This activity relates to other RAPIDS HKID and other track 1.0 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)

projects.

Opportunity International (OI) is implementing a track 1.0 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program,

Sustainable Income and Housing for Vulnerable Children (SIHOVC) through two local partners: Christian

Enterprise Trust of Zambia (CETZAM) and Habitat for Humanity Zambia (HFHZ).

OI and its partners have improved their services to OVC over the years. They served 1144 OVC in FY

2006 and from October 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007 they served 2159 OVC. In FY 2006, HFHZ through

funding from international partners bought and distributed 750 insecticide treated mosquito bed nets (ITN)

to OVC families. Each family received three bed nets. The distribution followed a workshop on the dangers

of malaria, how to prevent malaria and how to treat the ITN's. More than 2000 posters and leaflets on ITN's

donated by the national Malaria Control Centre in Lusaka were also distributed. In December 2006 and

February 2007, HFHZ visited all the ITN recipients to conduct demonstrations and provide chemicals for re-

treating the ITN's.

In FY 2007, OI provided microfinance support to guardians of 2,173 OVC who in turn provided food,

clothing, education and other services to OVC. OI trained 1,066 caregivers in OVC care and HIV/ADS

awareness. In addition, Habitant for Humanity Zambia (HFHZ) project provided shelter to 270 OVC by

building 29 houses in Kawama, Nkwazi and Ibenga affiliates in the Copperbelt province and renovating 37

OVC houses through coordination with other USAID partners such as CETZAM, Hope World Wide,

Salvation Army, and PCI Belong.

To improve the economic situation of families caring for OVC, OI has been providing micro-finance

assistance for clients involved in selling food stuff at market places, small scale rearing and selling of

chicken, and selling grocery goods at small stands. These businesses are being operated in high density

residential areas (shanty compounds) where OI clients live. This approach has proved effective. As clients'

businesses bring in more profit, OVC guardians' ability to provide food security and pay for clothing, school

fees, and medical expenses improves.

Community volunteers and staff from sub-partners, such as such as Bwafwano, help identify OVC in need

of assistance. Where OI and its partners operate, OVC are identified through community volunteers and

affiliates in communities. OI and its partners verify the OVC that are identified by community volunteers

through home visits to make sure they meet the OGAC OVC programming guidelines.

OI collaborates with other USG implementing partners through the USG OVC forum to implement

complementary activities. For example, CETZAM provides micro loans to Project Concern International

OVC beneficiaries to strengthen economic capacity of OVC caregivers and promote sustainability of the

program.

In FY 2008, OI and its partners will reach 5,058 OVC by providing shelter and micro finance, (the later is

used to provide food, nutrition and education support) and will train 1,010 caregivers on how to care for

OVC. Parents and guardians will be encouraged to link to the OVC to other services that they are unable to

provide such as palliative care, CT, ART and others. CETZAM will continue to provide microfinance (micro-

loans and insurance) and business management training to OVC caregivers while HFHZ will provide shelter

and housing for the OVC, and train caregivers in succession planning and property rights. OI and its

partners do not have expertise in working with under-five OVC and as a result they will participate in the

training that will be provided by Project Concern International in FY 2007 funding for addressing the needs

of younger OVC. OI and its partners involve older OVC (youth from 14-17 years) youth-appropriate

activities during house constructions, HIV/AIDS awareness, and business training. Youth that are heads of

OVC households are also trained as caregivers.

OI and its partners in Zambia will continue to collaborate with other PEPFAR OVC implementing partners.

They will attend the monthly OVC forum meetings and USAID HIV/AIDS monthly meetings and participate

in both planning and reporting processes. Furthermore, linkages with other USG partners will ensure a

continuum of care for the OVC and will facilitate the sharing of lessons learned. OI and its partners will

continue to collaborate with government departments at district and provincial levels to ensure

communication and support to the OVC from the government of Zambia. For example, all houses for OVC

are constructed on council land so they can obtain title deeds and the children are protected from property

grabbing.

HFHZ has continued to work on a small scale because of the high cost per OVC of houses built or

renovated. So far, HFHZ has constructed 57 houses and renovated 48 houses. Activities are based on

Habitat for Humanity International's regular programming and specific targeting, and program design for

OVC has been demonstrated in the other implementing countries for this grant namely, Mozambique and

Uganda. As HFHZ scales up, construction costs become more cost effective. HFHZ will directly provide

house construction or renovations and repairs to OVC headed families or to families who are providing care

for OVC in order that these OVC have safe and healthy shelter. HFHZ will collect baseline information on

the number of OVC cared for by HFH homeowners in the existing program and will assess the shelter

needs of OVC in communities where it is proposing to work.

HFHZ will continue to involve local and religious leaders, CBOs, and churches in the communities to

participate in responding to shelter needs of OVC. HFHZ will involve local volunteers along with OVC

beneficiaries to build safe, healthy houses. As some of the projects are planned for Lusaka, costs per

shelter in this region are expected to be relatively high. Housing will be provided in partnership with RAPIDS

and other track 1.0 OVC projects.

HFHZ will directly provide training for caregivers and HIV/AIDS affected families to increase awareness of

HIV/AIDS, ability to prevent infection, increase the capacity to provide care, and increase their knowledge of

women and children's rights. HFHZ will also provide training to OVC youth in house construction and/or

maintenance in order to strengthen their capacity to provide for themselves.

The activities will be sustainable beyond PEPFAR funding support because CETZAM will continue to

provide microfinance services as it has already established a sustainable network of offices and trained loan

officers. The project will create partnerships between OVC clients and HIV/AIDS services providers to

ensure continuing support after completion of the PEPFER funding. CETZAM will also promote

Activity Narrative: sustainability by ensuring that households gain the skills and the capacity to continue income generating

activities beyond the current funding.

All FY 2008 targets will be reached by September 30, 2009.