ARFH has provided 15,554 Orphans and vulnerable children with education, health, nutritional and Psychosocial support across 12 States in Nigeria through The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) Round 9 Phase II HIV/AIDS Grant to Nigeria. This was disclosed during the handing over of the OVCs to State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Bauchi, Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, FCT, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ogun and Lagos respectively.
At the handing over ceremony in Lagos State, Mrs Kehinde Osinowo, Director of Programs explained that the project was specifically targeted at children infected with or made vulnerable through HIV/AIDS and that they were handed over to the LASG to continue with their care as the Global Fund provided just the funds to take care of them from January 1st, 2013 to June 30th, 2015.
“‘ARFH selected only OVCs in dire need of education, skills, health services and other psycho-social services,” Mrs Kehinde Osinowo, said “The phenomenal increase in the number of vulnerable children from all causes is an issue of great concern and calls for more concerted efforts to reduce the burden of OVC in Lagos State.” She added. Also speaking, Omobolanle Ogunmola, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs, promised that Lagos wouldn’t do anything less than what Global Fund had already done for the children and added that Lagos might even take up the care of their parents, in instances where their parents are still alive.
In Gombe State, ARFH provided comprehensive support to over 820 Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Speaking at the handing over Ceremony, Faith Lannap, OVC Program Manager said that the comprehensive support provided were in areas of education, health, nutrition and psychosocial support. ARFH also built the capacity of care givers and taught them to maintain a saving culture through the village savings and loans association. In Bayelsa State ARFH provided comprehensive support to 1584 OVC and was presented with an Award of Excellence for our ”Outstanding Contributions to the Cause of OVC in Bayelsa State” during the handing over ceremony in Yenogoa.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), a gap-filling fund has been supporting Nigeria since 2007 to address the issue of Orphans and Vulnerable children. Through the fund, children especially those made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS either by being HIV positive, orphaned by HIV/AIDS or living with a parent/ guardian that is HIV positive were provided with care and support services that enhanced their survival viz; health , nutrition, psychosocial and educational needs.
As the only Principal Recipient responsible for the implementation of the OVC component on GFATM Round 9 Phase II HIV/AIDS Grant to Nigeria, ARFH worked in partnership with Association of OVC NGOS in Nigeria (AONN), Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN), Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (MSMWSD) at the federal and state levels and 36 CBOs to implement the OVC Project in 12 states across the 6 geopolitical zone in Nigeria.
The project focused on strengthening the technical capacity of Community Based Organizations to provide comprehensive and quality services to Orphans and Vulnerable Children and increased access of OVC to comprehensive services including education, vocational training, health, psychosocial, nutrition and protection services from 1st January 2013 – 30st June 2015.
Some of the key achievements recorded on the project include:
- Strengthened the capacity of 12 OVC Desk Officers at SMWASD, 6 AONN State Coordinator and 6 CiSHAN State Coordinators on effective documentation of OVC activities.
- Strengthened the technical capacity of Community Based Organizations to provide comprehensive and quality services to Orphans and Vulnerable Children
- Increased access of OVC to comprehensive services including education, vocational training, health, psychosocial, nutrition and protection services
- Mobilized and strengthened the capacity of 36 CBOs to identify, locate, and protect OVCs and provide both immediate and short-term socioeconomic assistance to vulnerable children and households. This was achieved through training and retraining, mentorship and supportive supervision to CBOs
- Strengthened the capacity of 45 communities to provide direct protection services and mobilized resources for vulnerable children domicile in their respective communities. This was achieved through the establishment and inauguration of the Children Protection Committees and the training of the committee members on their roles.
- Increased access to quality education in 75 schools across the 12 project states through the provision of block grants to schools to address specific needs in the schools
- Improved the saving culture and livelihood support of over 700 caregivers through the establishment of Village Saving and Loan association for caregivers
- Enhanced the M&E Systems of 36 CBOs through on Management Information System tools, NOMIS and effective data collection and use.
- Facilitate access to comprehensive services (Education, Health, Nutrition, PSS and Protection) to 15,554 (F: 7638, M: 8026) OVC.
Handing over ceremony was held in the 12 project states in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Association of OVC NGOS in Nigeria (AONN) with funding support from the Global Fund. \
See some photos from som of the handing over ceremonies here
See Media report here and here
