Our Programs

Zimbabwe

Nearly one in four children in Zimbabwe has lost one or both parents; as many as 85% of these orphans lost their parents as a result of AIDS. An additional 6% of children in Zimbabwe are considered ‘vulnerable’ and more than 168,000 children are currently living with HIV. Despite a high level of engagement among all actors and a strong policy environment, few orphans and vulnerable children are adequately supported by existing programs or community resources.

The Children First Project

Children First, a five-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), seeks to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe by developing and improving on effective models of care and support for orphans and vulnerable children. Children First leverages the experience of national and community-based organisations to increase and improve access to quality care and support services by OVC in Zimbabwe. Working in Matabeleland South and Harare’s urban, peri-urban and surrounding rural areas, Children First provides technical and financial support to its partners to provide services and undertake advocacy activities for OVC.

Approach

Children First uses the following approaches to OVC care:

Support to existing community structures: The Children First Project supports engaging community initiatives to help provide a comprehensive and integrated range of services. In addition to the basic range of services, Children First also provides training on child rights and prevention of abuse and exploitation, support to care givers, legal assistance, as well as some livelihoods support focused on agriculture and animal husbandry. Children First engages and strengthens OVC referral networks to ensure children are able to access a holistic range of services.

Protecting highly vulnerable children: Children First focuses on reaching smaller pockets of highly vulnerable children who often fall through the cracks of mainstream programming as they do not easily fit into standard defined categories of OVC. These include out-of-school youth, child headed households, street children, pre-adolescent and adolescent girls, disabled children and children living with HIV. Children First recognizes that children may fall into multiple highly-vulnerable categories and in many instances a child’s vulnerability in one area may contribute to his or her increased risk and vulnerability. Children First ensures that these children are included in mainstream OVC activities and that their additional needs are met through targeted supplemental programming.

Support and strengthen advocacy for OVC: By encouraging and strengthening advocacy initiatives, Children First increases awareness of OVC issues and reduces stigma from the grassroots up to national level. This approach is premised on the principle that OVC needs require the concern and support of the entire community and not just the caretakers and service providers. Therefore, effective solutions require an informed and mobilized community working together as a whole.

Support and strengthen ability of local communities to meet the needs of OVC: Children First builds the capacity of its partners - small grassroots and community groups serving and advocating for the needs of OVC - so they can, in turn, improve their programming, financial management, and governance.

Read about Bantwana's partners in Zimbabwe.