Vana Vetu Progresses
The Vana Vetu OVC Children’s programme is currently being implemented by 8 dioceses in South Africa: False Bay, Grahamstown, Matlosane, Natal, Port Elizabeth, St Mark Limpopo, Umzimvubu and Zululand. We have 8 Diocesan Co-ordinators (DOVC), 38 Team Leaders and 138 Child Care Workers (CCWs). In addition, two cluster co-ordinators have been working in Port Elizabeth and Kwazulu-Natal after having been promoted from their Diocesan OVC Co-ordinator (DOVC) position. They provide support to the DOVCs in their regions.
In the last quarter, Vana Vetu has provided training to community volunteers, , after-school support services and School is Cool campaign, life skills, HIV & Aids prevention education, drama, dancing and music, survivor camps and accessing of legal services. In addition, child-care workers assist with psychosocial support, accessing of child support grants and registration for birth certificates and applications for ID.
Major Programmatic highlights
In October Vana Vetu had successful collaboration with the University of Stellenbosch. The Unit for Religion and Development developed a course called Empowering women leaders of the Vana Vetu Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme of the Anglican Church. This was an accredited training course NQF Level 5/12 credits. In the months which followed we have observed greater confidence in the women who attended this workshop and they are far more knowledgeable about community development, strategic planning, implementing and evaluation. They also learned about home based care, medication and caring for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). This information has been shared in the CBO and OVC workshops held in most of the parishes.
Other highlights include the participation of university students in the program. Two third year students from the Social Science Department at Stellenbosch are doing their internships at the Diocese of False bay and nine students from Rhodes University are doing community service with the Diocese of Grahamstown in the St Augustine parish. Students are from the Departments of Agriculture and Social Science.
“School is Cool”
Stationary packs and school uniforms were also handed to deserving children. Between October 2009 and February 2010, 4083 services have been provided including after-school support, uniforms and stationery.
CBO & OVC training
Training of child care workers and volunteers on OVC and Community based organisations are going well. Saldanha have trained 26 people, False bay 99, St. Mark’s 66, Port Elizabeth 108, Umzimvubu 52 and Natal 13. Most dioceses will be finishing training by the end of March.
Networking
AAHT has been in discussion with the Department of Health in the following provinces: Limpopo, North West and Western Cape, and Gauteng. Linkages with the following PEPFAR partners have resulted in benefits for Vana Vetu including services and information: Ingwavuma, Hospice, Noah, Child Welfare, Senzakwenzeke and Wo’zobona. Networking with other organisations similar to our OVC programme as well as clinics and schools has been a good method of strengthening community support, growing the program and assisting with the identification of new OVCs.
