CDC-Funded ECEWS-SPEED Project

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ARFH is a consortium partner on CDC funded SPEED project. ECEWS as the prime is implementing the five–year project in Delta, Ekiti, and Osun states. The project aims to achieve epidemic control in these supported states, focusing on different sub-populations across age and sex bands. ARFH provides technical assistance on the OVC component to enhance quality service delivery focusing on case management and community services, household economic strengthening and strategic information. The project engaged a total number of nine Community-Based Organizations (7 in Delta and 1 each in Ekiti and Osun state) to implement OVC component at the community level and collaborate with the treatment team at the facility for comprehensive care and support services.

Over the last one year, there were remarkable accomplishments in terms of partners’ coordination, better collaboration amongst state OVC and treatment teams, quality provision of service delivery, improved performance and documentation across the three states. Key achievements included the project flag-up and review meeting which had in attendance relevant stakeholders, all consortium partners (ARFH, AHNi, FHI360, Howard University) and ECEWS management staff. Others were consistently guided technical support from the headquarters and state team, improved team cohesion, well-coordinated capacity strengthening for staff and CBO partners that has led to improved service provision and documentation, structured supportive supervision, and on-site hands-on mentoring for impactful OVC care and support services across Delta, Ekiti, and Osun states.

During the period under review, Delta recorded 47,238 as currently enrolled beneficiaries, against the FY 23 target of 46,961, giving 101% achievement rate.  A total number of 47,238 OVC were provided with appropriate quality service, giving a total of 101% OVC served during the FY. Ekiti state enrolled 7116 OVC against 7012 target and provided service for 7116 resulting in achievement rate of 101.4%, while Osun state recorded 6662 against 6612 target and service provision of 6660, giving 101% OVC_SERV achievement.

ARFH coordinated and facilitated case management training for project staff and CBO partners to build capacity on OVC enrolment, care and support services. A total of 193 (138 females, 55 males) participants comprising 21 state OVC staff (ECEWS and ARFH), 44 staff of the 9 CBO partners, 3 state OVC Desk Officers, and 138 Case Managers across Delta, Ekiti and Osun states. Other capacity strengthening included the use of NOMIS, Data Quality Assurance (DQA) and data validation, OVC tools and indicators. Significant accomplishments were recorded on Household Economic Strengthening (HES) interventions subsequent to hands-on capacity building on HES processes with focus on Child-Optimized Financial Education (COFE) curriculum. COFE aims to support caregivers of vulnerable and HIV-affected children on PEPFAR OVC project with enhanced money management skills to become economically stable.

In the reporting fiscal year, efforts were intensified to ensure eligible households within the enrolment streams were identified, enrolled and assessed for appropriate services using a structured household care plan. Consequently, enrolled households were provided with quality OVC care and support services based on the care plan. Services provided were subsequently reviewed, monitored and update documented appropriately. Other quality services were sustained support for caseload management, caseload realignment, and provision of technical assistance to CBOs and Case Managers. The team further ensured a collaborative relationship with the National Population Census (NPOPC), which significantly increased the total number of children’s birth certificates across the states.

SUCCESS STORIES:

1. Osun state: A Story of Hope – Alive and Thriving

Mariam Adebayo, a physically challenged 7-year-old girl with HIV, living with her grandmother in Osogbo had mobility constraints and could not attend the school for children with special needs due to lack of funds. Intense advocacy for Public Private Partnership in Osun state within the review period led to the donation of a wheelchair to enhance Mariam’s mobility back to school. In addition to this donation, school uniforms, bags, and sandals were procured for Mariam, and her school fees were paid to keep her in school. Mariam’s grandmother, Kudirat Popoola who previously was not engaged in any income-generating activities was empowered with a total sum of N150,000 raised via a crowdfunding campaign by the ARFH HES Officer.

In line with the family-centered intervention, the grandmother was provided with the funds to support the business start-up of foodstuff. A follow-up update revealed Mariam is regularly attending school and adhering to her medications. The household is monitored to ensure progress in school and continuity in business.

Before Intervention	Previous state of business	Caregiver empowered
After Intervention	Mariam and her grandmother at school enrolment	Mariam at school with her new wheel chair and school uniform

2. Delta State: Hope Alive, in a Hopeless Situation

One of our beneficiaries is a mother of seven children whose economic strength is below the heavy financial responsibilities in her home. The family depends largely on her small soap business for their daily survival; hence, it becomes very difficult to re-enrol their two children back to school. She fell ill, and this affected her business negatively as she had to spend part of her capital to get treatment. She lacked record keeping, financial knowledge, and poor savings culture, as she doesn’t belong to any form of saving group. This contributed to insufficient financial income and affect treatment adherence.

Consequent to our Household vulnerability assessment exercise, HES intervention and strengthened capacity in financial education, the husband engaged in a menial job while the caregiver was supported by IGA to produce liquid and solid soap. The business has expanded; from buying soaps on the retail level to manufacturing soap and selling to retailers.

Caregiver displaying products

Sample product

Children are now back to school

3. Ekiti state: Overcoming Challenges and Building Resilience

Mrs. Adesua Funmilayo is a widow and a mother to four children. She was stigmatized and maltreated by her husband’s family members who took away three (3) of her and some of her late husband’s properties used for business. The emotional breakdown increased when her last child, an eight months old baby took ill and became severally malnourished (weighing 3.5kg). She was identified at the facility where she takes her ARV, subsequently enrolled into OVC program and empowered with twenty-five-thousand-naira (#25,000) to start “cooked noodles (Indomie)” business. Her child was provided with nutritional emergency (Baby food and complimentary adequate diet.

Before Intervention

After Intervention

Nutrition Empowerment

IGA Empowerment

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION KEY LEARNING

1. Incessant technical support, brainstorming discussions and daily reporting feedback mechanisms hands-on mentoring, regular supportive supervision has greatly enhanced team performance and increased project deliverables.
2. Competencies demonstrated by the workforce following the case management training attest to significant improvement in project deliverables.

PICTURE GALLERY

Goodwill message from CEO, Dr Kehinde Osinowo at SPEED project start-up flag-0ff	ARFH OVC team on the SPEED project with Dr. Osinowo and Mr. Andy Eyo	ARFH TA  OVC and team during case management training in Delta State
Pre-training planning meeting of facilitators and ARFH OVC state team in Delta state	State team conducting folder Audit at RULIN, Delta state	Care plan development during supportive supervision visit to CBO in Ado Ekiti
IGA empowerment, Ekiti	VSLA meeting in Osun state	TA OVC with Osun state team during household verification exercise at Osogbo