A successful project requires applying skills, processes, methods, and experience to achieve the project’s objectives and goals. Thus, ensuring that the final deliverables are achieved. Throughout the project life cycle, there’s a need for constant monitoring and evaluation of determined milestones.
The case isn’t different for the 4GATES Orphaned and Vulnerable Children’s (OVC) Project. Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Heaquaters, Abuja. Enugu State Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development and Caritas Nigeria conducted a joint national assessment. The assessment was to determine progress made on the project, gather feedback for the various government agencies, and use the findings to shape the ministry’s effort toward women and children.
The assessment was an avenue to review the progress made on the OVC project in the year under review.
– Over 5,000 children have been registered and provided with food, emergency health, and transport support.
– 70 beneficiaries have received Income Generating Activity support.
– 13 beneficiaries received cash transfers.
– 24 adolescents have been enrolled for vocational training.
– 110 children enrolled in school.
Households of beneficiaries and facilities were also visited during the assessment.
The names were changed to conceal the identity of the beneficiaries.
“I am tired. There is no one else I can go to. I don’t have any money. Where would I take her?”
Mrs. Ugobi blurted out after being told by the hospital she needed to cuff up more money for her granddaughter’s treatment. The elderly woman barely scraped her purse to gather the last ₦2,500 requested to buy drugs for Adaugo.
Adaugo is a 12-year-old child who lives in Enugu state. She is HIV positive. She was infected at birth (mother-to-child transmission) and this has totally altered her life.
Adaugo lost her parents to AIDS a few years after she was born. Ever since she has been living with her grandma, Mrs. Ugobi, alongside her cousins. Adaugo and her grandmother live hand-to-mouth. The elderly woman sells vegetables at a popular market in town to make ends meet. They can barely guarantee their next meal without going out to trade.
For a child of twelve, Adaugo was severely malnourished. It was clear her immune system was failing. The family could barely feed, and enrolling her in a hospital was out of the question. Until Adaugo started coughing.
It started mildly, but in a matter of days, it became severe, increasing in frequency. She coughed uncontrollably and bled when she did. She had difficulties breathing and could barely stand. Adaugo was struggling for life.
Mrs. Ugobi had to seek help or risk losing her granddaughter. She went to a nearby hospital where she was referred to Enugu State Teaching Hospital for Tuberculosis screening.
“I spent all I had, and it was barely enough. They asked me to get more drugs and my child wasn’t getting any better. I couldn’t handle seeing her in so much pain, it broke me down.”
Seeing how helpless she was, the facility referred Mrs. Ugobi to the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Project. The OVC project is a global action toward HIV epidemic control in sub-national units in Nigeria. It is an HIV care, prevention, and treatment program that identifies beneficiaries, link them to care and helps achieve viral load suppression. South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO) in partnership with the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) is the implementing partner.
The OVC project took responsibility for her care and facilitated her TB screening process. The results came out positive, and she was immediately linked to care in the state TB treatment program. She has begun TB medication and continued her HIV treatment. The organization also provided emergency food and health support to the family.
Research shows that poverty is inversely correlated with drug adherence. Part of the project’s objective is to help people like Adaugo by providing social and economic support. Families like Adaugo’s wouldn’t have been able to meet the financial demands of treating HIV and tuberculosis without the OVC program. Her journey to viral load suppression and TB treatment completion would have been stunted.
We can gladly report to you that Adaugo is doing much better and responding to treatment. Mrs. Ugobi’s joy knew no bounds and profusely thanked the team for the support.
“Only God can repay you. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t enroll her in the OVC project. It is because of you I didn’t lose my daughter.”
The hospital also screened other members of the family who have been in proximity to Adaugo for tuberculosis. Three returned positive and have been linked to treatment.
To celebrate Children’s Day, South Saharan Social Development Organization, SSDO in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, visited Abor/Isiala community to continue its child message collection activity. There were gift and food items to engage and keep the kids entertained. There was also a session dedicated to teaching the children the importance of hygiene.
The Local Rights Programme is an initiative that aims to reduce poverty by engaging with the poor and marginalized in selected communities through its child sponsorship mechanisms.
Some of the issues identified in the communities include the poverty, lack of education and poor access to healthcare, which are indicators of a deficient system, of which the biggest victims are children.
Having identified this problem, ActionAid Nigeria has partnered with SSDO to find ways to remediate the situation, particularly in Enugu state, through the implementation of the Local Rights Programme (LRP).
This initiative identifies vulnerable children aged 3 – 8 years and attaches them to sponsors. Selected communities include Oduma Achara in Aninri LGA, Igga and Nkume in Uzo Uwani LGA and Abor/Isiala in Isi Uzo LGA.
So far, since the start of the programme, over 500 children have been identified and the sponsorship mechanism initiated.
The 4GATES Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project is a global action toward HIV epidemic control in sub-national units in Nigeria. It is a five-year comprehensive HIV care, treatment, and prevention program funded by the Center for Disease Control. With a mandate to work with non-profit organizations and healthcare facilities.
Enugu was one of the red states identified during the assessment and as such, the project is being currently implemented in the state. South Saharan Social Development Organization(SSDO) is an implementing partner alongside the Catholic Caritas Federation of Nigeria (CCFN). So far, the project has been able to reach over 10,000 beneficiaries. Linking them to treatment and monitoring their progress to attain viral load suppression.
Of all the positive beneficiaries enrolled, 96 percent have been able to attain viral load suppression. Reducing the amount of HIV in the blood to a very low level. This makes it possible for the immune system to function and reduces the risk of illnesses. But importantly, it also keeps the risk of transmission at a low.
Through the project, SSDO has been able to support beneficiaries with cash transfers and other forms of support. Beyond health, we understand that other facets of the beneficiary’s life matter in attaining wholeness. For us, the goal is not just to see them attain health stability but also financial and psychosocial stability. Here’s how we’re empowering beneficiaries to be financially stable and economically viable citizens.
Income Generating Activities
IGA is a business model that offers beneficiaries the capital and support to improve their household income through livelihood diversification. We provide beneficiaries with financial support to startup small businesses. The goal of IGA is to ensure the financial sustainability of households. Some of the businesses include petty trading, chemical production, and agricultural byproduct sales.
We currently have 67 beneficiaries of IGA in the OVC project. They have been able to provide for their families and built a sustainable source of income. Another such initiative is cash transfer.
Cash Transfer
A cash transfer is a direct payment of money to a beneficiary who is in dire need. It could be temporary assistance for needy families, social security, or workers’ compensation. But in this case, it is made available to beneficiaries who have an urgent need for cash. Often, the beneficiaries are incapacitated or unable to run a business due to health or age factors. So far over 40 beneficiaries have benefitted from cash transfers.
Adolescent Vocational Training
Understanding that financial sustainability is a long-term endeavor, we focus on empowering adolescent beneficiaries with valuable life skills that can help them learn. Rather than wasting time after their secondary school before taking the tertiary entrance examinations, adolescents are enrolled to acquire skills. And for those who are unable to continue with tertiary education, it becomes a valuable path to economic sustainability.
To guarantee consistency and dedication, adolescents are allowed to choose skills of their choice from a wide range of options. They include welding, fashion designing, carpentry, plumbing among others. The training fees and startup kits are usually provided for beneficiaries. There are currently about 20 beneficiaries of this initiative.
One way to improve the financial stability of a family is by creating a financial plan and following through with the process. Savings is one such habit that can help a family in dire times. It provides a financial backstop for life’s uncertainties and gives a feeling of security. It helps with emergencies and purchases and can be a good starting point to financial independence.
We understand the importance of savings to the stability of beneficiaries and as such encourage Village Savings and Loans (VSLA) in our catchment areas: Enugu South, Nkanu West, and Nkanu East LGAs. South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO) in partnership with the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria through the 4GATES Orphaned and Vulnerable Children Program empowers beneficiaries to make healthy decisions to improve stability.
It is not enough to offer quick, one-time donations to beneficiaries. Beyond the emergency period, there has to be a sustainable mechanism to ensure beneficiaries can generate income for themselves. One such avenue is leveraging VSLA.
VSLA is a self-select savings group that uses members’ savings to lend to each other so they can grow their business. This way, members can increase their income, cultivate a savings habit, and imbibe an investment mindset.
This methodology enables members to save weekly or bi-weekly according to the agreed number of shares. It helps build savings that can be reinvested into the business or used to take care of emergencies or general household running.
Benefits of a VSLA
The savings scheme helps increase the income of a household head. When it is time for a savings group member to access loans, they can use the bulk payment to start or fund an existing business.
It teaches members the importance of frugality and the need for savings. Rather than being extravagant, they learn how to invest in business and agriculture.
Current Reality
Under the catchment areas that SSDO manages, there are 64 beneficiaries in three VSLA groups. And they run a cycle of 9 to 12 months.
The Household Economic Strengthening Officer is always on the ground during meetings to supervise the proceedings, monitor the progress, and offer psychosocial support.
