This activity relates to other 1.0 OVC projects and RAPIDS HKID.

World Concern is a Track 1.0 OVC project that started in FY 2004 and expands care to OVCs through the

Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Agencies (AERDO) HIV/AIDS Alliance in Zambia,

including its direct affiliate, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CWCRC), as well as other partners

such as the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM), Reformed Church in Zambia Eastern Diaconia

Services (RCZ-EDS), World Hope International Zambia (WHIZ), the Reformed Community Support

Organization (RECS), and Operation Blessing International (OBI).

In FY 2008, World Concern will provide care and support for 10,269 OVC, train 564 caregivers, and

continue to build the capacity of 17 CBOs besides technical support to the existing FBOs and CBOs that

were recruited from year one to three. World Concern and its partners will continue to develop and

strengthen networks with government, other FBOs and NGOs, and USG funded OVC projects. World

Concern will enhance efficiency and effectiveness of program activities and ensure OVC quality care.

Special consideration will be given to HIV positive OVC and children whose parents or guardians are unable

to support them due to illnesses caused by HIV/AIDS. These children will be linked to VCT, ART, and PC

services. The project will continue to follow the established identification and selection process to identify

eligible OVC. The Church OVC committees first identify and recommend the OVC to World Concern staff.

Thereafter, the staff verifies the eligibility of each OVC by conducting an assessment at household level

using assessment and registration form. If an OVC qualifies, he/she is enrolled in the program. It is

expected that OVC support activities will continue in the community, even after the grant expires, through

volunteers, the established CBOs, and the animal and seed loan rotation program.

The project will develop close linkages with relevant government ministries and institutions. The project will

continue to promote gender equality in the support rendered to both OVC and Caregiver groups. Caregiver

and OVC registrations in the program shall continue to carry a balanced gender composition. World

Concern has a deliberate policy of gender-balance regarding participation in project implementation.

OBI will use formative and summative research to develop the key Behavior change television messages

for a series of radio and television public service announcements (PSAs) to an audience of the

approximated Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) standard of 1,816,320 people. Working

through indigenous advertising agencies, focus group discussions with adults and OVC and an initial round

of surveys will provide information on the challenges to transforming public perceptions on OVC and

HIV/AIDS to form the basis of behavior change communication (BCC) message points. The PSAs will be

pre-tested in country again in collaboration with the CTO and USAID. The overall goal is to effectively use

mass media to raise awareness of, and support of the Zambian society for OVC, focusing on advocacy for

the protection of property and assets of families, capacity-building for the elderly and child-to-child

caregivers, raising awareness to create a supportive environment for OVC, and safer norms and behaviors

using the Abstinence and Being Faithful (AB) model. OBI will target ZNBC radio listeners and TV viewers

and will collaborate closely with ZNBC and other media organizations.

RECS and RCZ EDS will work on the Copperbelt and the Eastern Provinces of Zambia to increase OVC

and caregiver's income levels through IGA programs OVC will benefit through nutrition and educational

support. OVC support will be integrated in the community through the involvement of trained community

volunteers, FBOs and CBOs. RCZ EDS will encourage the active participation of both female and male

volunteers and beneficiaries. It will conduct gender sensitization workshops and support existing women's

groups with training, food security aid and health-related activities. The project will also continue to ensure

that youths (OVC between 13-17 years) continue to take a prominent role in the project. Youths who head

households will continue to benefit from skills training provided to caregivers. Other services provided to

them include psychosocial support, age appropriate reproductive health, HIV/AIDS awareness and

prevention, CT, and referral for other clinical services.

WHIZ will work with the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church communities located in Southern and Lusaka Provinces.

Selected families and caregivers will be targeted for agricultural and small-scale entrepreneurship start-up

loans. The targeted families and caregivers will under-go livelihood/IGA skills training in farming, gardening,

animal multiplication and animal husbandry projects, sewing and tailoring and carpentry. Income generated

from these projects will be used to cater for OVC's school, medical, food and clothing needs. Other areas in

which training will be provided to the targeted communities include community health in general and

HIV/AIDS in particular, peer education skills, OVC care, HBC, and functional literacy.

RECS will work on the Copperbelt, Northern, and Luapula Provinces. RECS will mobilize and strengthen its

FBOs by training and supporting volunteer members and caregivers in psycho-social counseling, Home

Based Care, IGAs, farming/gardening and small animal restocking. RECS will train its FBO coordinators in

leadership, OVC support skills and IGA in order to build FBOs' capacity to respond to the plight of OVC who

will be exposed to available health care, social, and education services.

NCM will train church and community volunteers as caregivers that will support OVC. NCM will work with

churches in Southern Province and Luapula Province. Program activities will involve training, awareness

and establishing methods of sustaining the OVC programs that will be introduced. Each identified

family/caregiver will receive skills training in OVC/Home Based Care, nutrition and prevention of common

community diseases including HIV/AIDS, to empower them to address problems in each respective

household.

CCAP R&D will provide care to OVC and also train caregivers in Lundazi district in Eastern Province of

Zambia. The goal is to alleviate poverty and improve living conditions of OVC. CCAP R&D will organize

churches and communities and to empower them to support and provide for the needs of OVC. CCAP R&D

will help OVC to access education, good nutrition, different skills and quality care and support through a

supported caregiver. Communities and local organizations will be trained and encouraged generate income

through contributions, farming/gardening and other IGAs.

The sustainability strategy entails enhancing the capacity of churches to continue to provide the services to

both church members and community members at large.

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

Activity Narrative: This activity relates to other 1.0 OVC projects and RAPIDS HKID.