1.3.1 Provision of support to OVC households
Most organization support extends directly to OVC households as a strategy of strengthening their economic security. Many NGOs are basically charitable organizations. Their preoccupation is uplifting the standard of living of
the poor using charitable means. The major support to these households includes provision of households’ items, income generation grants, medical support, nutritional supplements, education and psychosocial support. Analysis of
the benefits of these strategies was central to this research.
Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (2004)
identified provision of income generating activities (IGA) grants as a way of
strengthening economic security of OVC households. Organizations giving
IGAs should target the whole community, start with simple grants, guide OVC
households in identifying IGAs and train them to manage them (Ministry of
Gender, Labour and Social Development 2004: 24). However, it should be
noted that, this remains on a policy level. The situation on ground is different
basing on my seven year experience working with NGOs. This research therefore aimed at analyzing the NGO support strategies towards enhancing child
wellbeing in OVC households in the following focus areas:
Income generation
The Danish Refugee Council Programme Handbook (2008) observed that income generation is a key programmatic strategy to address the need to find
alternative means to make a living in a dignified way. The study went on to
note that income generation is an essential tool to translate into practice both
rights-based and livelihood-approaches to humanitarian interventions: through
income generation, rights-holders strengthen their coping mechanisms and capacities for self-protection in a dignified manner. It should however be noted
that this study was done in internally displaced people’s camps of DRC and
interventions were largely targeted for immediate livelihood of refugees. It remained rather important to ask whether such strategy works in settled communities as a strategy in enhancing child- wellbeing in OVC households.
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development OVC Strategic Plan,
(2005) recommend that in order for households to become economically secure, they need to be provided with adequate, nutritionally balanced food at
appropriate intervals; provide adequate care and support to members of the
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household who are ill; and, provide basic needs and access to services for
members of the household by government and other service providers. By
providing this package, OVC socioeconomic situation will be improved and
this offers the possibility of a sustainable intervention that goes far beyond
immediate assistance. Something I do not agree with and a number of organizations visited did not have a comprehensive package for OVC and others
tried with minimal success. Thus, this research investigated how provision of
direct services to OVC household as NGOs strategy was effective in reducing
vulnerability and enhancing child-wellbeing.
Community projects to Support OVC households
NGOs are helping the OVC households through the strategy of community
initiatives and projects, a strategy seen as best for sustainability and affordability. However (Harvey 2008) argues that “Community management has been
adopted by many as a convenient mechanism to ‘pass the buck’ when it comes
to the complex issue of ensuring sustainability. Governments can claim that
they are not responsible for services since these are community managed. Implementing NGOs and donors can leave a project area claiming that they have
ensured sustainability by mobilizing and training communities to manage supplies themselves”(Harvey 2008: 13). The study therefore was to find out
whether community projects as a strategy employed by NGOs is enhancing
child wellbeing in OVC households as Harvey was mainly interested in community project’s sustainability alone.
Belshaw and Coyle (2001) studied 14 NGOs and 28 poverty-reducing projects in Ethiopia. Their research concluded that those NGOs are instrumental
in reducing key indicators of poverty (Belshaw and Coyle 2001: 30). It is important to note that NGOs in Uganda have tried to invest in community related projects but the end results have shown many of OVC households still lacking behind and with persistent vulnerability. This research therefore was to
ascertain the benefits of NGO community projects strategy in relations to reduction of OVC household’s vulnerability.
Micro finance loans to OVC Households
NGOs represent a big source of credit in Uganda today for OVC households,
who are not eligible to ordinary banking services. However, credit and saving
services are predominantly provided to economic active persons that need assistance to build up a sustainable source of income. Never the less many
NGOs in Uganda continue to use micro finance loans as a strategy of poverty
reduction among the OVC households. Mutangadura argues that marginalised
households need special consideration to be able to repay (Mutangadura 2000:
36). Okurut et al. (2004) as in Nathan et al. (2004) concluded that Micro finance is a key strategy for poverty alleviation and NGOs should increase access to the poor (Nathan et al. 2004: 11).
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However, while studying the impact of micro finance loans to household’s
poverty, Lakwo found out that microfinance NGOs did not, in aggregate
terms, improve on the well-being status of the clients relative to non-clients.
This finding then contradicts the wider belief that micro finance is away to
poverty reduction. However, it portrayed that microfinance only facilitates, to a
limited extent, few facets of clients’ livelihood asset acquisition. As such, microfinance on its own is inadequate as a policy strategy for fighting poverty in
rural areas (Lakwo 2006: 52). He might have made a general claim about micro
finance NGOs, a particular study especially in OVC households to ascertain
the impact of credit facilities given to OVC households whether it’s effective in
reducing vulnerability and enhancing child-wellbeing among OVC households
was necessary.
Institutionalisation as a support for OVC
Another strategy by NGOs has been through institutions/home based care or
villages for OVC in Uganda. This is so because following the social rupture
theory, with weakened family systems (Abebe and Aase 2007: 1) NGOs find it
necessary to help the OVC and their households by giving them a family like
home, removing them out of poverty and destitute state. This however has
been criticised in favour of foster care in communities as seen to be sustainable. “Setting up and running an orphanage is not only generally outside the cultural context of Sub-Saharan Africa but also is unlikely to be sustainable on
financial grounds” (Mutangadura 2000: 32).The study was to find out if this
strategy employed by NGOs can enhance child-wellbeing in OVC households
since Mutangadura was looking at sustainability alone.
In conclusion, the important role of the different strategies as highlighted
above as employed by NGOs to support OVC households by reducing vulnerability and enhancing child-wellbeing with the gaps in their implementation
form a basis for this study. The literature shows a relationship between vulnerability and programming issues than the social structure relationships that exist
among OVC households.
1.4 Relevancy and justification
Most of the literature on OVC households is relating it to HIV/AIDS like the
17 country assessment of sub Saharan Africa, ("OVC RAAAP Initiative,
USAID, UNICEF, UNAIDS, and WFP" 2005:3), ‘Sub Saharan Orphan crisis”
(Lombe and Ochumbo 2008), 20 country research by World vision Switzerland
2008 in Sub Saharan Africa, of which Uganda was inclusive, (Belshaw and
Coyle 2001) on 14 NGOs and 28 Projects in Ethiopia. The 15 districts assessment by (Ministry of Finance 2006: 23) on poverty reduction which would
have drawn the best picture because the study included the role of NGOs but
looked at men and women households and not OVC households (Ministry of
Finance, Planning and Economic Development November 2006: 22). “The
design, implementation, and evaluation of community-based interventions for
orphans and vulnerable children continue to be a key gap in the evidence base”
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was recently echoed by Schenk in their study in 2010 (Schenk et al. 2010: 325).
There was a need therefore for a study to analyse the strategies of NGOs and
see how they are enhancing child-wellbeing in OVC households in Uganda. It
was also important to ask questions about NGOs interventions to beneficiaries
who posses right to social protection on how effective are NGOs strategies.
1.5 Research objective and Question
The general objective of this study is to Analyse NGOs Strategies for enhancing child –wellbeing in Orphans and Vulnerable Children Households in
Uganda. The study set out to answer the research question and other relating
sub questions:
1. To what extent are NGO strategies effective in enhancing childwellbeing in OVC households in Uganda?

What are NGOs perceptions of the OVC households and how do
these inform their programming for these households?

What are the strategies used by NGOs to enhance child- wellbeing
among Orphans and Vulnerable children households in Uganda?

What is the perception of OVC households regarding NGOs interventions?
1.6 Methods of data collection
In this research I used both primary and secondary data to answer the research
question. Secondary data consisted of government publications and reports;
and NGO project reports, their objectives for intervention and lessons they
have learnt overtime. The study mainly relied on the published literature and
government publication on OVC to explore the trends, standards and policies
plus frameworks available on OVC. These findings helped me to situate my
analysis and discussions within the wider debates on child vulnerability.
Primary data focusing on NGO strategies were collected through key informants’ interviews. The research employed various instruments for primary
data collection. Interview guide for key informants and structured interview
schedules for NGO programme officers and OVC households were used. A
focus group discussion was conducted with predetermined topics using open
ended questions to accommodate new insights during interviews. Participants
for focus group discussions were purposively selected from NGO project staff
in respondent organisations. This was done taking into account the correlation
between seniority and decision making in many organisations. In addition direct observations during field visits were made.
Study participants were 10 OVC households, four NGO programme officers from four different NGOs, two respondents from Ministry of Gender
Labour and social Development including the head of OVC secretariat and the
OVC technical advisor, Director Uganda Child Rights NGO Network. A focus group discussion consisting of 12 NGO project staff from 7 NGOs was
conducted to discuss emerging issues from different interviews.
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The study was carried out in two districts of Kampala and Wakiso located
in central Uganda. While the selection of Kampala was largely influenced by
the presence of many child rights related agencies including government ministry departments and agencies, which guaranteed easy access to OVC related
materials and interviews with high ranking officials of both national and international child rights NGOs, and government, the observable presence of OVC
on its streets amidst a plethora of all these NGOs made a strong case for it to
be selected.
Wakiso District though of close proximity to Kampala was chosen for two
reasons: firstly because most of the NGOs included in the study had their project sites in Wakiso, and secondly because it is largely rural so it would be good
for comparison with the urban setting of Kampala.
The study used purposive sampling technique to select institutions including NGOs and Government Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA), and
individuals from these institutions from which data was collected. Their selection was based on their relative strategic engagement in OVC work at all levels
and their knowledge of and participation in OVC key policy decisions. The
institutions selected included the OVC Unit in the Ministry of Gender, Labour
and Social Development (MGLSD), Uganda Child Rights NGO Network
(UCRNN), Save the Children in Uganda (SCiU), Action for Children, Uganda
Orphans Rural Development Project and SOS Children’s Village.
The selection of the 10 OVC households from which data was collected
was also carried out purposively. These were, however, purposively sampled
from a list of several OVC household beneficiaries that were being supported
by NGOs that had earlier been selected to participate in the study.
The NGO project staff members who participated in the focus group discussion were chosen because they are involved in project implementation,
budgeting, planning and community mobilisation of OVC.
The rationale of the methods used was to ensure validity and reliability of
findings thus triangulation was used. This helped in getting several insights in
all aspects of the study problem (Neuman 2006: 149). FGD was used to enable
cross validation of data and give room for probing. Interviews helped in individuals expressing their views and their perceptions while key informants
helped in handling sensitive issues. Documents and reports were reviewed for
consistency and getting more information and trends and personal observation
were used in the study to support the claim with facts. The triangulation of
these methods helped in quality data assurance from which a conclusion could
be drawn from the findings.
In data analysis, the research data was edited before leaving the respondents. Accuracy, consistency, uniformity, legibility and comprehensibility were
checked. Data was coded, transcribed and categorised into themes for later interpretation and analysis .The structured interview schedules were coded and
tabulated using a computer and all data was edited by reading through to see
the errors and gaps.
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1.5.1 Ethical Considerations and research Dilemmas
An introductory letter was obtained from the International Institute of Social
Studies of Erasmus University, presented to the six organization heads. The
organization heads then introduced the researcher to the organization staff that
was part of the sampling frame. With the assistance of the organisation heads,
appointments were made with the selected respondents. The survey and interviews were conducted in the offices of the programme staff, key informants
and arrangement was made for the focal group discussion meeting. Structured
survey was for 30 minutes and the in-depth interviews and focus group discussion took about 45 minutes. Confidentiality, anonymity and voluntary process
were taken as a priority in the research.
Interviewing 10 OVC households was easy as they felt comfortable when
the researcher used the local language without translators. That notwithstanding, most of them had expectation that the researcher would bring assistance.
However, the researcher clarified that the study was academic but also intended to highlight critical issues of OVC that can be taken on by policy makers
and other service providers in future to improve on OVC support.
While the researcher had invited only seven people from the NGO visited
to participate in the focus group discussion, some organisations sent more than
one and up to 12 people turned up. This was a relatively big number which
became challenging to control hence more time than planned was taken to
complete the process. Besides, the researcher was also compelled to provide
lunch for the participants although this had not been planned for.
I also expected a representative from the National NGO Forum, the umbrella organisation for all the NGOs in Uganda to be interviewed; however,
efforts to schedule an appointment for this interview were futile. I consider
this a missed opportunity given the importance of this institution in the coordination of NGO response and contribution to policy issues in the country. In
addition, the institution has the most up to date information on all the NGOs
involved in the different thematic areas in Uganda and as such would provided
the study with current information on OVC related NGOs.
1.7 Organization of the paper
This research paper is arranged into six chapters. The first chapter as covered
above highlights the overview of research topic of OVC, NGOs strategies and
OVC households. The rest of the paper is structured as follows. Chapter 2
gives a conceptual understanding of vulnerability in OVC households using the
lenses of vulnerability and agency to show how NGOs use these concepts to
plan for OVC households that are situated in two major theories of Social rupture and Resilience theories. Chapter three to five gives the analysis of the findings Chapter three provides the NGOs interventions to enhance childwellbeing in OVC households, chapter four looks at the different NGOs strategies used to enhance child-wellbeing with chapter five brings out the OVC
perceptions of NGOs interventions and the concluding chapter six provides
the research findings and their implications for responsive programming for
OVC and their households.
9
Chapter 2: Conceptual understanding
Vulnerability in OVC households.
of
2.1 Introduction
This chapter aims at highlighting the notions of vulnerability and other related
concepts of OVC households in Uganda and how they influence NGOs strategies of intervention. To understand the chapter clearly, the concepts that will
be used in the study to draw the picture are defined and discussed: OVC as a
concept, child- wellbeing, OVC households, social rupture and social resilient
theories. These will help to form the conceptual frame from which persistent
vulnerability in OVC households can be understood and give a lens to analyse
NGO strategies for enhancing child-wellbeing in OVC households in Uganda.
2.2. Vulnerability and Child-wellbeing
Vulnerability has a close linkage with child development. According to Uganda’s Social Development Sector Strategic Investment Plan for Development
(SDIP), Vulnerability relates to lack of security, susceptibility to risk and/or
exploitation. It is a measure of resilience of individuals, households and
Communities to withstand any shock that might result in increased poverty.
The SDIP further categorizes vulnerable groups among others to include, asset-less Widows, female headed households, child headed households, older
persons, child labourers, and persons with disabilities.OVC households in the
social structure are usually fitting this group of vulnerable members of society. The concept will help in analysis of the NGOs perception of OVC households and how this conceptualisation leads to strategies designed to support
OVC households. But it’s highly subjective and problematic.
In this paper, Child-wellbeing can be understood using the definition by
(Lakwo 2006: 129) who considers it to mean bodily, material, socio-political,
financial and knowledge. Child- wellbeing is an important concept in the
study because it will provide a basis for making decision on whether NGO
strategies are transforming OVC households and their children lives through
the different strategies employed.
2.3 Understanding the concept of OVC
Uganda through the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development came
up with the OVC Policy and National Strategic Plan of Implementation that
spells out the definitions and areas to improve interventions for OVC activities
and projects so these were borrowed for this study.
A vulnerable child is one who is at risk from significant physical, emotional or mental harm which may result in their rights not being fulfilled. In Uganda the national government strategy (NSPPI) recognises that all children in the
country can broadly be considered vulnerable. If a child is not able to grow and
develop in a protected and caring environment, they become more vulnerable
(Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development 2004: 6).
10
For the purpose of intervention, National OVC Policy identifies the following categories of children as vulnerable:
Table 1.1 Categorization of OVC children in Uganda:
Uganda’s view of OVC
Types of children
In Uganda, the following groups Orphans (children who have lost one
are thought of as vulnerable.
or both parents)
Children affected by armed conflict
Children abused or neglected
Children in conflict with the law
Children affected by HIV/AIDS and
other diseases
Children in need of alternative family
care
Children affected by disability
Children in “hard to reach” areas
Children living under the worst forms
of labour
Children living on the streets
Source: National Policy and Strategy for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children of Uganda – Popular version, p.6.
2.4 Understanding of OVC households in Uganda
The NSPPI also addresses the needs of vulnerable households recognising that
most children form part of households. Due to limits on resources, OVC programmes target the most vulnerable children and households. The NSPPI provides guidance on the process of selecting vulnerable children outlining that
communities should come together and by consensus prioritise the most vulnerable children and households(Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development 2004: 24)
Table 2.1 Showing criteria for choosing OVC and their households for intervention:
Selecting vulnerable children




Selecting vulnerable households
Children living alone or in institutions
Children in a poor psychological state
Children in an unstable environment, due to conflict,
abuse, migration etc.
Children orphaned or other11




Households headed by a single or widowed person
Households headed by a very
sick adult
Households headed by a
woman
Households headed by an elderly person

wise vulnerable
Children the community
agrees are in need for any other reason.

Households which include orphans or other vulnerable
children
Source: MGLSD, National Policy and Strategy for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children of Uganda –Popular version, p.24.
The OVC households and their children will therefore come in handy in this
research to get a holistic picture by analysing their perceptions of the NGOs
interventions to know what is not yet known that’s lacking, progress and how
it can be improved.
2.5 The social rupture and resilience theories
The conceptual framework is composed of OVCs who make up the OVC
households in the study. The persistent vulnerability in OVC households is
dependent on their age, education, income level ,gender and the one heading
the household whether a child, elderly and a widow. This later determines the
wellbeing of children in these households. The NGOs strategies to support
these households are various and are conceived by the way the NGOS perceive
OVC households. The perception is rooted in two theories of the social rupture theory and the social resilience theory. NGOs on ruptured thesis go ahead
to start homes/ villages for children, start direct support to households and
some NGOs still feel there is resilience among OVC households and build it
with loans, grants and start community projects to reduce the existing vulnerabilities and all build on social protection of OVCs and their households.
The study will use the two contradicting theories as its theoretical frame.
Whereas the social rupture theory maintains that the traditional system of orphan care is stretched by the epidemic, and collapsing, the social resilience
theory says there is flexibility and strength of the informal childcare practise
that if supported by interventions, can support a big number of orphans
(Abebe and Aase 2007: 1)
The thesis underlying their strategies can be categorised as such but there
are not always conscious stand points. Some NGOs strategies are categorised
in the social rupture theory and strategies are employed to improve childwellbeing knowing there is a lot of vulnerability thus setting up family like
structures or homes for children as the final safety net. “In certain case children are provided with drop in centres, offering a safe place for children who
are living on the streets or with overburdened relatives Fredriksson and
Kanabus ( 2005) as in (Lombe and Ochumbo 2008: 685).
Other NGOs strategies fall in the social resilience theory with the idea
that vulnerability can end thus do carry out direct familial support to OVC
households like giving material support, microfinance loans, and psychosocial
support to build their resilience. Lombe argues that “for most part, orphaned
children rely on the extended family for their livelihood. Indeed, even when it
does not have sufficient resources to care for its vulnerable members, the
12
traditional familial network has met the needs of orphaned children, providing close to 90 percent of total assistance and quoted (Foster 2002); Hunter
1990; Subbarao and Coury 2004) as in (Lombe and Ochumbo 2008: 685).
Chirwa (2002) as in Cheney (2011) argues that “International NGOs allocating assistance on the basis of a social rupture model of intervention, in
which aid organisation falsely assume the total breakdown of traditional social
safety for orphaned children, masks the plasticity of those systems” (Cheney
forth coming 2011: 6). Okwany et al. agrees and argues that “this contradicts
the rhetoric of incapacity and rupture, which undermine the complex ways in
which communities muster resources and bolster the capacity of vulnerable
households to sustain care giving despite the constraints of their contexts in
which they are located. Communities remain resilient and have creatively
drawn from the past and adapted hybrid coping strategies to strengthen
stretched safety nets” (Okwany et al. forthcoming 2011: 2)
Okwany et al. (2011) argue further in support of the social resilience theory that traditional arrangements of childcare are flexible and resilient, offering new forms of adaptive strategies and citing (Abebe and Aase 2007) they
note that a household may be constrained economically but may have the capacity to provide both emotional and socio-cultural support.
The challenge could be under looked where even the needs of these OVC
households are decided by NGOs in designing programmes. I agree with Lund
that “The traditional extended family system is under pressure, but not about
to break down. As the effectiveness of its support will depend on the contribution of the wider society, localised solutions have to be scaled up to make an
impact” (Lund and Agyei-Mensah 2008: 1).
The two theories will be used in the study to explore the tensions involved
in looking at households as ruptured or resilient households. The concept of
vulnerability of households in which OVC are embedded in will be analysed to
see whether they are rooted in the two theories and how these are related to
NGOs perceptions to direct their programming and enhance child-wellbeing.
13
Chapter 3: NGOs interventions to enhance
child- wellbeing in OVC households.
3.1 Introduction
This chapter gives some of the selected NGOS activities and programmes,
demonstrating that NGOs interventions to enhance child-wellbeing in OVC
households are rooted in the NGOs perception of OVC households. The conceptualization of OVC households by NGOs determines the different strategies used. OVC households are seen as either vulnerable or resilient to make
decisions. The chapter highlights that majority perceive them to be very vulnerable and with few resilient though incapacitated by resources that determine
decision making. The issue of sustainability comes in and the different strategies used by NGOs in enhancing child-wellbeing. Cheney points out that by
looking at children in interventions as “innocent and unable to fend for themselves, that they deserve intervention in part is achieved by reinstating children’s victimhood” (Cheney 2010: 6). Cheney was looking at children but these
are OVC households with adults that are limited by vulnerability in fending for
themselves. The findings indicate that different interventions were used by
NGOs to reduce vulnerability but depended on how they perceived OVC
households.
3.2 Organisations purposively selected to show activities and
programmes.
I selected three NGOs to illustrate common NGO activities and programmes.
NGOs visited use three main strategies: community initiatives, institutionalisation and partnerships. World Vision International Uganda-community care system, SOS Children’s Village Wakiso- institutionalisation and Save the Children
Uganda and partnerships with government (Details in Appendix 2).
3.3 NGOs Perceptions of OVC households and their programming
NGO staffs were asked whether OVC households can make their own decisions on what kind of service to receive or whether it is them as service provider to decide.
14
Figure 1.1 Showing perception of OVC by NGOs
4
3
2
1
0
Yes
No
Some how
Total
Source: Authors illustration of NGOs perception of OVC households (2011)
Despite all the support and efforts made by these NGOs to improve child
wellbeing in OVC households, half of the NGOs interviewed still feel that
these OVC households cannot decide what kind of support is to be given to
them, a quarter of the NGOs think they do have the power to decide and also
the other quarter say somehow as seen in the figure 1 above. So it means that
NGOs look at OVC households as voiceless and vulnerable and all decisions
are made on their behalf.
NGO perception of OVC households as seen in the twelve member focus
group discussion, ten agreed that OVC households are very vulnerable. They
argued that [OVC households have limited power to make decisions and even when they
are able to make them they are incapacitated by their situation to do so. The fact they can be
taken advantage of in terms of education, information gathering and sharing, limited income
for example in education even with poor quality they settle for it because they are struggling to
look for school uniform and scholastic needs (FGD Participant)]
Others felt that the perception of these NGOs is wrong and OVC households can make decisions if empowered economically with many having social
ties that are great to make them strong and others have potential that can be
utilized by these NGOs such as knowledge and skills. Many of such OVC
households need psychosocial support to have hope and source of information
to build their confidence and make decisions.
The perceptions of these NGOs inform their programming. Nine members agreed that rarely beneficiaries are consulted because many of the OVC
projects are based on what the funding is about. For example USAID advertises its RFA and state the objectives and outputs expected of NGOs for bidding
and return proposals are written and when they win they carry out mapping
exercises for these OVC households when budgets are already set out and
work plan. Others argued that NGOs consult and sometimes they do not because most of the projects are either rights based or needs based which is
known by social workers who are already working in these households .In all
there is limited project participatory approaches in programming for OVC
households. Many projects needs are determined as a result of what project
15
staffs have seen as gaps in OVC households and few organizations do consult
OVC households which were seen as their participation but rarely do they involve beneficiaries in all stages of the project. Consulting with families is not
participation because participation involves making decisions.
In conclusion, it’s hard to meet the specific needs of OVC households
when following the priorities of Donors. If projects are determined according
to donor funding then reducing vulnerability will come secondary. There is
need to stream line approaches that will make beneficiaries of social protection
to participate and decide their needs.
3.3 Vulnerability of OVC households.
Table 3.1 Showing the Demographic data of OVC households interviewed for the
study.
Head of Household
Female headed household
Male headed household
Child headed household
Age of respondents
19-30
31-50
51-70
Sex of respondent
Female
Male
Highest level of education?
Adult Education
Primary education
Secondary Education
Total
Frequency
Percent
6
3
1
60%
30%
10%
2
2
6
20%
20%
60%
9
1
90%
10%
1
3
6
10
10%
30%
60%
100%
Source: Authors illustration for OVC respondent’s demography (2011)
According to table 3 above 60% of the households interviewed were female headed households, Male households are 30% and child headed households at 10% and when it comes to age 60% are between 51 – 70 years old of
which the productivity of these people is so minimal since 90% of all these respondents have not had enough education that can enable get formal employment according to the job market in Uganda today. This makes them weak and
vulnerable therefore strategies such microcredit credit that requires them to
pay weekly may not be applicable since the kind of businesses they can do are
for their daily survival.
Most of the households are thus vulnerable. All four organizations interviewed aim at seeing a child growing in a family environment and capable of
16
making decisions that will shape his/her community. Half believed children are
vulnerable with no agency with the other refuting the idea that safety nets and
skills in OVC households can be utilized to build their resilience and later their
agency. SOS staff in the interview argued that; OVC households have the power to
make their own decisions on what kind of service to be given to them, however they believe
that power comes with a lot of decisions and resources which limits OVC households due to
their vulnerability hence their ability to know they have power is limited thus their confidence
needs to be enhanced.
But Cheney says there is need to build children’s agency than deepening their
vulnerability and allowing children capacity to act, legally, socially on their own
behalf to secure the resources necessary for survival (Cheney forthcoming
2011).These are elderly caregivers households will they secure resources for
their survival amidst their vulnerability. This is evidence that the social rupture
thesis be studied by NGOs and sees how to help the OVC households that are
incapacitated to secure resources.
To reduce vulnerability, (Subbarao and Coury 2004; Richter and SwartKruger 1995) as in (Gillespie et al.: 18), says vulnerability requires interventions
to be carefully tailored and implemented within the social cultural and economic environments. Kalibala argue that it should use local contextual knowledge
of child vulnerability rather than generic criteria applied in international surveys
and need for further analytical work is required to validate the methodology,
link it to child well-being outcomes and devise a practical tool for service providers to refine programme targeting (Kalibala et al. 2011: 1). Schenk in his
study highlights the need to carefully consider the meaning of “vulnerability”
when targeting programmes to support children affected by HIV and AIDS
(Schenk et al. 2008: 894).
NGOs should know the various types of vulnerability that need different
services and NGOs should know that the households they support are not
helpless victims which subject them to more abuse for example the head of
OVC secretariat and OVC technical officer MGLSD said it’s bad printing
T/shirts showing that the child get support from AIDS support organization and the child is
called HIV/AIDS victim in the community which in away stigmatizes the child. Chambers defined vulnerability to suit OVC households as exposure and defencelessness coming from external and internal sides by having exposure to shock,
stress and risk and lack of means to cope without damaging loss. This applies
to OVC households as most of the OVC households visited majority were
physically weak, economically impoverished, socially dependent, and psychologically harmed (Chambers 1995: 189).
(Save the children Programme officer in Interview) believe that OVC households have
the power to make their decisions on what kind of service is to be given to them. In some
cases, they are given what they have not asked for because of their vulnerability. Sometimes the real services are given to OVC households but not in the quantity they wanted
or they are given at the wrong time for example giving them seeds for plantation when
the planting season is over. OVC households can decide but NGOs do not carry out
regular follow up for example after training in modern farming to see how they put it in
practice.
17
This backs my argument that it’s not in the vulnerability of OVC and their
households but the programming strategies that persistent vulnerability is rooted.
Figure 2.1 Photo narration of OVC household headed by a grandmother.
Source: Fieldwork 2011.
18
Chapter 4: NGOs strategies to enhance child wellbeing in OVC households
4.1 Introduction
This chapter highlights the strategies used by NGOs to support OVC households, how the employed strategies have failed to remove persistent vulnerability and enhance child-wellbeing plus the sustainability issues arising from NGO
strategies of intervention.
4.2 Strategies used by NGOs to enhance child wellbeing
During the study several strategies were found out to be used by NGOs to
reach OVC households but for this research, it’s only the major NGO strategies employed in supporting OVC households that will be discussed to understand how these strategies are benefiting OVC and enhancing child-wellbeing.
Examples of the strategies used are direct support to OVC households through
education support, health support, food security enhancement, and clothing
and shelter improvements.
Giving loans and grants to improve OVC household livelihoods was seen
as another strategy while others used community projects like recreation centres for youth and children, early learning centres for community, community
clinics’ and community revolving funds with many employing microcredit as a
strategy and in combination others used awareness and advocacy with two having established homes/village for children. By looking at the extent to which
NGOs are meeting the needs of OVC we can identify gaps in these strategies.
4.2.1 Awareness and advocacy as a strategy to reduce vulnerability
in OVC households
Awareness creation/advocacy as a strategy used to enhance child wellbeing
among OVC households has shed light on plight of OVC and their households. NGOs use it to report and support social inquiries by strengthening the
communities to report the cases of child abuse. NGOs have used awareness
through radios and television giggles, provided counseling, psychosocial support, offered training in different areas, enforced communities to demand for
their rights and influenced policy. All the organization interviewed, use the
strategy to make the community and OVC households aware of their situation
and to have their voices heard by government as the duty bearer. However the
extent to which the strategy is enhancing child wellbeing among OVC households in Uganda, stops at meeting the needs of OVC because there are no
connecting factors, awareness alone cannot help enhance child wellbeing
among OVC households in Uganda.
Awareness creation and advocacy as a strategy mainly sensitizes the community on their challenges and mobilizing them to stand against the injustices
that violate their rights. According to the NGOs interviewed, awareness creation has created the community that is responsible to protect children from
19
harmful practices and abuse. According to UNICEF-UNAIDS framework,
one of the key strategies stipulated is to raise awareness at all levels through
advocacy and social mobilization to create a supportive environment for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS (Moser 1998: 2).
However when it comes to child wellbeing, awareness on itself is limited
in enhancing child wellbeing among OVC households as it stops at knowing
there is need to protect children but the means to do so is lacking in the community. This illustrates that if NGOs in creating awareness and advocacy
strengthens the community to take control of their challenges by building their
capacity then awareness as a strategy will change in order to reduce household
vulnerability and build the OVC household resilience because it will be more
than knowing the need to protect.
4.2.2 Microcredit and Grants to reduce economic vulnerability in
OVC households
Microcredit as a strategy is working with OVC household to plan for future
sustainability according to the research findings. Households are trained and
given loans which they have to pay at a particular period of time in installments
plus a small charge fee for administration. Grants to OVC households (cash
boxes) on the other hand is mainly given to groups in the community (consisting of OVC households) where members start borrowing the money among
themselves to use in their small businesses and later share the money and accruing profits. Here NGOs use this strategy to promote income generating activities and projects for OVC households such that these households can be
able to support the OVC in promoting their wellbeing.
According to the three NGOs interviewed, they praised the micro credit
strategy and said by their records, children in these households have been able
to go to school, get enough food, clothing as parents become able to support
these OVC. Providing OVC households with loans and revolving grants has made great
impact by making these households stable. In two to three years, households joining micro
credit are able to meet their basic needs like school related expenses, clothing and even put up
small but permanent houses .We have households who have saved up to two million Uganda
shillings in their 2nd cycle and will reach over 5 million in their fourth cycle (Programme officer from NGO).
However the beneficiaries were asked on the use of micro credit as a
strategy and 6 out of 10 said it was helping one to leave vulnerability and poverty. The 4 households’ on the other hand refuted saying micro credit helps
productive groups and the way its programmed excludes some people who are
very poor to whom it becomes burdensome and needs to be improved to help
them.
We can afford to pay the loan monthly and not weekly as required and if there was no
need to give your land title or something valuable to be taken in case you fail to pay the
loan many of us would have joined but me I had nothing to give as security for the loan
(Caregiver in Ttuba Kampala).
Microcredit needs able people because what I can do is simple handcrafts so I can’t
make a lot of profits to pay the loan weekly (70 year old caregiver Kulambiro Kampala).
20
I wish they provide individual loans. This group system for receiving money is hard
whereby we are required to form a group of 6 to 8 members. People in this village tend
to select their friends and the rich ones able to pay leaving us behind who are poor and
old, ill or even young heading homes. It’s very hard in Kampala because people shift every month and now that the rich have taken over our land it’s hard to form membership
(Parent in Kisaasi- Kampala).
It’s very good to receive loans to work but sometimes the money they are giving as a loan
is too small to start a good business because you have to buy things for starting yet you
have to rent the place where to work from and you receive 100,000/= (Uganda shillings equivalent to 30 Euros) as start up because the more loan is determined by your
saving thus some of us decided to leave borrowing from the organizations dropped out because it required me to meet weekly yet the loan was little (Parent in Kasaana –
Kampala).
The above statement from beneficiary counter pose the NGOs staff that
loans has made impact because it’s still burdensome. Thus need to provide individual loans, allow them to pay monthly and enough loans to start business
so that OVC households can access loans and be able to sustain themselves.
The overall pattern on microcredit indicate that it’s a strategy that can
help the able bodied members of OVC households, but can exclude the weak
and young thus it’s important for NGOs to consider the category of OVC
households especially the number of children per household and who is the
head such that microcredit as a strategy enhances child-wellbeing in OVC
households as there is something missing in the approach to meet the needs of
children in these OVC households as they need skills on how to multiply the
loans, where to get the materials or resources.
Again microcredit as a strategy by NGOs need to be geared towards good
and user friendly terms and conditions to improve OVC situation not to make
profits like profit organizations or banks. NGOs asking OVC households for
collateral for the loans are limiting many OVC households to access these
loans. Much as these households were trained and after appraisal qualifying to
get loans, the critical vulnerable OVC households like child headed households
and elderly care givers were excluded by the support.
On the strategy of grants, 8 out of 10 OVC households appreciated the
one time grant that it was very successful in changing their lives and that of
their children. (A parent in Masuliita Central- Wakiso) said I can now send my two
grand children to school and eat two meals a day because of the grant that opened my eyes to
start business.
However the two households complained of the little amount given to
them to start income generating activities. They give us little money for example I was
given 50,000/= Uganda shillings (15 Euros) to start an income generating activity for my
8 grand children. I kept the money looking for what to start because I had told the organization I was going to start pan cakes selling but cooking oil raised and money was not enough
to start so when the grand children were sent from school because of fees I gave up the business( A grandmother in Biika- Masuliita Wakiso).
There is need to carry out a feasibility study before giving out grants such
that OVC household are given the grants that can enable them start an income
generating activity because 15 Euros in today’s economy is not sufficient to run
any business thus OVC households if they are to get support its should take
21
into consideration the number of children in the household such that its able
to transform their lives and reduce vulnerability.
In case of grants, this strategy seemed uniform in supporting all OVC but
the amount given by these NGOs to OVC households was too small to make a
difference in these households and later enhancing child wellbeing. For example Most NGOs were giving 20 to 50 Euros per OVC household yet majority
had more than 5 members in each household to start an income generating
project. Though some successful case studies were documented by these
NGOs, there is needed to increase the amount to make a positive change that
enhances child wellbeing.
The study findings above indicated that most OVC households were female headed households, few male households and child headed households
with many above the age of 51 years. This makes them weak and vulnerable
therefore strategies such microcredit credit that requires them to pay weekly
may not be applicable since the kind of businesses they can do are for their
daily survival. The micro credit as an NGO strategy should be revised since it
only targets the able members than the vulnerable households.
The literature highlights the progress over ten years. Mathie and Coady International Institute (2001) argued that microfinance is an important tool for
fighting poverty in the developing world by providing access to credit for investment, financial services and savings services to enable poor people acquire income-producing and household assets and to cope with unexpected
events (Mathie and Coady International Institute 2001: 1).This has been refuted by Lakwo after ten years saying “Taking the case of Uganda and by using a
consensual people-centred relevance test to assess the impact of microfinance
on poverty alleviation, microfinance is shown not to improve the well-being of
clients much, with only marginal well-being gains achieved by clients”(Lakwo
2010: 1).
The research found out that; incomes raised through micro credits are
useful. NGOs thus can be identified as viable alternative economic centres.
NGOs have also got the necessary capacity to mobilize the poor for economic
development and it shows that social networks are very efficient for community support and there is a significant level of support by the NGOs to the OVC
households. However, the support of marginalized groups such as widows,
child headed and the elderly is still minimal and efforts should be adhered to
those households.
4.2.3 Community projects as a strategy for reducing vulnerability
among OVC households
The study findings indicate that community projects have enhanced the wellbeing of OVC especially in emergency or war torn areas by starting recreation
facilities inform of a play ground for children and community clinics. The
community Outreaches like VHTs, VCT, immunization and deworming have
helped all children to receive services including the OVC. The use of existing
structures like village courts has helped the orphan children to have a voice for
example in case of land grabbing by relatives though need to be enriched.
Community revolving projects like send a cow, a goat have also been successful. Using indigenous knowledge and existing structures and systems have been
22
helpful as it’s easy for sustainability. The beneficiaries were happy with the
community projects but all NGO staffs in the study said Community projects
are challenging because the community does not want to contribute.
When an NGO puts up a clinic in the community even with their input and collaboration they fail to get time and even fail to fulfill their commitment to pay the user fees.
(FGD participant)
People know what they want, but the channels for OVC households to voice their views
are minimized. The way their voices are captured is where the challenge lies and it is
what is needed to be done that the vulnerability in the OVC and community will be reduced because development cannot come from outside. The community has to appreciate
their challenges and come up with action plans in their own means and ability and this
has to be integrated into government plans but it should start from the bottom (Programme officer Save the Children Uganda).
The above quotes show that Community projects are benefitting the OVC
households but NGOs are avoiding using the strategy because of sustainability
challenges. There is need to plan for sustainability right from inception of the
project such that community projects can improve child-wellbeing among
OVC households and reduce vulnerability.
4.2.4 Institutionalization as a strategy for reducing vulnerability
among OVC households
Villages/Babies homes do provide shelter and home for children in crisis. SOS
Kakiri is an example of institutionalization that was visited during this research.
The shelter in Gulu was due to war, in Fort Portal due to the hard to reach areas and next they are targeting Karamoja where children are suffering bringing
many to the streets of Kampala.
SOS has seen many achievements with some of their children graduating
from universities and others currently enrolled in universities. However the
long term serving staff had this to say
Institutions should be the last resort though it can be debatable on
what is the time when it should be the last resort. Family placement is
the best option. Institution is a heavy investment so if there are families willing to take up an extra child; they should be supported by
government. Family strengthening programme builds the capacity to
care for family needs especially OVC needs. Also resettling children
in residential care kills children’s creativity; their progress is low compared to children outside the residential care (SOS programme manager).
SOS feels it’s still a hypothesis that needs to be concluded through a study
or a research to get to know the truth about creativity but the experience with
these children has indicated so. This is supported by Mutangadura who criticised institutionalism in favour of foster care in communities as seen to be sustainable. “Setting up and running an orphanage is not only generally outside
the cultural context of Sub-Saharan Africa but also is unlikely to be sustainable
on financial grounds” (Mutangadura 2000: 32). Santa’s study suggests that “in
23
the area of housing, foster care appears to be more cost effective than institutional care (orphanages)” (Santa‐Ana‐Tellez et al. 2011).
Many Donors have started funding institutions or orphanages but they are very expensive and few children are reached and fail to meet children’s developmental needs and do
not prepare them for adult life in the community like culture patterns, language customs
though serves as a temporary, last resort response, but not long term solution (Programme manager UORDP).
Institutions would be a good strategy to give a home to the homeless children in society.
However most of the good few institutions are run by NGOs yet they are short lived
with few run by international support that is permanent. If government children’s institutions were not having chronic underfunding that make their rehabilitation a mockery
with basic requirements to facilitate rehabilitation. For example institutions for juvenile
offenders are understaffed with many of the staff being welfare assistants yet reception
and remand centres for children have funding gaps. But NGOs should look at another
strategy than orphanages (Director UCRNN).
It’s therefore remaining a challenge as to when institutions should be the
last resort because children in critical conditions need care and a home especially those abandoned and neglected. According to the research findings, institutionalisation is helping children to enhance their wellbeing especially those
that need rescue but when you compare the costs involved it would be cost
effective to reach many in OVC households. It’s important that NGOs look at
institutions for children as last resort and where there is a person willing to
take up more children should be supported such that children continue to
grow in their communities, learn their traditions that will be beneficial during
adulthood as raised earlier and reduce OVC vulnerability.
4.2.5 Partnerships, Networking and Collaboration as a strategy for
reducing vulnerability among OVC households
Through networking, NGOs refer their beneficiaries to other NGOs or government for continued service or new services to bridge the service gap. The
use of partnerships has improved the service delivery for OVC like immunization, vitamin and deworming of children in all villages mainly mobilized by
NGOs. However, there is need to improve and strengthen monitoring and
evaluation to establish outputs, outcomes and impact and know the processes.
Resource mobilization and allocation to OVC programmes at all levels from
central to district by government is needed. OVC programme should be part
of local government assessment for example ministry of local government carries out assessment at the district level for their projects such as agriculture,
roads, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). MGLSD advised
NGOs to work as one to have a comprehensive package and in consultation
with government district strategic plans, use government standards and frames
which many are shying away.
(Moser 1998) identified challenges in effective and response to OVC as
limited awareness of available services, national government in partnership
with international agencies and other stakeholders to know what is done and
24
what remains to be done to satisfy the rights for OVC and ensure their wellbeing (Moser 1998: 2).
Respondents from the focus group discussion said that at the moment partnerships, networking and collaboration is based on who knows who
and hard to send a beneficiary to another NGO to receive a service if you do
not know someone there. Many NGOs are working to fulfil their set objectives and do
less partnership making it hard to meet all the needs of OVC households. (FGD participant)
To increase services for OVC households therefore it’s important to
partner with other NGOs and government sectors, to have OVC households
needs addressed holistically. This will enhance child wellbeing among these
households hindered by poor programming of NGOs. But this should be in
accordance with economic and social policies such that state and civil society
implementation is balanced, know where it’s appropriate and the implications
of privatization of state responsibility taken into consideration such that there
is harmony in service delivery. Work within the framework of the government
because it is the legal responsibility of government to provide services to its
people, as a duty bearer. The government has put in place frameworks and
standards but their monitoring is not efficient hence need for collaboration to
know who is doing what and avoiding duplication of services.
4.2.6 Direct services to OVC households as a strategy for reducing
vulnerability among OVC households
The Seven out of ten OVC households interviewed praised the direct support
they receive from NGOs like books for children, beddings, clothes, seeds for
planting, garden tools among others. They said NGOs had done a good job
where government has not reached .Others said some OVC households due to
conflict and jealousy have failed to come out of poverty and vulnerability.
However three households refuted that and said this:
NGOs trust political leaders too much and yet this people in our community identify
their relatives who had few OVC to look after so the direct support to these households
could have started something like a school or a clinic where many of us would gain from
(A parent in Kalongero – Wakiso).
NGOs help a lot but they have a habit of delaying to give us what they promise. For
example one officer promised me seeds of beans but delivered them very late when the
season had passed and I ate them (A caregiver in Masuliita –Wakiso).
The direct services since makes changes should be worked on in programming by the NGOs but should be very careful not to create dependency
and if assistance is to be given it should come in time. However the issue of
dependency given the vulnerability of these households is important. Direct
services should put into consideration the issue of dependency such that OVC
households can survive when projects end thus building their resilience. The
issue of sustainability according to the finding was a challenge yet funding
comes to an end or when donor priorities change these households will be left
vulnerable.
25
In conclusion, there is no single intervention/strategy that is fit for OVC
intervention as seen above as all have advantages and disadvantages so it’s imperative to note that joining strategies to suit a particular type and conditions
of vulnerable children and their households is important especially in poverty
stricken countries. Adato and Basset argued that “AIDS-affected families are
diverse with respect to poverty level, education, and household structure, stage
of illness progression ability to work, dependency ratios and access to assets.
They argued for a mix of approaches rather than a single approach” (Adato
and Bassett 2009: 72).
This is concluded by Okumu in her study that “The multidimensional nature of child poverty requires a multi-pronged approach in effectively tackling
it” (Okumu 2010). According to (Mushunje and Mafico 2010: 269) the traditional standardised support from government and NGOs may not respond
because it assumes households require same services and concluded that support methods should continuously evolve and be responsive.
This dynamism of OVC households captured in the study shows the different types of households and how each strategy is benefiting them differently
for example Microcredit is less burdensome to some households compared to
the elderly and child headed OVC households. Hence NGO strategies have to
interact with local conditions to transform OVC lives.
NGOs should consider the type of intervention to be used in each OVC
households by studying first the strength and weakness of each type. Different
OVC households require different interventions so programming mechanisms
need to be improved to fit the conditions of OVC to enhance child-wellbeing.
4.3 Sustainability issues arising from NGO strategies
The study findings indicated another issue of sustainability a rising from
NGOs strategies. All the NGOs visited were dependent on Donor funds yet
all households visited were not self sustainable in case the NGO support ended
because of their source of income.
Table 4.1 Showing How NGOs finance their activities
Ways
Proposal writing
Through fundraising
Government Aid
Frequency
4
0
0
Percent
100%
0%
0%
Starting up projects
0
0%
Source: Authors illustration of NGOs source of income (2011)
The table4 above shows that these NGOs fully depend on proposal writing leaving the OVCs at the mercy of donors. All the four NGOs interviewed
all said their major support come from Donors something not sustainable as
donor fatigue and projects small life time makes enhancement of childwellbeing which takes a long period of time un reachable.
26
Figure 3.1 The main source of income for OVC household
Farming
20%
Other
50%
Small scale
Business
30%
Source: Authors illustration of income source for OVC households visited in the study (2011)
Figure 2 above is a pie chart showing the main source of income in percentages of the 10 households interviewed, 20% of these households depend
on farming, and 30% do small scale businesses such as operating food stuff
kiosks, selling water and passion juice etc, 50% said others such as selling local
alcohol, selling porridge, building, boda-boda (motorcycle) riding, selling
chicken, looking after cows, selling fire wood etc. Something not showing self
sustainability in case NGOs support ended.
Table 5.1 Showing average monthly income for OVC households.
Response
Frequency
Percent
What is the average income level (per month) for your household?
50,000/= and below
3
30%
100,000- 150,000/=
4
40%
160,000- 250,000/=
2
20%
300,000- 490,000/=
1
10%
Source: Authors illustration of monthly income for ten OVC households visited
In table5 above, only 1 respondent out of 10 earns between 300,000 –
490,000 shillings, the biggest percentage (40%) earns between 100,000 –
150,000/= and 30% of the respondents earn 50,000/= and below per months
which cannot sustain these households with OVCs.
27
Figure 4.1 Type of Support received from NGOs
10%
Other
1
20%
Micro credit loan
Percent
2
Frequency
50%
Direct support to your
household
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
Source: Authors Illustration of type of Support received
Figure 3 shows what kind of support the respondents received the majority 50% received direct support, 20% received Micro credit loans and only 10%
received said others which included a goat to rear. The direct support however
is not sustainable and requires NGOs to keep giving these households.
28
Percent
Figure 5.1 The use of the support given to Households
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Percent
Paid
school
fees
Renov
ated
our
house
30%
10%
Starte
d up a
small
busine
ss
20%
Paid
off my
debts
House
rent
10%
10%
Source: Authors illustration of Support given to OVC households
Figure 3 above further stresses it that 50% of the beneficiaries received direct support, 20% received loans, but figure 4 above that 30% of the beneficiaries used the support to pay school fees, 10% paid off debts, 10% also renovated their house making it 60% in figure 3 who received direct support
combined with others.
The 20% who received micro credit loans in figure 3 started up small businesses in figure 4. This still leaves a question on the kind of interventions made
by NGOs, giving a household support for paying off school fees for the child
does not reduce the vulnerability of this child because this support will not
continue until the child completes his or her studies. This was found out by
Nyambedha on the most serious problem saying it was the inability of the orphan households to afford school fees although others were also prominent
(Nyambedha et al. 2001: 83).
NGOs should think of sustainability plans for OVC households’ right
from inception of such projects. Most NGOs interviewed are donor dependant and the beneficiaries are also NGO dependants through direct support as
seen as in figure 3 and figure 4 above which does not reduce their vulnerability
and making them self sustainable since the support is used for school fees, paying house rent and debts. More sustainability strategies that are realistic and
reasonable should be put in place .The use of existing systems and structures
should be encouraged so as to take over when donor funds end.
29
Chapter 5: OVC households’ perceptions of
NGOs interventions.
5.1 Introduction
This chapter shows that reducing vulnerability in OVC households require
several factors to be improved for a better environment of OVC and their
households. The OVC households have to play a big role; the community efforts to protect them by acting as support circles instead of impeding their survival and resources. The service Providers have to be prepared to change their
programming mechanisms including strategies that meet their special needs to
reduce vulnerability in OVC households. This is analyzed after understanding
the key achievements from strategies, and the gaps existing as given by OVC
households.
Figure 6.1 OVC household’s opinions on how effective are NGO strategies in
enhancing child-wellbeing in their area
10
Frequency
6
4
Some how
Very effective
Total
Source: Authors illustration of OVC households visited their opinion
Figure 5 represents question that was asked to 10 OVC households and it
reveals that out of the 10 OVC respondents, 6 said the NGOs are very effective in enhancing child-wellbeing in their area, while 4 said somehow meaning
they are not convinced with the NGO interventions.
5.2 Key achievements from these strategies to enhance child
wellbeing
The research got some of the key achievements by interviewing respondents
from OVC households on what they like about NGOs in enhancing childwellbeing among OVC households in Uganda.
30
They said NGOs have spearheaded in creating a healthy nation especially
dealing with HIV/AIDS like TASO, others have set up clinics in remote areas
where government has not reached. They have also brought in transparency
and accountability by putting in place mechanisms and channels that have sensitized the public to demand quality services from government as the duty
bearer. Some ray of hope has come in through NGOs for example in hard to
reach areas, war and conflict areas where many children especially OVC services are given. NGOs have raised advocacy on plight of OVC and their
households and influenced policy at different levels. They have reported child
abuse cases and supported social inquiries by strengthening the communities to
report the cases of child abuse. NGOs have provided counselling, PSS and offered training in different areas such orphan care, will making. Directly,
NGOs have started ECD centres, improved nutrition and food availability given children right to play , provided scholastic materials, provided a home in
case of emergency and crisis.
However amidst the achievements, a lot is still desired by OVC households as given by OVC households.
5.3 Gaps in these strategies employed by NGOs to reduce
vulnerability
The study interviewed OVC households to know the gaps and these vary from
financial, infrastructure in some areas, attitude of the beneficiaries, quality with
donor requirements as loopholes impeding enhancement of child- wellbeing
among OVC households. However, others blamed themselves saying OVC
households have tendency to regard themselves to be very vulnerable that they
can’t manage to do anything but think everything is to be done by NGOs with
some OVC households seemingly contented in their poverty.
Financial constraint was given as a gap where by NGOs would want to
help in scaling up intervention but they are limited by the finances. This was
true because all the 4 NGOs including 2 secretariats mentioned financial constraint as the biggest problem. Hence unable to have a holistic approach of intervention and reach a big number of OVC households and their children.
Hard to reach areas with poor infrastructure limits the work of NGOs yet
resources allocated to OVC households are less/ limiting. Infrastructures in
the hard to reach areas like mountainous areas yet staff transportation facilities
are very minimal. An example was given where volunteers use ordinary bicycles
to carry out home visits to OVC households end up tired as they have to push
it instead of riding it.
More still, the other gap was seen in the issue of quality versus quantity for
example the high targets/ numbers needed by Donors compromise the quality
of services for OVC households’ .The funders sometimes take on targets
which NGOs have to comply with and in the end compromise the quality services because of too much numbers with low resources.
Another gap is in moving from experience sharing to best practices sharing which need to be documented and need financial input. Most NGOs do
not share their best practices but few had their work documented for sharing
apart from staying on organizational computers.
31
The voices of the OVC who sometimes are left behind because they cannot walk long distances to attend meetings and send representatives who represent their voice was a gap that NGOs need to bridge. It was found out that
even in community meetings such people rarely attend and voice their challenges because meetings and trainings are held far from the homes.
The other gap that constrains achievement of objectives given inadequate
funding is late disbursement of funds. NGOs take long to give OVC households what they requested.
Big targets set to be reached with little resources were another area given
for example, NGO providing a goat or a pig to a whole family which cannot
enhance child wellbeing. Sometimes, donor requirements for example numbers
make NGOs target numbers instead of child wellbeing.
The ability of organizations to think towards a comprehensive package is
limited yet it’s what will enhance child wellbeing. NGOs need to discuss with
donors on numbers and give what is enough to make change. Analysis of the
gaps in the NGOs strategies in reducing vulnerability indicate that programming mechanism need to be streamlined by redesigning approaches to support
OVC households.
5.4 Factors that can reduce Vulnerability in OVC households
The factors to reduce vulnerability according to the study are situated in improving the family to play its role, strengthening community to protect OVC
households, changing the perception and programming of service providers
and using existing systems and structures.
5.4.1 OVC Households: Their role and attitude change
The study highlights that the way an organization looks at the household matters. The resources of the family should be looked out first before looking at
their needs, this helps in seeing the strength of each family and resources the
family has for example, the family structures, the system in the home, the permanent house, grandparents that can counsel the young ones, identify what is
lacking to make the family stable. In agreement Kristen Cheney argues for
building more productive model through understanding of children’s perceptions of their circumstances (Cheney 2010: 13).
So in reducing vulnerability among OVC household, households/family has a big role to play in reducing the vulnerability at home and it’s
the existing resources of these households that NGOs work upon to enhance
child- wellbeing. “Comprehensive OVC care calls for sustainable social development programmes focusing at strengthening the family unit” (Kibaalya et al.
2006: 1) so the family will have to play a big role for vulnerability to reduce in
OVC households and NGOs should strengthen the household as a unit of
protection that will reduce persistent vulnerability.
5.4.2 Community efforts to protect OVC households
The community plays a big role in protecting OVC households. Most of the
households visited for interviews complained of the political leaders interfering
32
in the NGOs work and other OVC households felt they were very unfair in
helping NGOs to identify households. Land grabbing was given as a challenge
in the community that made these households more vulnerable. For vulnerability to reduce, community has to be strengthened and safety units able to operate fully for children to have support systems in their community. This was
agreed upon by Lombe saying that “We contribute to the current discussion on
the orphan crisis by proposing a multifaceted approach utilizing institutional
characteristics, with greater potential to strengthen community capacity and
empower vulnerable children” (Lombe and Ochumbo 2008: 1).
It’s the role of the community that child headed households can stay and
strive without land grabbing in their community. This is supported by a study
carried out by Emily Ganga that “ Communities need to make collaborative
efforts to assist all OVC to live a more or less normalized family life within
their poverty stricken Child headed households” (Ganga and Chinyoka : 1).
From the above, it’s therefore paramount for any strategy of NGO intervention to consider the community as factor that can hinder or promote childwellbeing.
We are happy with the child protection committees at the village level in Northern
Uganda. Irrespective of the war, poverty and disease that has plundered that region, the
extended family has been able to absorb the many orphans thus NGOs should support
village orphan care committees to be strong to respond better to the needs of OVC and
their households. (Programme Coordinator AFC)
In conclusion, NGOs strategies should strengthen the capacity of family
and community such that children and their families are not left vulnerable by
giving hope and increasing the local capacity of community members to solve
their challenges. Although the budgets of the families are stretched but their
willingness alone to add on another child can be supported to ensure that
OVC household’s vulnerability is reduced.
5.4.3 Service providers’ perception and programming
The factor of service providers to end vulnerability will require the efforts of
the NGOs, Donor community and government to improve the way they have
been supporting NGOs in order to enhance child wellbeing because basing on
the study, it’s not the inability of OVC households but the loopholes in OVC
service providers that the limitation to reduce OVC vulnerability in Uganda is
rooted.
The NGOs should work within the framework of the government because it is the legal responsibility of government to provide services to its people because as the duty bearer government has been left out by NGOs. There
is need to put a policy by government to work with NGOs for example,
USAID could complement government education to educate OVCs in government schools to benefit many OVCs.
Donors should work through government to ensure all children supported
especially OVC get assistance; they should review their objectives with government to show sustainability and comprehensiveness.
The district officers should take a leading role in harmonizing to reduce
resource wastage through common understanding for example probation of33
ficer can organize meeting to share information such that they can know what
other NGOs are doing and sharing information by actors and services offered
to improve service delivery at district level and enhance child wellbeing.
Financial constraint has been another area limiting their scale of work and Government departments have been slow in carrying out work and forwarding children issues
from one level to the other. For example the comprehensive ECD policy has been on
slow pace to be cross cutting and holistic. Review of children’s act has taken long, slow
paced, taking it as not a priority by state so legal reforms becomes a long process hence a
limitation or even a challenge (Director UCRNN)
In most cases donors influence the kind of support given to the beneficiaries
and sometimes it increases stigma amongst the communities especially when it
comes to HIV victims where by the donors require NGOs to make bold and
well visible brands to all their equipments such as cars, motorcycles, IEC materials such as T-Shirts this causes isolation of such victims, once these branded
cars visit these households the neighbours start spreading the gospel making
the victims more traumatized. For this case there for donors should re - visit
their policies and consult from the district leaders or the NGOs they support
to avoid such mistakes. Kendall (2008) argues for better understanding of development efforts targeted to function in practice because current development discourses and frameworks may sometimes operate to make the lives of
vulnerable children and communities harder and less secure (Kendall 2008:
365) hence the donor support should fit in the local context and conditions.
Improve coordination among local government and NGOs. Improve and
strengthen monitoring and evaluation to establish outputs, outcomes and impact and know the processes. Increase resource mobilization and allocation to
OVC programmes at all levels from central to district by government. OVC
programme should be put as part of local government assessment for example
ministry of local government carries out assessment at the district level for
their projects such as agriculture, roads, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). Political leaders should stop interfering in OVC programming especially hiring staff based on political background rather on their qualifications and willingness to work. The donors should continue to fund NGOs
directly but there is need for strong partnership amongst the NGO, Government and the Donor communities for easy coordination and improve of service delivery to OVCs to enhance child wellbeing amongst OVC households
In conclusion, for vulnerability to end service providers have to play their
role in coordinating the services to OVC households, stream line their approaches to benefit these households by tackling real challenges than donor
priorities or NGOs objectives.
5.4.4 Using existing Indigenous structures and systems
The use of indigenous structures and systems will help to reduce vulnerability
and improve OVC households to enhance child-wellbeing. This means using
existing structures and systems like enhancing traditional village/family courts,
churches, indigenous materials and use of collaboration, networking and partnerships to include referral. Based on the study findings, Nyambedha recommended that “interventions planned should build on the existing potentials in
34
the community and pay attention to focused traditional kinship institutions,
self help groups, and women groups” (Nyambedha et al. 2001: 94).
The ministry wants to see all organizations working closely with existing structures such
as the local child protection committees or the district level OVC coordination committees, in order to increase the chances that these structures will continue to carry out activities even when the donor funds run low or the end of the funding period causes the programme to close. (OVC Technical adviser Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social
Development) echoed in agreement.
The above quote emphasizes the need to strengthen what is available in
the community that is indigenous such that when donor funds and resources
are no more its able to continue supporting the OVC households hence reducing vulnerability.
35
Chapter 6: Implications for
Programming and Conclusion.
Responsive
6.1 Introduction
This chapter brings out the key findings that are crucial for future responsive
programming and need for streamlining in NGO approaches to support OVC
households in order to reduce vulnerability and enhance child- wellbeing. This
chapter highlights issues of quality and quantity with meeting donor requirements, politician’s involvement in NGO work, limited use of government
frameworks and standards need to improve NGOs institutional structures,
partnerships, weaknesses of NGOs programming, and lessons they have learnt
over time, sustainability of OVC households and a conclusion.
6.2 Quality and quantity with Donor requirements
Some of the limitations spelt out in the focus group discussion as constraints
faced in ensuring child wellbeing among OVC households is the issue of the
Donors setting high targets. The Donors should not only focus on the issue of quantity(
bigger numbers to be reached) but also the issue of quality especially following the quality
standards set by the government (Technical OVC officer Ministry of Gender )
The findings indicated that many of the NGOs are compromising the
quality service to reach many numbers as requested by donors. For example
through the stiff competition NGOs with many OVC numbers to reach win
the USAID grants for OVC households. This has compromised on the services given to these households.
Donors and NGOs need to change their strategies of interventions especially when dealing with OVC households to reduce vulnerability and enhance
child-wellbeing. Strict policies that address general issues rather than specific
needs of OVC households should be avoided. There is need to streamline
strategies of NGOS and donors to have proper service delivery in OVC
households to reduce vulnerability.
6.3 Politicians involvement in NGOs interventions
The OVC households interviewed mentioned that Local leaders have failed to
protect the children in their communities and have not involved NGOs in issues concerning land especially for the orphans. Sometimes NGOs have no
capacity or not aware of such incidences. The beneficiaries cited that one of
the factors hindering NGO efforts in enhancing child-wellbeing in the communities is the use of political leaders/ politicians in identification and selection of OVC households plus other involvements in NGO innervations.
Leaders and politicians involved in identifying vulnerable households select only their
supporters and relatives leaving the vulnerable people with no help at all. Community
leaders have hindered NGO interventions in their communities due to their selfish mo-
36
tives. Politics has become a problem as leaders use NGOs interventions as a way of soliciting support from the community. (FGD member)
NGO should be strategic in involving politicians in the selection of OVC
households though needed in the monitoring and evaluation of projects. However the NSSPI stipulates that in case of external of support, the community
shall be responsible for identifying and selecting the beneficiaries of the programme and OVC and their households identify their needs and solutions
(Ministry of Gender, labour and Social Development 2004: 42). There is need
to use the political leaders as required by government but also know when to
involve them such that the good NGOs support is not ruined by their negative
and hidden agendas. Understanding of different categories of OVC households
and their conditions plus knowing their different levels of vulnerability across
households and children will help NGOs to verify the households selected for
support.
6.4 Limited use of government standards and frameworks
(Limited coordination at district level)
The service highlighted in quality standards promote the understanding that
caring for OVC is a shared responsibility, hence the need for children, families
and community participation, public-private partnerships, referrals and networks for sustainable service delivery (Ministry of Gender, labour and Social
Development 2005: 32).
Most of the recommendations given by NGOs interviewed indicated not
working within the government framework, the reason might be they are not
aware of these flame works which then leaves a question to the NGO board,
measures should be put in place to give enough sensitization to these NGOs,
revising the NGO registration policy and ensure all activities implemented by
each NGO falls under the National strategic program plan of interventions
(NSPPI) for orphans and other vulnerable children. Further research should
also be carried out to find out whether all the NGOs in Uganda are aware of
the OVC materials and frame works availed by the government of Uganda.
Having read through the mapping guidelines by ministry of Gender, it
shows that it’s a participatory framework that shows how community identifies
challenges and resources in their geographic area. It examines the causes of
vulnerability; identify the most vulnerable children and their households in the
community, resources and services available, gaps between their needs, develop
a plan to address the gaps in support thus creating a sense of ownership, commitment of support for these efforts within the community. This alone shows
that government frameworks need to be utilised for effective implementation
of OVC projects and programmes.
The findings indicated that the government frameworks are not used by
NGOs and government budgets do not allow follow up on the implementation of these standards by ministry. The systems must be reviewed, evaluated
and monitored frequently and continuously for effectiveness and impact
among the OVC households.
37
6.5 Improved institutional structures of NGOs
NGOs need to work on their institutional structures to make a positive difference in OVC households. Their human resource and other organization controls and systems need to improve such that planning; controlling, implementation and programming for OVC are very easy and fruitful. The interview with
ministry official showed that it’s a challenge. NGOs should tell the community how
much they have and OVC –MIS. Direct expenditure to OVC has not been submitted.
NGOs should use and employ qualified staff with proper replacement measures, recruit openly to get people willing to work not relatives where you find the CEO is the husband, the wife
is director and children are staff what kind of an organization….(Technical OVC officer
MGLSD)
It’s because of duplication of services doing one thing with different wording instead of
combining efforts with different objectives to meet. Lack of coordination by NGOs as
they act in isolation due to lack of formal and informal partnerships among NGOs and
the trickling of resources to the households is less than 10%. NGOs spend a lot of
money on administration and salaries with less left for these households (Director
UCRNN)
The recommendations UCRNN gives NGOs to enhance child wellbeing
among OVC households in Uganda are that there is need to harmonize the
interventions by these NGOs, the district coordination offices should be enforced such that the NGOs share budgets, work plans, information and forge
away forward and action plans such that there would be improved transparency and accountability to make positive changes in the child wellbeing. The district officers should take a leading role. Harmonizing to reduce resource wastage through common understanding for example probation officer can
organize meeting to share information such that they can know what other
NGOs are doing and sharing information by actors and services offered to enhance child wellbeing and improve service delivery at district level.
The FGD gave the recommendation to NGOs to think of comprehensive
services like vertical and horizontal. The vertical where services are backed up
with other services for example to improve income or livelihood it would be
easy for OVC households to first solve the education and health challenges
and horizontal comprehensiveness whereby to start an income generating project like Piggery for OVC households, there is need for training, follow up linking them to market, medication sources for their piggery, business skills and
information and existing sources of technical workers.
Management of NGOs is becoming inefficient because directors hire relatives so it becomes personal investments. Yet government is the pace setter
who are assessed at the end of the day. There is need to harmonize the interventions by these NGOs, the district coordination offices should be enforced
such that the NGOs share budgets, work plans ,information and forge away
forward and action plans such that there is improved transparency and accountability for positive changes.
NGOs do run their own agenda they do operate outside the national objectives yet the
international agencies for example assess the government objectives not the NGOs objec-
38
tives. If seen as partners it would be a solid format to report. For example some NGOs
do not use the children’s act. Many NGOs are burdened with numbers yet Donor requirements can be negotiated by government easily and NGOs would have a right to refuse donor requirements that would compromise OVC rights. (Head of OVC secretariat MGLSD).
6.6 Public private partnerships and uniting to reduce vulnerability in OVC households
The FDG members agreed that there should be creation of formal partnerships for a holistic approach to OVC plight than a single service which is not
comprehensive. This will also help in continuity of services to OVC households until they reach stability. The partnership should also be with government especially taking up the Public private partnership at the district level
which can improve information sharing in coordination committees here the
district needs are shared and issues of duplication is solved. NGOs need to
start institutionalizing the existing government standards by sharing and distributing these standards and frameworks to be used by these NGOs for example quality control standard, and NSSPI.
Some NGOs do not use the children’s act. Many NGOs are burdened with numbers
yet Donor requirements can be negotiated by government easily and NGOs would have
a right to refuse donor requirements that would compromise OVC rights. (OVC technical advisor MGLSD).
Through TSOs, the resource materials can be rolled out inform of training orientation and the coverage can be high since the gap is on rolling out, NGOs
coordination at district level need to be improved especially NGOs working
with government on good frameworks like mapping led by ministry of gender
which is in every district for example CSF have been a good example of a well
monitored and supervised project with funds being utilized to benefit OVC yet
with good reporting mechanisms and NGOs should support initiatives of districts for mapping and dialogues to know the number of OVCs, emerging services and engage the local people.
NGOs need to align their interventions to district OVC strategic plans
which should be revised each time. This coordination will make changes and
action plans implemented. The CAO should sign on proposals to show they
have been authorized and agreed upon on the need of OVC and the community. District OVC needs should be given priority than the Donor requirements.
NGOs need to organize and foster partnerships to give a multi- sectoral
intervention to OVC needs. The Public private partnerships should be encouraged to improve OVC service delivery and enhance child-wellbeing. There is
need to use district and national level standards and frameworks to increase
partnerships and collaboration. This will improve the quality of services and a
comprehensive package to enhance child-wellbeing will be created.
In conclusion partnerships, coordination and collaboration at the district
level overlaps and need to be strengthened for social protection to OVC
households. All strategies of NGOs need to be in harmony with government
structures and policies to avoid double support to OVC households and utilize
resources to provide a comprehensive package to OVC households.
39
6.7 Weaknesses in NGO programming
Another issue raised from the focus group discussion is that, the voices of the
OVCs are sometimes left behind because they are usually not well represented
e.g. in meetings. NGOs should ensure that meetings and trainings are held
where the OVC households are able to reach such as holding community village meetings and trainings in villages than in fancy hotels.
“Exposure to extreme poverty among young children by OVC status was
relatively small and did not explain the greater malnutrition and ill-health seen
in OVC” (Watts et al. 2007: 584). Meaning it’s the poor programming mechanisms that OVC households are still in vulnerability.
OVC households complained of delays sighting disbursements of funds
and giving them seeds when the season for planting has passed. This should be
noted especially in future programming.
6.8 Sustainability for OVC households.
The research findings indicate that all OVC households were not able to sustain themselves as majority depended on direct support from NGOs yet
NGOs were dependent on NGO support. The current NGOs strategies are
lacking the sustainable impact among OVC households. Most NGOs give
short term support yet its insufficient to the number of OVCs in the household. With the level of vulnerability in OVC households, there is need for long
term support that will contribute to reduction of persistent vulnerability existing in OVC households currently.
6.9 Lessons learnt by NGOs
The respondents spelled out lessons the NGOs have learnt while employing
different strategies are: NGOs excluding youth from their interventions increases vulnerability for example reproductive health issues are a major cause
of vulnerability like early pregnancy leading to school dropout, then early marriage, producing many children, getting sexual diseases HIV/AIDS inclusive
among others. Thus to avoid such future vulnerabilities leading to OVC,
youth programmes should be incorporated when dealing with OVC.
NGOs gave sharing reports and information, designing and implementing
OVC projects, transparency and accountability, meetings, communication
strategies to be important to achieve set out objectives and for programming
of OVC interventions. Another area is resource mobilization in the community
especially non monetary resources through their involvement and participation.
Birth certificates are crucial for OVC and death certificate for OVC
households especially when the head of the family passes on, the formation of
cluster best learning practices at the district level and sub county level such that
organizations doing similar services should sit together to discuss issues of
OVC for example child protection committees.
Under family capacity building, resources of the family should be looked
out first before looking at their needs, this helps in seeing the positive in the
family and see the good resources the family have for example, the family
structures, the system in the home, the permanent house, grandparents that
can counsel the young ones, then identify what is lacking to make the family
40
stable. Another lesson is that singling a child on his own as OVC is stigmatizing.
The lessons SOS has learnt while employing the strategies is that direct
service if can be avoided is better because it creates dependency. Also NGOs
should work to supplement government efforts for example, government
health care centres can be enhanced by putting up generators to provide power
at the health centres or motivating teachers in Universal Primary Education
(UPE) than paying for OVCs in private schools.
The lessons Save the Children has learnt while employing the strategies is
that working closely with district officials, NGOs enhances delivery of services.
Sharing work plans, achievements, makes referral and coordination easier.
Support supervision improves coordination, partnership and referral of OVC
for holistic service delivery.
In conclusion these arguments seem to suggest that there is a correlation
between government loopholes in social protection of OVC households that
relates to the vulnerability of these households.
6.10 Conclusion
The study highlight that the problem of vulnerability among OVC households
and lack of sustainability plans will continue to aggravate amongst the Uganda
households in caring for OVC if NGOs strategies in enhancing child-wellbeing
amongst OVC households do not change. It will, however take time, money
and a combined effort for many stakeholders including the Donor community,
Government, and NGOs.
This paper suggests that there is need to re-strategize and involve all
stakeholders and look at the OVC household’s strength, build on it to improve
the designing of interventions and mechanisms for OVC households. Different OVC categories and their conditions should be considered in determining
the strategies to use. Revision of micro credit strategy to be less burdensome to
the critical vulnerable household like Child headed households and those headed by elderly caregivers to enable them access micro credit loans to reduce
their vulnerability or else the grandparent and child headed households are
likely to stay in persistent vulnerability as they have few if any able productive
members that contribute.
The level of their vulnerability is situated in their efforts to support their
own households and the type of support they receive from the support circles
like extended family. The nature of vulnerability should be important in programming such that right strategies are used correctly to address the challenge
of poverty that is increasing vulnerability in OVC households.
The paper shows that supporting community projects started by NGOs
such as community clinics, stopping land grabbing of OVC, Community
should be supported to care for OVC households and institutionalization
should be the last resort for OVC support. There is need for sensitizing local
leaders in child protection issues, taking precaution in using the political leaders
in interventions as they end up targeting the wrong households of OVC. Donor should work in partnership with government and stop demanding NGOs
to reach large numbers of OVC no matter the impact. Re-strategizing the giv-
41
ing of direct support to households will empower vulnerable individuals and
enable them to take control of their lives.
The study highlighted need for understanding between donors and NGOs
to come up with action on the issue of quality and targeted numbers to increase child- wellbeing and address donor driven agendas. The debate indicate
how NGOs strategies are designed out of context but representing the Donor
priorities and interests than meeting specific needs.
NGOs working in coordination with others and using the available government standards and frameworks for integrated and comprehensive OVC
support. The strategies need to pay attention to the condition and category of
households but also form partnerships for continuum of care in OVC service
delivery. The community and the family as a unit of care need to be strengthened and supported in collaboration with all social networks and also bring on
board the state than a single intervention done by NGOs.
The government should be more strict in monitoring NGOs activities to
ensure there is no duplication in service delivery and be able to measure their
impact on the communities right from grassroots (community level) in doing
so, family structures will be strengthened and the level of vulnerability in OVC
households will reduce and children’s wellbeing will be enhanced.
It’s not the inability of OVC households but spending more than they
bring in as incomes brought by the loss of active members of their households
that persistent vulnerability continues to exist. It’s the poor programming and
incorrect strategies that persistent vulnerability is still rooted in OVC households irrespective of the NGOs effort. The understanding of supported OVC
household’s context and conditions will transform and reduce persistent vulnerability to enhance child-wellbeing.
The study therefore is benefit to Government, NGOs, Development
partners and private sector organizations involved in the enhancement of
child-wellbeing in OVC households in Uganda. The analysis of NGOs strategies for child- wellbeing in the OVC households will be useful to the policy
makers as a case study for; Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
(MFPED), Ministry of Local Governments (MLG), and Ministry of Gender
Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), both international and indigenous
NGOs, and private sectors as well. The study gives up-to date literature for
students in the specific field of Development Studies, and other broad sectors
of humanities and social science studies.
42
Appendices
Appendix 1. List of Organisation in the study
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Save the children in Uganda
World Vision international Uganda
Action for children
SOS children’s village Wakiso
Health Child
Uganda Rural orphans development programme
Uganda Child Rights NGO Network
Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development(OVC secretariat)
Appendix 2. Three selected NGOs illustrating common NGOs activities and programmes.
World Vision International Uganda - community care system.
World Vision Uganda (WVU) has had good success with Community
OVC Care Coalitions (COCC) in Luwero and Masaka districts. Over the last
few years, WVU's Kaswa and Kasangombe Community OVC Care Projects
formed OVC Care Coalitions composed of all existing OVC care groups and
organizations in each sub-county in the districts. Each coalition identifies monitors, assists and protects the most vulnerable children and provides or links
them to services essential for the wellbeing and growth of the child. COCCs
provide help in primary education, food security, participation in incomegeneration schemes, AIDS prevention and care, life skills training, psychosocial
support and advocacy to OVCs, their families and communities.
A standard minimum basic package is assured every OVC groups coordinate better and uses resources more efficiently. Scaling up was achieved quickly, and services now have a better chance of being sustained. Lessons learned:
COCCs increase community collaboration and unity; they bring together different people to work on a shared crisis. More communities have embraced the
OVC issues as a communal rather than an individual family's problem.
Through appreciative inquiry, communities have realized that they have the
potential to resolve difficult issues around them. Recommendations: To increase level of involvement and commitment, more time must be devoted to
the mobilization phase. Social events can be added to the OVCs' calendar:
sports, drama and other forms of entertainment. COCCs can be trained to do
better in service delivery, and local resource mobilization. This has been even
presented at conferences as best practices(Raskin et al. 1996). A study on OVC
community responses in Northern Uganda showed that the community is under severe pressure from a range of factors; but community initiatives are not
collapsing – as the ‘social rupture’ thesis predicts. Instead, they are dynamic
and constantly evolving through various mechanisms to respond to the chal43
lenges of meeting the needs of the orphans ((Harvey 2004b) .This shows how
community still is still socially resilient that if supported OVC vulnerability will
reduce and child-wellbeing enhanced.
SOS Children’s Village Wakiso - Institutionalisation.
SOS children’s village Wakiso works in four areas/regions that are Fort
Portal in Western Uganda, Gulu in Northern Uganda, Kakiri and Entebbe in
Central Uganda. The SOS s objective is to see a child growing in a family environment and capable of making decisions that will shape his community. The
types of OVC they target are children who have lost parental care and children
about to lose parental care (short term care). In this, they target orphans, abandoned OVCs, abused OVCs and children about to lose care. The strategies
that SOS uses to reach out to OVC households are established children homes
or villages, micro credit loans and community training and awareness. The
children villages care for the children who have lost parental care and the family based care programme is a residential care for children who have lost any
care. It’s a long term resettlement programme. The kind of service they offer
to OVC households and OVCs in those areas are resettlement, psychosocial
counseling, education support, housing support, income generation, advocacy,
medical care and providing a home/village to children. Carry out capacity
building for the entire community, Education centres like kindergarten, primary and secondary which is open to the community at a cost. Housing or residential care, each household has 10 children aged 0-13 years manned by a hired
mother with a family budget and the 14 years and above youth who reside at
home, have youth leaders. Medical care and nutrition is for all children in the
residential care programme and also open to the community at a fee. The
youth leaders are professionals who provide career guidance and other social
work. Each youth leader manages 12 youth. SOS also runs the family strengthening programme that is for children with parents, SOS develops a child development plan which runs for 3 years working with the family, so it monitors
the level of support to the family for example, first year its 100%, second year
60% and third year 10%, so it’s a phase out progressive family plan aiming at
building the capacity of the family to be self reliant such that families are able
to grow and be able to support their children. The community trainings and
awareness target the whole community than family level support to have benefits.
SOS uses different approaches, working with other agencies to meet the
holistic nature of needs for example; they handle the legal needs through police, probation offices and Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA). Health
through government health centre II and Marie Stopes and education through
ministry of Education, Compassion International and sourcing for bursaries in
schools such as Hill Side Academy, Kitende, and Gayaza They also network
with micro finance organizations such as FAD to provide households with
loans, to prevent children from losing parental care. This is evidence enough to
show that it’s not a binary model that all NGOs believe in one theory. Even
though SOS believes in social rupture thesis, through their experience they
44
have learnt that community strengthening is the way in reducing vulnerability
than institutionalism which is short term rescue method.
Save the Children Uganda and partnerships with government.
Save the children operates in more than 10 districts in Uganda (8 zones)
where credible organizations put in a bid. Save the children as the Technical
Service Organization (TSO) selects the organizations it will partner with in the
various districts (Kampala, Mpigi, Wakiso/Entebbe Municipality, Kiboga, Mubende, Mityana, Nakasenke, Luwero, Nakasongola, Masaka/Municipality, Kalangala, Rakai and Ssembabule. The type of OVC, Save the children targets is a
cross section of all categories, they do not discriminate. They believe that not
all orphans are vulnerable and not all vulnerable children are orphans. They
look at street children, children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS, children
with disability, children in contact with the law, children in need of alternative
care, OVCs in hard to reach areas such as barracks, islands and mountainous
areas. The objectives of Save the Children are enhancing the capacity of local
governments to plan and manage, enhancing condition of OVC programmes
at local government level, monitoring and evaluation of data collection to improve planning and resource mobilization.
The kind of services offered to OVC households and OVC in particular
include education support, advocacy, health and nutrition, child protection,
child rights and governance, HIV and AIDS, livelihoods and food security.
The above services are meant to fight children’s rights, deliver immediate and
lasting change, emergency, recovery and development setting. Their Vision is
to see every Ugandan child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Save the children strategic framework is designed to
ensure that all children in Uganda realize their rights to be safe, educated and
healthy. Their strategy is to look at children directly and indirectly through
partnerships.
Save the children determines OVC needs by using the guide of Ministry of
Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) which provides steps on
how to engage in OVC activities. They guide service providers and districts on
OVC need for example, the mapping guide – community mapping to strengthen programming for orphans and other vulnerable children. This guide helps
on understanding the orphans and other vulnerable children, planning and
preparing community mapping for OVCs, identification of vulnerabilities, the
services and resources that are used, actions and recommendations, data, follow up activities and reports. Save the children also uses the National Strategic
Programme Plan of Intervention (NSPPI), Nation Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children Policy (NOP) and Public Private Partnership (PPP)- a strategy of
how government can help Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in supplementing the government services. This is enhanced by TSOs (like Save the Children) where district offices and CSOs meet together in meetings, share reports,
achievements and the TSO’s work is to foster this communication (PPP). The
OVC needs are determined by consulting community based leaders. They have
directorate services in each district they work with handle issues of children
45
and the OVC work itself cuts across several disciplines. OVC needs are diverse
so through partners, they implement a range of activities for example, livelihoods, education in Karamoja (ABEK program), and breaking barriers in
Amuru district.
The factors that influence strategies that enhance child wellbeing among
OVC households of Save the Children include the government policies and
frameworks, direct support/needs of children and donor needs for example
USAID determines the scope of work as the funder and decides the core areas
which have to be included in the Request For Application (RFA) which will be
competed for through bidding of organizations who design projects to meet
the necessary services for OVCs. Service delivery is targeted by districts that
are underserviced due to limited resources. Save The Children as a TSO, supports the organization and carries out assessments of the organization for example, District OVC Coordination Committees (DOVCCC) in each district,
the PPP which is promoting referral, partnership and collaboration which is in
the end benefiting the child.
Service delivery is targeted by districts that are underserviced due to limited resources. Save The Children as a TSO, supports the organization and carries out assessments of the organization for example, District OVC Coordination Committees (DOVCCC) in each district, the PPP which is promoting
referral, partnership and collaboration which is in the end benefiting the child.
The strategy that has been effective in positively influencing child wellbeing among OVC is creation of coordination committees; district OVC committees which make the services and needs of children are identified. The other
strategy is capacity building on issues related to OVC for example quality services, entering of CSOs and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), training and support supervision. This shows that NGOs private and public partnerships are possible to improve OVC services, reducing vulnerability and able
to enhance child-wellbeing.
Appendix 3. Interview schedule for NGOs
STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS SCHEDULE FOR NGOS
This questionnaire is intended to solicit views from you as an interviewee
about the effectiveness of NGOs strategies in improving child- well being
among OVC households in Uganda. I would like to thank you for honouring
me with your time to answer the following few questions.
Name of organization ___________________________ Position or respondent ___________________
Date of interview: ______________________________
QSN
QUESTION
RESPONSE
NO.
1
How many districts of Uganda do you
operate in?
46
1. Only one
2. Two – Five
COMM
2
What kind of services do you offer to
OVC House Holds and OVCs in those
areas?
3
What type of OVC do you target?
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
4
How do you determine OVC needs?
5
What are the factors that influence your 1.
strategies in enhancing child-wellbeing 2.
among OVC households?
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Direct support
Micro credit
Institutional establishment
Environment
Government policy
Donor needs
Others(specify):
_________________
6
What strategies does your organization
use to reach out to OVC households?
Direct support
Loans
Community projects
Established children homes
Government policies
Others(Specify)
____________________
7
Which of these strategies have been effective in positively influencing child
47
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Six – Ten
Ten and above
Resettlement
Psychosocial / counselling
Education support
Housing support
Income generating
Legal support / advocacy
Medical
Others __________________
(Specify)
Orphans only
Abandoned OVCs
OVCs in hard to reach areas
Abused OVCs
Any OVC
OVC in former war conflict areas.
Others(specify)
____________________
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Conducting a baseline survey
Consulting local leaders
Influenced by the donor
Management decides
Others
(Specify)
………………………
State the
8
wellbeing among OVC households?
Do OVC households have the power to
make their own decisions on what kind
of service to be given to them or it’s the
service provider who decides?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Yes
No
Some how
Service provider decides
Not sure
Through fundraising
Proposal writing
Government aid
Through starting up projects
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
9
How do you finance your activities?
10
What objectives do you target to achieve
through those strategies?
11
What lessons have you learnt while employing those strategies?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
12
What are the constraints that affect
achievement of objectives given the
strategies applied?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Meeting donor requirements
Government policies
Extended families
Financial constrains
Others (Specify)
_________________________
____
_____________________________
__________________________
____
__________________________
____
13
Is there anything else you would want us
discuss?
48
Thank you for your time.
Appendix 4. Semi structured questionnaire for households
STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE FOR OVC HOUSEHOLDS.
The purpose of this questionnaire is to solicit information from you as a
beneficiary of NGO support to analyze the extent to which NGO strategies
are effective in enhancing child-wellbeing among OVC households in Uganda.
OVC vulnerability has persisted in OVC households in Uganda
irrespective of NGO support the research seeks to know why?
Code _______
Date of interview ________________Community where the data was
collected: ___________________
Qsn
Question
No
1
Who is the head of this household?
Response
1. Female headed household
2. Male headed household
3. Child headed household
2
Age of respondent
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3
Sex of respondent
1. Female
2. Male
4
What is your highest level of educa- 1.
tion?
2.
3.
4.
5.
Adult Education
Primary education
Secondary Education
Post Secondary education
No formal education
5
How many children below 18 do you 1.
take care of in your household?
2.
3.
4.
1-3
4-6
7-10
11 and above
6
How many of those are OVCs
None
All
Only one
2-5
1.
2.
3.
4.
49
18 below
19-30
31-50
51-70
71 and above
Comment
5. 6-10
7
What is the main source of income 1.
for your household?
2.
3.
4.
Farming
Wage employment
Small scale Business
Other (specify)……………
8
What is the average income level (per 1.
month) for your household?
2.
3.
4.
5.
50,000/= and below
100,000- 150,000/=
160,000- 250,000/=
300,000- 490,000/=
Above 500,000/= & above
9
Are you registered under any NGO in
your community?
If yes have you ever received any financial support from this NGO?
Yes
No
Yes
No
10
1.
2.
1.
2.
11
If yes what type of support did you 1. Direct support to your
receive from this NGO?
household
2. Micro credit loan
3. Through community projects
4. Institutional care for the children
5. Other (Specify)……………
11
Were you consulted on the type of
support to be given to you by the
NGO?
If yes, did you receive the type of
support you suggested?
12
1. Yes
2. No
1. Yes
2. No
13
How did you use the support given to 1. Paid school fees
you?
2. Renovated our house
3. Started up a small business
4. Used it for medication of the
children/adults
5. Paid off my debts
6. House rent
7. Others
(Specify)
...................................
14
Apart from financial support what
other services have these NGOs provided to your community to enhance
the wellbeing of the children in your
50
1.
2.
3.
4.
Psychosocial support
Advocacy
Legal support
Shelter
If no skip to 14
community?
5. Trainings
6. Others
(specify)....................................
15
What other services do you feel they
should provide to the communities
that are missing.
16
In your opinion how effective are 1. Not effective at all
NGO strategies in enhancing child- 2. Some how
wellbeing in your area?
3. Very effective
4. Sometimes they are and
sometimes they are not.
5. Not all
16
In your opinion what could be the
factors hindering NGO efforts in enhancing child-wellbeing in this area?
17
What recommendations do you give
NGOs to enhance child- wellbeing in
your area?
51
PLEASE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION
AND YOUR VALUABLE TIME
Appendix 5.Key informants guide
INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR KEY INFORMANTS
This questionnaire is intended to solicit views from you as a key informant
about the effectiveness of NGOs strategies in enhancing child-wellbeing
among of OVC households in Uganda. I would like to thank you for honouring me with your time to answer the following few questions.
1. Name
of
institution
represented:
____________________________________ Date ________________
2. Position
of
respondent
______________________________
in
the
institution:
3. As an institution what would you want to see NGOs do in enhancing childwellbeing among OVC households in Uganda?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__
4. Do you think NGO’s interventions have been effective in addressing OVC
challenges?
(1. Yes 2. No 3. Some how
4. Not sure )
5. What strategies do you use to ensure NGOs enhance child-wellbeing among
OVC households in Uganda?
_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
______
6. How many NGOs are working on OVC situations in Uganda?
________________________________
52
7. Do you think there are some NGOs which operate without fully registering? (1. Yes
2. No )
8. What role does this secretariat play in coordinating with NGO activities in
Uganda
_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
9. What achievements have you registered in enhancing OVC activities among
NGOs working with OVC households?
_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
______
10. What are some of the limitations/constraints you have faced in ensuring
the above?
______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
________
11. In your own opinion what are some of the factors hindering NGOs in enhancing child wellbeing among OVC households in Uganda?
______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
________
12. What are your recommendations to NGOs to enhance child-wellbeing
among OVC households in Uganda?
53
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
13. Is there anything else you would want us discuss
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__________________________
Please thank you so much for your cooperation and your valuable time.
Appendix 6. Predetermined questions for FGD
FOCUS GROUP PREDETERMINED QUESTIONS
The overall objective of this research is to address the question of ‘’to what
extent are NGO strategies effective in enhancing child-wellbeing among OVC households in
Uganda.’’
1. What do you like about NGOs in enhancing child-wellbeing among OVC
households in Uganda?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
______________________________
2. With regard to the statements above, what should be improved?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
54
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________
3. What do you think are some of the major NGO strategies employed in
supporting OVC households?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__________________________
4. With regard to the statements above, In what ways do they enhance child
wellbeing in Uganda?
_________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
__________________________
5. What strategies do you know that are successfully used by NGOs to enhance child-wellbeing among OVC households in Uganda?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________
6.
What do you think are the NGO perceptions of OVC households?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
7. And how does it inform their programming for OVC households?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
55
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
____________
8. What lessons have you learnt while employing these strategies yourself?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
____________
9. As implementers what do you think are some of the limitations/constraints faced in ensuring the above?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________
10. Do you think NGOs interventions have been effective in addressing
OVC challenges?
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
____________
11. Is there anything else you would want to recommend to NGOs in enhancing child well-being in Uganda
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__________________________
Thank you all for your response.
56
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