During COP08, World Learning (WL) will support 6,000 children from HIV/AIDS affected communities or

households to continue their education in 100 schools through a combination of project and community

support. Selected schools serving OVC will continue to be strengthened through needs-based financial and

material support. Parent Teacher Associations (PTA), teachers, community members, local government

administration and district, zone and regional education bureaus will collaborate to ensure that quality OVC

education is provided. In COP08 program interventions will address needs of vulnerable children including

psychosocial counseling, prevention of stigma and discrimination, and referral to health services, provision

or abolition of school uniforms, school supplies, and waiver of school fees as provided by local PTA to

create a supportive learning environment. Results from these interventions in 2006 to present include

23,038 OVC staying in school; 800 getting a health service due to referrals, and general feedback that

students are experiencing less stigma.

The PTA will assist OVC to receive remedial study support after school and during summer tutorial

programs and will collaborate in organizing psychosocial support. Success stories from engagement of the

PTA include mobilization of the community, FBO and CBO and in collaboration with communities have

started diversified IGA activities to generate resource for sustainable support of OVC. Through counseling

and guidance with emphasis on HIV/AIDS-affected children, school-based Girls Advisory Committees

(GAC) will assist and advocate within the school and broader community on the value of education for girls

and in improvement in the condition of girls, orphaned or vulnerable due to HIV/AIDS. They will also assist

AIDS-affected and orphaned girls to attend school regularly, and receive sufficient study and tutorial time

after class resulting from gender specific labor at home. Results from the GAC component include,

facilitated trainings to communities on harmful traditional practices that affect girls' education and expose to

HIV infection, conducted home visits to OVC girls, and organized rooms in schools to serve as center for

girls' counseling in HIV and RH. Strong ties with the community via the PTA enable monitoring OVC

receiving core services such as shelter, healthcare, protection, food, and emotional and social from within

the community or their households. PTA income generation activities and school gardening have proven

sustainable and will continue. Wraparound with food supplementation agencies such as World Food

Program offer short-term relief while longer-term solutions are being established. World Learning will

coordinate with other PEPFAR Ethiopia OVC partners to use OVC resources in high prevalence areas. This

includes harmonization of indicators, reporting, and care standards in line with GOE national guidelines,

Standards of Services for OVC in Ethiopia and PEPFAROVC program guidelines.

WL's exit and sustainability strategy will focus on building the capacities of PTA, GAC, school community

and local education offices, and educating the public in methods to support OVC in their communities and

schools effectively. Indications of increased capacity to date include psychosocial services provided to OVC

by teachers, initiation of IGA by PTA, GAC organized remedial sessions for girls. New activities will be

provided in COP08 based on input received from students, teachers, and caregivers on ways to strengthen

program implementation. These activities include: psychosocial strengthening through establishing school

based counseling centers for use by trained teacher counselors, increased technical support for

income0generation activities (IGA), strengthening information, education, communications (IEC) and

advocacy activities, and increasing OVC support through local paraprofessional assistance in school and

community settings. These interventions will incorporate lessons learned from application in other areas.

The project directly addresses the strategy and vision of a "wraparound" priority activity under the

Emergency plan, "basic education is one of the most effective means of HIV prevention." Active

engagement of community members and teachers facilitates monitoring of child and family health and

increases networking with other services. School officials and teachers will be trained on identifying and

referring students who are frequently absent or sick to ensure children suffering from malaria, diarrhea, and

other illnesses receive medical care. Gender issues will continue to be addressed through increasing girls'

access to services and teacher training on gender norms.

This activity links to the school support component of the PEPFAR PC3 project, for which World Learning is

a sub-recipient. Similarly, this on-going activity is closely linked to the newly USAID-funded Basic Education

Program, Community-School Partnership Program and the Kokeb/Model Ward Initiative designed to link

health and education activities at the community level. CASCAID will work collaboratively with PC3 and

JHU/HCP to share experience and lessons learned, as well as use of materials developed for quality OVC

services. This program builds on FY07 successes involving Parent-Teacher Associations, Girls Advisory

Committees, community elders and Ward administration to minimize stigma and discrimination, promote

educational access and equity, provide linkages between education and health, and sensitize communities

to accept HIV affected orphaned and vulnerable children.

All targeted OVC are registered students in the 100 participating CASCAID schools. Project personnel work

directly with each school administration, PTA and community based CBO to provide training and support to

retain and sustain OVC in school, provide home and community support and enhance the likelihood that

they will successfully complete primary education. Caregivers are directly trained and home care outreach

for HIV/AIDS affected families is provided through School Service Coordinators and PTA. Teachers are

reached through direct training of personnel.

Community Mobilization/Participation is addressed through training and support of Parent Teacher

Associations, community mobilization and information meetings, and follow-up with home based caregivers.

Gender issues including male norms, gender equity, women's access to income, and increasing women's

legal rights are directly addressed through training of local HAPCO, BOLSA, Woman's Affairs, Regional and

District Health Bureaus and Offices, Police and Judiciary officials and the establishment of a Health Referral

System linking each school with nearby health facilities. School based service mapping is part of the linkage

system. Linkages with other sectors occur through training, capacity building and information sharing. Local

organization capacity development and sensitization occurs through direct training and support of Parent

Teacher Associations and Girls Advisory Committees, and outreach to CBO including local faith-based

associations, religious leaders and other community groups. Reduction of violence and coercion occur

through a coalescence of the training and outreach activities.