About the Project
Between 2014-2019, ARFH implemented the USAID-funded Local Partners for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria (LOPIN1 Project) across 3 states- Lagos, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers. During this period, the project reached about 300,000 vulnerable children and caregivers with a range of quality services in the areas of health, education, nutrition, psychosocial support, legal protection, shelter, and economic strengthening. Based on the streaks of successes recorded, USAID awarded ARFH a new 5-year grant called the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA-2) Project (2019-2024).
ARFH leads the consortium of three (3) partners to implement the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award Region 2 (ICHSSA2), in Lagos, Edo and Kwara States, in partnership with Project HOPE and FHI360, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development (MYSD), Edo State Ministry of Youth and Gender Issues (MYGI) and Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs (MWA).
Goal
The project seeks to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on vulnerable children and their households. It is a five-year project (2019-2024) being implemented through a critical mass of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Case Managers.
Objectives
- To increase access of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and their households to quality care, protection, and support services.
- To improve the capacity of Communities to protect, and care for OVC with a specific focus on their rights.
- To improve the organizational and technical capacity of CSOs/CBOs, Local and State Governments to offer basic services to OVC and their families and detect and respond to child rights violations
- Utilize priority services targeted at specific OVC Sub-population.
These beneficiaries continued to receive age-appropriate and sub-population specific support and monitoring to attain graduation.
Scope of Interventions for Beneficiaries under the four Domains include:
- Healthy Domain
- HIV case finding activities, linkage to treatment, adherence assessment counselling and support for achievement of viral load suppression.
- Nutritional Assessment Counselling and Support
- Linkage to Sustainable Health Insurance Scheme
- Safe Domain
- Legal Protection
- Social Protection
- Support for Birth Registration Awareness and Certification
- Psychosocial Support
- Stable Domain
- Financial Literacy Training
- Household Economic Strengthening (Cash transfer, Linkage to vocational training, Provision of Business Start-Up and Provision of Agric inputs and improved Seedlings)
- Linkage to Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA).
- School Domain
- Enrolment and Re-enrolment of Out of School Children back to School
- School Performance Assessment and Support for School Progression
- Block Grant Interventions.
Where we work
Priority Sub-population
- Children Living with HIV (CLHIV)
- HIV Exposed Infants
- Children of Persons Living with HIV (CPLHIV)
- Children Of key Populations
- Survivors of Violence Against Children (SVAC)
- At Risk Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW)
- Adolescents Girls and Boys (9-14 years)
Our Strategies
- Tracking CLHIV lost to follow up and link back to treatment
- HIV Risk Assessment among children and AGYW in communities
- Integrate OVC case management as part of ICT team to support identification and tracking of CLHIV
- Support all CLHIV households enrolled with an array of comprehensive OVC services including livelihood support to HIV HH to ensure they are stable and resilient
- Facilitate mobile ART and adherence support services
- Enhance Site Management (ESM) with support from USAID
- Provide assisted referral to CLHIV for treatment retention and viral load test
- Support Adolescent care services at ART sites using case management, contact tracing, and adolescent clubs
- Strengthen systems and structures of government at
- all levels and CBOs in OVC programming
For more information about ICHSSA-2 project, please contact:
Dr. Felix Iwuala
Chief of Party,
Lagos Address: 16, Collins Onabule Crescent, Diamond Estate. Off CMD Road. Magodo. Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria.
Edo State Address: 6A Oghosa Cresent, Off Ihama road, G.R.A. Benin City.
Kwara State Address: Ministry of Health Complex, Fate Road, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Mobile: +2348035077504
Email: iwuala.f@arfh-ng.org