Doing the Work

This section provides practical tips for organizations carrying out activities aimed at providing support to orphans and other vulnerable children. It focuses particularly on the type of activities which might form part of a community-based, programme to visit orphans and other vulnerable children.

Other sections look at related issues, such as how such programmes might get started or be improved. Others examine specific issues related to doing the work in more detail, for example local advocacy, working with volunteers and running an organization. Key points about doing the work are:

1. Activities are most effective when they are carried out by individuals or groups who are part of the local community. External organizations, such as NGOs, need to play a facilitating role only.

2. Volunteers drawn from the local community constitute the most important human resource in such programmes. Training, supporting and motivating this group of people is an important part of any programme.

3. Projects will need to have a way of keeping records which helps monitor activities of the programme as a whole and the situation of individual children.

4. In situations of poverty, material support may be required by particular children. However, there are many risks involved with this. Experience has shown that material support is best provided through community groups once they have demonstrated that they are able to prioritise children in greatest needs and monitor activities, including the provision of material support.

Visiting orphans and other vulnerable children

Many of the projects which work with orphans and other vulnerable children have some kind of visiting programme at their core. These usually work through a group of volunteers/mentors who are selected from local community members. These volunteers carry out a range of activities, which may include:

Practical tasks, such as cleaning, washing, collection of firewood.
'Counselling' on issues including bereavement and growing up
Teaching of skills, for example in home management
Psychosocial Support, including showing love, spiritual support and teaching about culture and traditions
Assessment of health and nutritional status, including checking on immunizations, health card and accompanying to clinic when ill
Ensuring that children attend school and that barriers to this are overcome
Providing support to caregivers
Prevention and detection of abuse

Some organizations have developed frameworks for volunteers to operate within. One of these is referred to as LEPO. It involves listening, encouraging, problem-solving and identifying other resources.

Some organizations conduct activities in addition to visiting orphans and other vulnerable children. In some situations, these activities are not linked to visiting orphans and other vulnerable children. These activities include:

Resources

The Promise of a Future: Strengthening Family and Community Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa (Eng)

This publication highlights the programs and strategies that help ensure that children remain in family care within their communities by reducing discrimination, ensuring access to education, creating income, and providing direct support.
Firelight Foundation, American Jewish World Service, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Pan African Children’s Fund, Kerry Olson, Ruth Messinger, Laura Sutherland & Jennifer Astone, 2005, PDF, 12 pages, 2300 kb

Friends in Need: A Handbook for the Care of Orphans in the Community (Eng)

This a detailed, well-presented, practical and personal handbook aimed at people wishing to set-up and run programmes for orphans and vulnerable children.
Derbyshire, M., Viva Network, 2002, 86 pages.

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Speak for the Child: A Program Guide with Tools (Eng)

This document is based on experience of a pilot project in Western Kenya and is intended to be used by other organizations to start similar projects in other places.
AED/USAID, PDF, 18 pages, 315 kb.

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Speak for the Child: Annex F: Mentor Manual (Eng)

This document is based on experience of a pilot project in Western Kenya and is intended to be used by other organizations to start similar projects in other places.
AED/USAID, Word, 29 pages, 203 kb.

Speak for the Child: Annex D: Household Intake and Child Baseline Tools (Eng)

This document is based on experience of a pilot project in Western Kenya and is intended to be used by other organizations to start similar projects in other places. This particular part consists of two forms to be completed with children/families who are part of the programme.
AED/USAID, Word, 9 pages, 112 kb.

Speak for the Child: Annex E: Mentor Training Manual (Eng)

This document is based on experience of a pilot project in Western Kenya and is intended to be used by other organizations to start similar projects in other places. This particular part consists of a manual which can be used to train mentors/volunteers to work with the programme.
AED/USAID, PDF, 64 pages, 266 kb.

Starting from Strengths: Community Care for Orphaned Children in Malawi: A Training Manual Supporting the Community Care of Vulnerable Orphans: Module 4: Helping Communities Care for Vulnerable Children (Eng)

This is a detailed and practical training manual produced through the 'Starting from Strengths' project in Malawi. (4 of 6)
Cook, R.M., University of Victoria, 1998, PDF, 19 pages, 521 kb.

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Starting from Strengths: Community Care for Orphaned Children in Malawi: A Training Manual Supporting the Community Care of Vulnerable Orphans: Full Version (Eng)

This is a detailed and practical training manual produced through the 'Starting from Strengths' project in Malawi.
Cook, R.M., University of Victoria, 1998, PDF, 184 pages, 1689 kb.

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Building Blocks in Practice:Participatory tools to improve the development of care and support for orphans and vulnerable children (Eng)

There are seven sets of tools, corresponding to the seven topics in the Building Blocks: Africa-wide Briefing Notes. These are designed to support communities working in partnership with NGOs and community or faithbased organisations.
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2004, 101 pages, 1300kb.

As crianças do amanhã - exercícios práticos: Instrumentos participativos para melhora o desenvolvimento dos cuidados e apoio comunitário para órfãos e crianças vulneráveis (Port)

Existem três conjuntos de ferramentas, que correspondem aos sete tópicos de As Crianças do Amanhã: Notas Temáticas na África Vasta. Estas ferramentas foram concebidas para apoiar as comunidades que trabalham em parceira com as ONGs e organizações comunitárias ou de fé.
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2004, 101 pages, PDF, 1200 kb.

Bâtissons l'espoir, en pratique: Outils participatifs pour améliorer la prise en charge et le soutien des orphelins et enfants vulnérables (Fr)

Il y a sept différents outils, correspondent au sept différents sujets de Bâtissons l’espoir Notes thématiques pour l’Afrique. Ceux-ci sont développé pour pouvoir soutenir les communautés qui travaillent en partenariat avec des ONG et des organisations confessionnelles.
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2004, 101 pages, PDF, 1600kb.