Uganda is one of the four countries implementing the PEPFAR funded Community based Orphan care,

Protection and Empowerment (COPE) project. The other COPE countries include Rwanda, Mozambique

and Tanzania. In Uganda, Africare is implementing the COPE project in Ntungamo District and South

Western Uganda. Ntungamo District is composed of three counties (Kajara, Rushenyi and Ruhaama), and

is further divided into 15 sub-counties, 96 parishes and 1001 villages. To date, the project has scaled up its

activities to all 15 sub-counties: Itojo, Nyakyera, Bwongyera, Ihunga, Rukoni, Ngoma, Nyabihoko, Kibatsi,

Rweikiniro, Ntungamo Sub-county, Rubaare, Rugaraama, Ruhaama and Kayonza and Ntungamo town

Council. With additional FY 2007 funding from USAID/Uganda, COPE will expand its services to Isingiro

District and support OVC in two sub-counties. Since inception to date, COPE Uganda has served 20,123

OVC.

In FY 2008, the project had registered commendable results and as of March 2008, a total of 10,534

(5775F, 4759M) OVC and 4077 (2760F, 1317 M) caregivers and service providers received services

through 93 outlets. Activities supported by USG funds included providing life skills training, peer education

and psychosocial support (PSS) for OVC and caregivers. As of March 2008, scholastic materials were

provided for 3,163 OVC (1779F, 1384M,) and 700 OVC (333F, 367M) were enrolled in secondary school.

Capacity building programs were held for service providers, 80 primary school teachers were trained in life

skills, 1024 orphan care committee (OCC) members in home based care and 40 staff from seven

CBO/FBOs were trained in M&E and home based care. 1,439 caregivers were trained in savings,

governance, financial management and business development in preparation for undertaking the fruit drying

income generating activity (IGA). Among the activities implemented, school block grants and income

generating activities are successful program models that will be scaled up during FY 2009. The project

intends to maintain the same number of service outlets and will provide at least three core services to about

20,000 OVC in the same outlets. With COPE Plus-up funds, the project will reach 5000 new OVC working

through sub grantees. The additional service outlets in FY 2009 will be of sub grantees. Most of the

activities to be implemented in FY 2009 are continuing from FY 2008. The project will target 20,000 OVC

and 5,000 caregivers. The project will emphasize comprehensiveness of services by providing at least three

core services. With additional FY 2007 funds from USAID/Uganda, the project will serve 5000 new OVC.

In FY 2009, the project intends to accomplish the following activities per strategic objective:

1) Enhanced district/community capacity to coordinate care and support services for OVC and caregivers.

Refresher trainings on home based care will be given to 40 staff members from CBO/FBOs and 45 service

corps volunteers. The organizations and SCV will in turn provide refresher training to 1,024 OCC members

who will then train caregivers. Advocacy and lobbying for OVC support will be done through four radio talk

shows. Semi-annual partners' coordination and review meetings will be held to share best practices and

lessons. With a plus up grant from USAID/Uganda, COPE will scale up the methodology to Isingiro District

and will sub-grant four CBOs- two in Ntungamo and two in Isingiro. These CBOs will reach 5000 new OVC

with comprehensive services within a period of two years. Orientation will be conducted for Isingiro District

OVC coordination committee on the COPE methodology. Training will be conducted for 20 staff from the

four CBOs in Isingiro and Ntungamo Districts on OVC identification, monitoring and supervision, financial

management, and on the general COPE methodology. Identification and training of community structures

that will include Service Corp volunteers and Community Care Committees in OVC identification,

monitoring, and supervision of OVC services will also be done. An organizational capacity assessment will

be conducted for CBOs that will receive grants. COPE will work with the identified CBOs in Isingiro to carry

out rapid assessment of OVC Households. Four grants will be disbursed to four CBOs, COPE will conduct a

mid term survey assessment of COPE project's impact on OVC. The project will hold quarterly review

meetings with sub- grantees. Hold semi-annual review, planning and coordination meetings with OVC

implementing partners. Attend regularly scheduled DCF meetings for OVC coordination. Monthly monitoring

and supervision visits to CSO sites will be conducted by COPE staff. COPE project will work closely with the

TSO in south western Uganda to strengthen coordination mechanisms of CSOs that support OVC in

Ntungamo and Isingiro districts.

2) Increased access to life skills training, peer education and psychosocial care and support to OVC and

their families. The project will continue to train 5,000 in-school and out-of-school OVC in life skills and PSS.

80 teachers will receive refresher training in PSS and life skills. Caregivers, too, will be trained in PSS. 458

peer educators will be trained in a new module of peers understanding sexuality. Train 9,000 peers in HIV

prevention and HIV risk factors using IMBR model. Training of OVC caregivers in PSS (200 caregivers/15

sub-counties). Hold HIV prevention awareness raising sessions in school. Hold HIV/AIDS awareness raising

sessions in communities through video shows. Hold 30 exchange visits of community and school COPE

clubs reaching 2000 OVC. Link OVC in schools with existing youth services of child development centers

for PSS and recreational activities. Link OVC in schools with existing youth services of child development

centers for PSS and recreational activities. These are new activities: 34 COPE clubs will be formed in new

schools supported by sub-grantees, 5000 new OVC in Life skills, PE and PSS using IMBR model.

3) Increased access to educational support services for OVC. COPE will continue to provide scholastic

materials and uniforms to 10,000 OVC from 64 primary schools. 11 secondary schools with 700 students

will receive school fees under the resources exchange program. Distribute uniforms to 1000 OVC in the

same schools. Monitoring OVC school attendance in those schools being supported by block grants and

primary schools will continue to be done.

4) Increased access to healthcare and nutritional support (including nutrition education and food for OVC

and caregivers). COPE will continue to provide improved vegetables for nutrition improvement to 500

vulnerable households to help them establish backyard gardens, support school-based food programs

through the provision of seeds to support the activities of 10 COPE clubs in the schools, train 1,000

caregivers in nutrition, establishing nursery beds, less intensive farming technologies, support growing of

fruit trees to supplement nutrition and to ensure the sustainability of the project. 500 caregivers will be

trained in domestic hygiene and sanitation to control the occurrence of sanitation related diseases, provide

hygienic materials to 10,000 OVC in schools and COPE club members, provide 3,000 long lasting

insecticide treated nets (LLITN) to control malaria among OVC. COPE will continue to link 1,000 caregivers

and 1,000 OVC to VCT services. Facilitate and coordinate the birth registration exercise for OVC in Isingiro

Activity Narrative: and Ntungamo Districts.

5) Increased access to income generating opportunities for OVC and Caregivers. The project will continue

to support viable IGA for 1,300 new caregivers by working with four sub-grantees, IGA activities for 60 child

headed households, place 50 OVC in artisan training programs, procure start up kits for 60 artisan

graduates, Caregivers and OCC will form 10 savings and loan associations to improve the saving culture

and facilitate sustainability of their projects. Training of 4 sub-grantees in the COPE IGA methodology will

be conducted.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 14181

Continued Associated Activity Information

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

System ID System ID

14181 4437.08 U.S. Agency for Africare 6727 1116.08 Community- $584,044

International Based Orphan

Development Care, Protection

and

Empowerment

(COPE)

(Africacare OVC

Track 1)

8402 4437.07 U.S. Agency for Africare 4824 1116.07 OVC Track $730,033

International 1/Round 2

Development

4437 4437.06 U.S. Agency for Africare 3348 1116.06 OVC Track $243,228

International 1/Round 2

Development

Emphasis Areas

Gender

* Increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs

* Increasing women's access to income and productive resources

* Increasing women's legal rights

Health-related Wraparound Programs

* Child Survival Activities

* Malaria (PMI)

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $298,577

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Food and Nutrition: Commodities $25,000

Economic Strengthening

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Economic Strengthening $31,764

Education

Water

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Water $73,181

Table 3.3.13: