ACTIVITY HAS BEEN REVISED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM FY 2008 COP

TITLE: Community-Based Orphan Care, Protection, and Empowerment (COPE) Project

NOTE: This funding complements the Track One support to achieve the full description of work.

NEED and COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE: Three key challenges impacting the socioeconomic status of

orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and caregivers in Dodoma region are: HIV/AIDS, with a prevalence

of 2.9% in the region, but 5.9% in, Dodoma Municipal (THIS: 2007); poverty; and inadequate skills for

dealing with HIV/AIDS and OVC among community-based organizations (CBOs) and communities. These

challenges make it difficult to meet the socioeconomic needs of 74,500 identified OVC in the Dodoma

region. Also, application and use of the national data management system (DMS) for tracking OVC and

OVC services into wards, villages, and districts is an ongoing challenge, though there is a critical need to

use the DMS for informed planning and implementation of OVC interventions at all levels. Africare is a lead

organization for OVC service provision, within the Quality Improvement Task Force, and is a member of the

OVC Implementing Partners' Group (IPG), which shares experiences, challenges, and lessons learned

among partners.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Africare's COPE program provided services to six districts of Dodoma region: Bahi,

Chamwino, Dodoma Municipality, Kondoa, Kongwa, and Mpwapwa. During FY 2008, COPE enhanced

community capacity to coordinate quality care and support services for OVC and caregivers. COPE

supported the establishment of Most Vulnerable Children's Committees (MVCCs) in all six districts. The

MVCCs work at the ward or village level to identify OVC and link them with services. Nearly 500 MVCCs

were established to serve 74,500 OVC. All MVCC members were trained on updating OVC lists,

responding to their roles and responsibilities, providing care and support, understanding psychosocial

support (PSS) needs of vulnerable children, and actively guiding communities in supporting OVC and

caregivers. COPE also supported and created six District Children's Forums, a network of youth and

children that advocates for children's rights in the Dodoma region. All six districts in Dodoma were supplied

with computer equipment for inputting OVC records into the DMS. A total of 12 district officials (two per

district) were trained on recording and use of DMS. COPE continues to support these officials in their daily

data entry practices.

COPE ensured increased access to PSS services by training nearly 100 Service Corps Volunteers (SCVs)

to support COPE Clubs on Psycho-social Support (PSS) and life skills, data management, and reporting. A

total of 18 COPE Clubs were formed, and over 100 existing clubs were strengthened. Nearly 250 peer

educators and 120 club leaders were trained on life skills, PSS, and HIV/AIDS. SCVs provided

methodological guidance to committees and communities in supporting OVC and caregivers. COPE also

facilitated increased access to educational support services for OVC. Approximately 250 OVC in five

secondary schools received school fees through school block grants, 25,000 OVC were supported with

scholastic materials, and 5,300 OVC received school uniforms.

COPE also facilitated increased access to health care and nutritional support for 58 child-headed

households in Kongwa district, by buying health cards for the households to enable the children to access

the government-operated Community Health Fund (CHF) for basic health services. Approximately 5,000

OVC received Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) to prevent malaria. Community SCVs facilitated nutritional

education to nearly 4,800 OVC households providing care to over 21,000 OVC. Thirty SCVs were trained

on backyard gardening using double dig bed technology, reaching nearly 900 caregivers and benefitting

over 3,000 OVC. The project supported approximately 3,000 OVC with water purification tablets, and

16,000 OVC with hygiene materials.

Two SCVs per district and five District Focal Persons (the person appointed to lead the OVC identification

process) were trained on Income Generating Activities (IGAs) and reached over 900 caregivers from over

150 IGA groups supporting nearly 6,000 OVC. In Kongwa district, four caregiver groups received 48 pigs.

Financial assistance was provided to 90 OVC, in addition to 12 OVC attending vocational training

institutions.

ACTIVITIES: Africare will focus on sustainable strategies, as the Track One funding mechanism ends June

2010. Particularly, the Africare COPE initiative will continue ongoing activities and strengthen the capacity

of families to cope with their own needs and problems. COPE will support viable IGAs, supply OVC with

ITNs, hygiene and educational materials, and access to the CHF. COPE will train SCVs, MVCCs, COPE

Clubs, district councils, and staff to address stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS. COPE will

train villages and districts on the DMS for informed planning, decision-making, and monitoring of OVC

programs.

Comprehensive communication for sharing "lessons learned" and experiences in implementing and

monitoring programs will build capacity in COPE programs in Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and

Uganda. In FY 2009, Africare will enhance the community's capacity to coordinate quality care and support

services for OVC and caregivers including capacity building of local government structures. Africare will

work closely with District Focal Persons and District Service Providers to ensure effective coordination of

OVC implementing partners in the region. IPG activities at district and regional levels will be established

(together with one lead NGO in each district), to supplement national IPG coordination activities. This will

include ongoing supervision of 12 district government officials, 120 COPE club leaders, 145 SCV, ten

partner organizations, and 500 MVCCs regarding OVC support to reach 36,800 OVC and 8,000 caregivers.

COPE will conduct refresher training for six District Focal Persons and six District Data Clerks on the DMS,

recording, and reporting. COPE will train 120 COPE Club leaders to reach 2,400 members in core topics,

such as PSS, life skills, stigma reduction, program monitoring, recording, and reporting. COPE supports

increased gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs through girls' recruitment and retention as peer educators,

in addition to women's training as SCVs and COPE Club leaders. COPE Clubs will also be supported with

play materials reaching 4,800 OVC.

COPE will monitor the progress of 1,250 children supported through block grants in FY 2008. COPE will

Activity Narrative: train 96 teachers from 32 schools on recording and reporting performance, as well as retention of COPE

beneficiaries at schools accessing block grants.

During FY 2009, COPE initiatives will continue to support OVC and caregivers to receive health care and

nutritional education. This includes supporting 300 caregivers in establishing backyard gardens and

supplementing nutrition for 1,500 OVC. Also, COPE will provide ITNs to 3,000 children under five, through

the national Under Five Campaign. COPE SCVs will perform basic nutritional assessments, using mid

upper arm circumference tapes to determine the nutritional status of OVC. OVC identified with faltered

growth or severe or moderate malnourishment will be referred to health clinics for HIV testing and food

supplementation. Africare will support OVC identified with immediate needs and living in food insecure

households by linking the households to a livelihood activity.

COPE will support approximately 3,200 OVC and caregivers with IGA. This will include small business

management and finance training, microfinance, and revolving loan schemes. COPE will provide technical

assistance for 20 existing associations serving OVC. Local NGOs will be identified as sub-grantees for

economic strengthening activities and linked with MVCCs for service provision.

In FY 2009, COPE will designate Dodoma Urban as a "learning district" to serve as a model of promising

practices realized in six districts of Dodoma region. This district has been selected based upon high HIV

prevalence rates (5.3%) and number of OVC (14,313). OVC households in Dodoma Urban will be selected

for implementing Child Status Index (CSI) and other quality improvement (QI) mechanisms for measuring

project impact on OVC wellbeing. Those practices evaluated as best practices in COPE's project will be

used for cross-learning among local structures (MVCCs, SCVs, COPE Clubs, and District Children's

Forums) and district authorities. COPE will train 15 SCVs, 30 MVCCs, and two district officials in using CSI

for monitoring child status every six months. This learning district will be a model for other districts and

regions not yet reached, so as to expand the "how" of developing quality, comprehensive, and sustainable

services for vulnerable children.

LINKAGES: COPE is a lead organization participating in the QI Task Force and national IPG. The shared

experience with other USG/non-USG-funded partners will strengthen the capacity of both COPE and other

partners in mainstreaming OVC interventions into government strategic development plans and rolling out

the National Costed Plan of Action.

COPE will continue to collaborate with local communities through established structures. The program will

strengthen the capacity of local and government structures (village, ward, district, and region) in project

management including DMS, planning, and monitoring of progress in program activities. COPE will use

information from district SCV monthly meetings to engage District Focal Persons and Service Providers and

project staff (two times per year) for strategic planning, experience sharing, and impact monitoring.

The Deloitte/FHI Tunajali Program is a key partner for referral to HIV care, treatment, and support services.

OVC beneficiaries and caregivers who are symptomatic for HIV will be systematically referred to Tunajali

sub-grantees for linkage to antiretroviral therapy, home-based care, and supportive health services.

SUSTAINABILITY: COPE will use the following strategies to ensure sustainability of program's

interventions:

1. Strengthen the capacity of local structures, partner NGOs, and local government authorities. COPE will

continue to support established local structures (MVCCs, COPE Clubs, Children's Forums, and SCVs), and

partner local and national NGOs and local government authorities in planning, implementation, and

monitoring of project activities. COPE will build capacity of stakeholders to manage project activities

through training on DMS, participatory approaches in planning, advocacy, monitoring, and district networks.

COPE will gradually hand over management of initiatives to local CBO partners through capacity building

and sub-granting.

2. Support OVC and caregivers with IGAs. COPE will train more SCVs on IGAs to continue supporting

OVCs and caregivers in developing viable IGAs. Trained SCVs will link with agricultural extension staff

(ward and district) to provide technical support to OVCs and caregivers on issues of food production and

preservation. OVCs and caregivers will be supported with provision of revolving loans and follow-up of

groups given loans by the SCVs, District Focal Persons and Service Providers, and project staff. Economic

strengthening activities will enable OVC and caregivers to access care and treatment, educational support,

and economic improvement activities. OVC and caregivers supported with IGA will be periodically trained

on group dynamics/conflict management, savings mobilization, household budgeting, and business skills.

3. Strengthen access to the CHF: COPE will strengthen the capacity of MVCCs, village government, local

authorities, and partner NGOs in accessing CHF. MVCCs will lead community mobilization and contribute

funds towards enrolling OVC and caregivers in CHF, enabling access to free health care.

M&E: Africare will continue to support implementation of the national DMS, and use that system for M&E

purposes. Dodoma's six district offices, supported in FY 2008 with computers for DMS, will be monitored to

facilitate quality data entry, timely reporting, computer maintenance, and back up storage of records. The

12 district officials trained on DMS will be periodically supported in updating OVC data obtained from the

MVCCs and sub-grantees. COPE will ensure that sub-grantees' information about OVC, identified at the

local level, feeds not only into the national system, but is also available to MVCCs at the local level for

planning, monitoring, and decision making.

COPE staff will conduct routine monitoring and quarterly field visits to assess the quality of services

provided, collect data, and provide onsite refresher trainings (as needed). Routine monitoring will engage

participation of key stakeholders, including MVCCs, COPE Club leaders, SCVs and District Focal Persons.

COPE will continue to support and strengthen capacity of child district forums, SCVs networks, and partner

organizations to ensure mainstreaming of OVC activities and improved quality services in the district.

Activity Narrative: To ensure quality services, COPE will also conduct a qualitative assessment through focus groups and

interviews (using the CSI monitoring tool), along with quantitative surveys (follow-up on COPE baseline

survey) reaching 120 OVC households in Dodoma Urban. COPE will also support QI for OVC services by

implementing continued coordination of monthly QI Task Force meetings for OVC implementing partners at

the national level.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 13430

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

13430 4986.08 U.S. Agency for Africare 6493 1169.08 $950,000

International

Development

7675 4986.07 U.S. Agency for Africare 4516 1169.07 $970,000

International

Development

4986 4986.06 U.S. Agency for Africare 2847 1169.06 Track 1 OVC $50,000

International Additional

Development Funding

Emphasis Areas

Gender

* Increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs

* Increasing women's access to income and productive resources

Health-related Wraparound Programs

* Child Survival Activities

* Malaria (PMI)

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $250,000

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools $6,000

and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Economic Strengthening $80,000

Education

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Education $120,000

Water

Table 3.3.13: