Integrated Activity: This activity links to Activity ID 8162.08.

SUMMARY: This activity will continue to provide orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in the Nippes

Department access to three main services including psychosocial support, education assistance, and

economic strengthening interventions. In addition, CRS partnering with the Bethel Clinic of the Salvation

Army will extend to HIV/AIDS infected and affected OVC and their families, other types of support including

infrastructure improvement interventions. This OVC activity complements other institutional and community

services funded by CRS and USAID, including the Safety Net interventions and Health programs (e.g.,

tuberculosis and pediatric HIV/AIDS programs.

BACKGROUND:

With the support of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the United States

Government Title II resources, the CRS/OVC program has been working to improve care and support

offered to children and youth affected by HIV/AIDS in five regions of Haiti since 2004. During the past three

and half years, the program reached nearly 10,000 OVC sheltered in institutions (orphanages, street kids

centers, specialized homes for children with reduced capacity, day centers for children in domesticity, etc.)

located in the South, South East, Grande Anse, West and Nippes Departments. CRS has extensive

experience in the care of orphans and vulnerable children; they have been implementing children safety net

programs for more than 30 years in Haiti.

The PEPFAR-OVC Track I program which implemented the first half of its five-year cycle exclusively at the

institutional level, took a new turn in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 initiating a community-based approach in several

communes of the Nippes Department. In FY 2008, CRS through its Bethel partner, will focus and scale-up

its activities in the Nippes reaching HIV/AIDS infected/affected children, 0-18 years of age, living in the

communes of Fond des Negres, Miragoane, Petite Riviere, L'Azile, Anse a Veau and in Petit-Goave (West

Department). Primary school aged boys and girls will receive tuition fees and school supplies. Fifteen to 18

year old boys and girls will have increased access to quality vocational/professional training. Age-

appropriate HIV/AIDS education, children's rights, health hygiene, and nutrition knowledge will be extended

to all participating OVC, their caregivers, and to leaders in their communities. Psychosocial support will be

provided to infected children and their parents/caregivers, as the interventions will target the family as a

whole. Families/caregivers will benefit as well from economic strengthening programs including vegetable

gardens and other income generation schemes. Through integrated efforts (ART/OVC), CRS supported

OVC will benefit from expanded HIV pediatric care and support at the Bethel ART Point of Service.

Community development interventions will also be achieved in terms of infrastructure rehabilitation and

water sanitation projects.

In FY 2007, CRS and the Institut du Bien-Etre Social (IBESR), the local government body in charge of OVC,

combined efforts to support OVC institutions providing them with financial and legal support. This

collaboration will further develop in FY 2008, as a public-private platform of OVC actor

institutions/stakeholders will be set up by UNICEF and CRS to address OVC rights.

ACTIVITES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: Psychosocial support

Vulnerable children will be identified through the hospital-based pediatric services, people living with

HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) receiving palliative care/ARV treatment at Bethel clinic in Fond des Negres and from

their community outreach programs throughout the Nippes. OVC families and caregivers will receive

training in PSS (psychosocial support), making them better equipped to assist and protect the children in

their care. Infected/affected children will receive one-on-one counseling by trained and experienced field

monitors. Family counseling will be accessible to targeted families with limited coping capacity. Peer

support groups will be formed, creating forums for OVC to express their grief, doubts and fears and build

together hope for the future. Through the kids clubs, OVC will also benefit from Life Skills training.

ACTIVITY 2: Education assistance

One of the greatest challenges presented by the AIDS pandemic is sustaining children's education as

economic conditions decline. Boys and girls, age six to 12 years old will benefit from primary school

support and 15-18 year old boys and girls will receive scholarships of six months and one year to attend a

vocational/professional school. OVC from eight to 18 years of age will be trained in HIV/AIDS prevention

care, health, hygiene and nutrition and children rights.

ACTIVITY 3: Economic strengthening

Caregivers will receive basic training in small enterprise development and management. They will receive

technical and financial assistance from CRS/OVC team to put together small income generating schemes,

such as vegetable gardens, animal raising, food transformation, tailor shops, etc.

Emphasis Areas % of Effort

Community Mobilization/Participation 10-50

Development of Network /linkages/Referral Systems 10-50

Information/Education/Communication 10-50

Infrastructure 10-50

Linkages with other Sectors and Initiatives 10-50

Local Organization Capacity Development 10-50

Training 10-50

Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting 10-50

Targets

Target Target value

Number of OVC served by OVC Programs 3,500

Number of providers/caretakers trained in caring for OVC 300

Target Populations

Community Leaders

Community-based organizations

Children and Youth

Religious leaders

Key Legislative Issues

Increasing Gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs

Stigma and discrimination

Education

Microfinance/Microcredit

Increasing OVC access to income and productive resources

Coverage Areas

Activity Narrative: Nippes

West