In this continuing activity, CAFO is now a prime partner implementing an expanded program: Helping

Underserved OVC Grow and Succeed (HUGS). CAFO will seek to improve the quality of life for Namibia's

children by building the capacity of churches and faith-based groups to provide sustainable compassionate,

comprehensive care to OVC and their care-giving families in the country's 13 political regions.

Namibia's Church Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), launched in October 2002 with 368 member congregations

and FBOs working through 68 ecumenical committees in 25 specific political constituencies in all 13 regions

of Namibia where there is no overlap with other USG-funded initiatives and other development partners

providing similar support. With New Partners Initiative (NPI) funds CAFO works in 25 constituencies in 13

regions and with FHI/FABRIC support CAFO assists communities in six constituencies in six regions.

CAFO collaborates with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) in Namibia. CAFO

currently chairs the National Subcommittee on Care and Support under the OVC Permanent Task Force

and will continue to work to ensure the registration of all OVC under the Ministry of Gender Equality and

Child Welfare (MGECW), and promote access to social grants by eligible OVC.

CAFO will conduct local field-visits for needs-assessment, promote children's rights through advocacy and

provide small grants to local organizations to conduct OVC activities at the congregational level. The Small

Grants Guideline has been translated in four local languages, to facilitate its use as a training guide at the

local community level. Ultimately CAFO hopes that all local congregations should have at least one on-

going OVC-focused program which could be an after-school program, supplementary feeding, regular home

based care visits, or an early childhood development program targeted to the most needy OVC (those who

are consistently lacking in three or more of the service areas, lack food and nutritional support and OVC

who are at risk of not attending school).

In 2008 thirty sub-grantees (depending on the OVC numbers and needs the sub-grantees could be inter-

denominational CAFO Committees or organizations running individual projects) in total will be supported,

seven sub-grantees are continuing from COP 2007 and the other 23 will be newly identified, with

established committees to provide technical support. Each of these sub-grantees will be awarded

approximately $ 16,400 per year which will include administration costs. Each sub-grantee will identify a

volunteer who will assist in the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of projects, data entry and report writing

CAFO will provide training and follow-up support to 625 sub-grantee care-givers on issues of accountability

such as program/financial management, M&E and quality assurance; psycho-social support, HIV

prevention, care, and treatment; children's rights, advocacy and social mobilization and economic

strengthening to improve household incomes and help sustain the care and support of OVC. The 30 sub-

grantees will also participate in CAFO's Annual General Meeting. Through community mobilization, training

of caregivers and community leaders, coordination and policy formulation with local government authorities

and community leaders, CAFO sub-grantees will provide OVC with the following core services:

psychosocial support, access to educational programs, and food/nutrition support, with referrals and

linkages to other partners, and improved access to basic health.

During COP 08 2,250 OVC will receive primary and supplementary support. The number of children served

will increase according to the training and capacity building provided. Quality of care will be emphasized

and assured through a rigorous M&E system, and the requirement that all OVC served must receive at least

three or more of the PEPFAR core services. CAFO is encouraging the establishment of local OVC Kids'

Clubs and Church Youth Groups to design and implement their own OVC-support activities and caregivers

will receive training on child rights and how to assist the Youth to manage a Kids Club. This will equip

caregivers to minimize injustices currently experienced by the children.

After the first six months of COP 08 CAFO will use lessons learned to provide innovative techniques and

strategies to local congregations and faith-based groups to increase coverage, improve quality of services,

and fill gaps in services identified by the data gathered during this period. Sustainability and an exit strategy

will be achieved through capacity-building at the community-level, integration of HIV-prevention messages

and activities that promote economic strengthening and support provided to caregivers and OVC

beneficiaries. Training will systematically integrate prevention-education, counseling and testing and

medical referrals with follow up verification. CAFO will also work with a variety of groups, community-

leaders, FBOs, child care forums and family members to respond in the best interest of the children to

address issues of stigma and discrimination and to create a positive and enabling social environment for

OVC.

An additional component critical to the success of the OVC program, is effective and reliable data collection

systems for monitoring and evaluation. Through technical support from Peace Corps CAFO has developed

a database that will be used by the sub-grantees to record OVC numbers and services.. This information

will then be forwarded to the MGECW to minimize duplication of OVC records nationally. With assistance

from CAFO the OVC forum network will provide the structures to scale up the database.

CAFO is in partnership with the United Nation's Children Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF is contributing to 15

OVC community projects, database training and the provision of administrative support to two regional

offices, (Kavango and Oshikoto regions), which respectively include governance, capacity building and the

roll out of the Journey of Life program. Approximately two thousand OVC will be reached under financial

support from UNICEF. As part of CAFO's organizational development, an exchange program within other

African countries is anticipated. This exchange program will contribute to learning from best practices which

in turn will lead to the implementation of quality programs.