We live in a world where many children have been deprived of a caring family environment. Millions of children have lost their parents and the care of their families, and many more are at risk of falling into this situation. All too often, these children have nowhere to find the protection, care and support required for their healthy development.
It is against this background that SOS Children’s Villages has over the years being working with individuals, families, communities and other partners to build a society where all children can enjoy a caring family environment. The organization has been providing long term family care through its SOS Children Villages
However,
the increasing number of Orphans Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in many countries including Ghana is beginning to overwhelm the ability and coping capacities of SOS Children’s
Villages as well as other organizations that are catering for these children. SOS has now realized that it is no
longer enough to deal only with the consequences of this problem that is after children have already lost the care
of their families. Therefore it has become imperative for SOS to find innovative ways to tackle its causes thus
preventing children from falling out of their family. – a realization that has given birth to a new programme
christened “
Family Strengthening Programme”
Under Family strengthening programme, activities are designed to support, strengthen and empower families and
communities, so that they are able to effectively care for and protect vulnerable children. In this way, children
can be brought up within their community, in keeping with their social and cultural roots. This creates greater
stability and continuity in their life, which minimises the trauma and stress of their situation.
In mid 2004,
In Ghana, the family strengthening programme, which was in its early stages called ‘HIV/AIDS’ programme, was started in mid 2004 under the management of a National SOS HIV/AIDS Committee. At this time, the organisational frames of an Strategic Initiative two programme were not really clear and it was also not understood that HIV/AIDS programmes should fall under SOS’s second strategic initiative ‘Prevention of child abandonment’.
HIV/AIDS programme was aligned to turn it into a family strengthening programme in line with community development principles as well as our organisational policy frames. Although the programmes are still relatively ‘young’, all the right set-up steps have been followed thereby paving the way for a successful programme.
Currently, the programme is providing support to 420 OVC and their 120 caregivers in ten communities in the Eastern and Greater Accra regions of Ghana. Beneficiary communities include Asiakwa, Osino, Bunso, Nkawkaw and Sagyimaso in the Eastern region and Kakasunaka, Gbesele, Dahwenya, Kpone and Mataheko in the Greater region.
As part of efforts to ensure that OVC have access to basic services, food and other essential items are distributed to them on monthly basis. These items are distributed to these families by Project Management Committee (PMC) members under the supervision of FSC Programme Coordinator.
Besides food items, OVC&’s and their Care givers have also benefited from the emotional and psychological
support provided by FSP and PMC members. These support come in the form of counseling and education on
challenges associated with poverty, lost of parents, HIV/AIDS, single parenting and adolescent reproductive
health.
The project is collaborating with a number of Non Government Organization (NGOs) in the implementation of the project. These NGOs included Ghana AIDS commission, Play soccer, Youth in Action, Bunso Youth, School Vision and Civitan international .The NGOs were instrumental in the selection of project beneficiaries and continue to offer assistance in terms of training and supervision of income generation activities.
The FSP is managed by FSP Committee with the active support from project Management Committee At each location, a FSP committee (consists of village director, social worker, youth leader, nurse, teacher, mother representative) ensures that key SOS staff members are involved in the running of the family strengthening programme and the committee complements project management committee .
Project management committee has been formed in each community to oversee the implementation of the project. The committee comprises of community volunteers and other stakeholders. Each committee have a membership of not more than six and meet monthly to review the progress of work, plan relevant activities and assign responsibilities.
