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CHILD AID UGANDA (CHAU)

ANNUAL REPORT 2011

“Uganda’s Child, Uganda’s Future”

CHILD AID UGANDA PRINCIPLES

Human dignity, Openness and Accountability

People’s Participation

Equality / Gender Mainstreaming

Sensitivity to Vulnerability

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BACK GROUND Child Aid Uganda (CHAU) is a registered non-governmental organization established in 2004 by a group of Ugandan children's rights activists and professionals in response to the increasing needs of HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC’s) superseding the available interventions from other NGO’s. Child Aid Uganda was established to protect, bring care, love and compassion to OVC’s in order to enable them to enjoy their rights, live their full potential and achieve a purposeful future.

MISSION: “To work with and through individuals, families, communities and local governments to contribute to the fundamental freedoms and basic needs of orphans and other vulnerable children”. VISION:” Our vision is a Ugandan society where orphans and other vulnerable children enjoy their rights and live to their full potential”.

OBJECTIVES

To promote, advocate and defend the rights of orphans and other vulnerable children and protect the environment in which they live.

To increase equitable and quality education among orphans and other vulnerable children.

To improve survival, health and wellbeing of orphans and other vulnerable Children and their families.

To reduce household income poverty among the orphans and other vulnerable children and their families.

To improve food availability and accessibility for sustainable economic, social growth and survival of HIV/AIDS affected and infected families and households in Uganda.

To strengthen the organizational capacity for effective management and implementation of the programmes.

To conduct situational analysis on the state and nature of child abuse and periodically publish the findings.

Core Program areas

Advocacy on children rights and environmental protection

Education Support to AIDS orphans

Child Health and survival, HIV & AIDS Prevention

Poverty Reduction and household food security

Capacity building, organisation growth and development.

Research and documentation

Target groups

Orphans and other vulnerable children

Youth in and out of school, Women and girls

People Living with HIV and AIDS, Victims of human rights abuses

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AREAS OF INTERVENTION FOR THE YEAR 2011

1) EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT Child Aid Uganda (CHAU) with support from The Chello Foundation was able to support 456 AIDS orphans with school fees and scholastic materials in primary, secondary and technical colleges.

Three of the students completed their courses and are now in gainful employment. Home and school visits were conducted for all children on the educational scholarship program. More children were enrolled and retained in school and their performance is drastically improving with the Chello Foundation support. With this guidance, Child Aid Uganda has not heard any cases of dropouts due to early marriages or any misconduct at school and during holidays. LEFT: One of the supported children demonstrating her ability to read.

CHAU supported 252 primary school pupils with scholastic materials such as Books, Pens, Uniforms, mathematical sets, sanitary towels and rubber, supported 160 secondary school students with school fees and scholastic materials, 39 technical / college students with tuition fees and scholastic materials RIGHT: One of the supported children acknowledging receipt of scholastic materials from Child Aid Uganda. End of term students get together meetings were conducted to provide a platform for all children to share their challenges, best practices, and solutions to their challenges. During these sessions children are provided with career guidance and counseling. They are also advised on how to keep safe and healthy during their holidays while at home with their guardians.

ABOVE: Children attending an end of term meeting at CHAU office

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2) ADVOCACY ON CHILD RIGHTS PROTECTION

Child Aid Uganda with funding from Independent Development Fund (IDF) successfully completed the implementation of the project ‘Empowering Citizens for Proactive Action on Children Rights Protection’ and was awarded a certificate of grant completion. The funding was meant to cover two districts of Lyantonde and Rakai covering five sub counties from each district. Child participation was a key component in the project. 1780 rights holders particularly children were facilitated to participate in community programmes that shape their own lives. 10 child rights clubs were initiated revamped, trained and supported to conduct interschool debates about their right at school and within communities. The key message was focused on teachers, step mothers and other community people who use punishment as a form of instilling discipline in children and shaping behaviour. Over 352 children were supported and they participated in the 3 internationally recognized celebrations of Labour Day, day of African Child and World Aids day throughout the two years. 40 out of school youth were also trained in child protection issues and a Rights Based Approach to development. These became change agents in their own communities the end to child abuse practices, early marriages as well as reporting child abuse cases. The capacity of144 key duty bearers at the district and lower levels was also strengthened and this enabled them to effectively undertake their roles and responsibilities in protection of orphans and vulnerable children against abuse, exploitation and violence using a rights based approach to development evidenced by rescuing children from trafficking, child labour and reducing the risk of rape, defilement and early marriages. Specific activities implemented include; conducted two non residential training workshop; trained and refreshed 80 community development assistants, sub county chiefs, parish chiefs and community volunteers on the legal frameworks for children rights protection and the rights based approach for sustainable development management targeting 40 participants, trained and facilitated 40 paralegals in legal support and the rights based approach for sustainable development management. These paralegals intervened and supported abused children and children in conflict with the law as they transited the justice system. Child Aid Uganda also worked with the district probation office and the Uganda police to implement the legal and policy provisions on child protection and to ensure that children in conflict with the law are handled in a friendly manner and in accordance with the Children’s Act. ABOVE: Some of the trained school per educators and child monitors during one of the review meetings supported by IDF.

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3) CSF HIV/AIDS PREVENTION PROJECT EXTENSION Child Aid Uganda was granted a cost extension in 2010 by Civil Society Fund sponsored by Deloitte/ USAID, to continue and implement the Rakai HIV/AIDS Community Based Partnership Project. The project ran for a period of one year that ended in March 2011. This project was ended successfully and a certificate of appreciation for grant completion was awarded to the organisation. The activities that were carried out under this project include; to facilitate accessibility to home based HIV counseling and testing services, Provide support to the 30 community own resource Persons (CORPS) to conduct home visits, educate and promote home

based voluntary HIV Counseling and testing. Provide support to 12 community Based Model Couple counselors in mutual disclosure, confidentiality and consent, couple counseling skills and the importance of VCT. Reached out to 580 people through CORPS with HCT messages out of which 36 are couples. Conducted 40 out reaches reaching out to 1160 people with HCT services, Supported 11 couples counselors who have conducted 60 home visits. Trained 40 leaders of SAC, PAC and VAC in lobby, advocacy and as referral agents in community.

ABOVE: A group of trained couple counsellors and CORPS in Kacheera sub county by the CSF Project to promote couple HIV counseling and testing. 4. HOUSING WATER AND SANITATION IMPROVEMENT Activities under this component are geared towards increasing access to improved domestic hygiene clean water and sanitation through construction of houses, latrines, water tanks and kitchens to orphans and other vulnerable children in the area of operation. Under this

programme area, existing houses are renovated while new ones are also constructed to the homeless Orphans and other vulnerable children and their families. Families are also provided with beddings, clothing and household utensils such as plates, jerry cans and basins among others. CHAU was able to construct two houses for AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. The community contributed locally available materials such as bricks, sand and casual labour. LEFT: One of the houses for beneficiaries in dire need.

CHAU also promotes and support households to put up bath shelters, drying racks, animal pens, proper ventilation, lockable doors and rubbish pits. In addition, CHAU also promotes the drinking of safe boiled water to avoid water borne diseases. RIGHT: One of the supported households with a home kit.

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CHAU is also mobilizing resources to construct schools in the district. Most schools in the district lack permanent classroom buildings. Over 60% of students attend classes in semi

permanent grass-thatched classrooms and under trees shades. The ratio of students to available classrooms is 100:1 making learning and teaching very difficult and challenging. This has greatly contributed to the high number of students dropping out of school. Many children have opted to remain at home and to seek for petty jobs in the community at an age as early as 9 years. In addition, girls are given out into marriage at a very early age as early as 13 years. LEFT: Children attending lessons under a tree.

5. POVERTY REDUCTION AND HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY

Activities under this programme are geared towards increasing accessibility to micro enterprise development initiatives through grants and micro finance services to enable OVC’s and their families have their own income for self reliance. Child Aid Uganda puts special emphasis on promoting households’ income generating projects. Under this programme area, OVC’s and their families are trained in entrepreneurial skills and given the family support fund to boost

their income generating projects. To empower families with adequate food and income, Child Aid Uganda was able to support 159 households with Income Generating activities under the Family support fund supported by The Chello Foundation. The families supported are those that have children and youth benefiting from the educational scholarship project.

ABOVE: One of the IGA supported children in her Irish potatoes. She was given Maize seeds and Irish potatoes for planting. The families were also given funds to start up and boost small income generating activities while others were supported with goats, maize and bean seeds for both food and cultivation. The supported families have a successful story to tell. They have been able to acquire basic household items, sustainable food throughout the year and able to support an additional child in school which was not the case before Child Aid Uganda intervention. RIGHT: One of the successful IGA beneficiaries who was given seeds and after a fruitful harvest she was able to start up a shop.

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6. CAPACITY BUILDING AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Child Aid Uganda staff attended a Monitoring and Evaluation workshop organized by The Chello Foundation in Kisumu and gained additional skills in participatory monitoring and evaluation of projects meant for Aids Orphans and other vulnerable children. With the assistance of the community, CHAU was able to clear and fence the land offered to the organisation by Kijjukizo Catholic parish for its developments. The Community will contribute their labour and locally available materials during the construction phase. The land will house Child Aid Uganda with construction of structures such as Administration block, Child / Youth library block, a Conference Hall, Clients Counseling block, Recreation ground (volley ball and basket ball pitch), Volunteers Guest wing and any other buildings deemed fit to the development and attainment of organisation objectives. CHAU is thus looking out for potential donors to assist in funding for sustainable development.

Some Challenges faced

The ever increasing number of orphans and other vulnerable children annually superceding available funds.

Some of the guardians are very old, very vulnerable, have no source of income

High expectations from beneficiaries and other community members and need for other services not currently funded versus resources.

Lack of a youth library and empowerment centre

Limited office and field equipment

Limited number of staff due to inadequate funds for administration.

Plans

Continue with current projects and aim higher in the development of the organisation mission and objectives.

Write more Funding proposals and strengthen partnerships at National and international level.

Strengthening the referral system with other organisations

Widen the organisation’s partner’s and networks

construction of a child / youth centre

explore funding for construction of schools, water and sanitation facilities

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Conclusion

We do thank all partners who have contributed to these achievements during the year and look forward to your continued support to consolidate the achievements attained and work towards improving the quality of life of our communities. All donor funded activities planned for the year 2011 has been a success. In a special way we thank The Chello Foundation for supporting the educational scholarship project which includes the family support fund for incomes and food security interventions, Independent Development Fund for funding the Human Rights project, Civil Society Fund – Uganda AIDS Commission for the HIV prevention Interventions and CHAU membership for various small interventions such as housing, water and sanitation improvement that are not funded by an external development partner at the moment. CHAU is grateful for all your contributions that have been put to better use. We are still looking out for more partners to enable us widen our resource base and reach out to more beneficiaries in the coming year and for years to come. Your support has made a significant difference in the lives of the beneficiaries and transformed the community as a whole. Thank you!