Mubende Orphans Support Organization (MOSO)

Uganda

Executive Summary:

Relatives look after orphans and vulnerable children, so when it comes to choice the orphans and other vulnerable children are left out in preference to the biological children.

Yet in Mubende town council, there are many polygamous families due to the cultural norms regardless the income of such families. Over 38% of children in Mubende town council have lost one or both parents to the HIV/AIDS epidemic; that percentage is expected to triple within the next decades based on these estimates made; extended families and communities’ social safety net in Mubende are being seriously over stretched by the impact of AIDS/HIV.

Most adults in their most productive years leave children behind to be raised by relatives, others are left on there own in house hold headed by children/living on streets.

Things worsen when orphans themselves develop HIV symptoms but without the necessary support to prevent them from passing on the virus to others in the house hold.

As children present the next generation of potentially infected young adults, interventions focused on OVC’s, and their caregivers can stem the fide of the epidemic by preventing new infections in the next generations.

Poverty is another leading factor to HIV/AIDS transmission that surfaces to almost every youth in Mubende town.

Unemployment is common to all youth, adults, graduates and illiterates.

Mubende town being in urban area characterized with Disco’s, Video shows, Films, bars and many others.

To address this phenomenon of this magnitude a radically new approach is required. Traditional development approach just will not work. The challenge is to provide timely and cost effective support that respond to the scale and scope of the problem.

This proposal is therefore aiming at improving the health standards, restoring hope to the OVC’s who have remained orphans at a very tender age without any plan for future and that this will play a roll in the prevalence reduction by 2012.

INTRODUCTION:

The organization was formed by widows and widowers who realized the need to help orphans and vulnerable children IT IS A NON PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATIUON formed on 27 /7/2005’ MOSO is a fully registered AS community Based organization (CBO). Its registration number is CD/223/1008/06.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS MR KISSAKA ARONE

SECRITARY IS MS PEREPETUA EBONS

TTESURER IS MS KABUGHO EUNICE

LOCATION:

The office of the organization is at Butoologo Diary, Kiwalabye road, Kasaana parish, Opposite Mubende Works P.O.BOX 349 Mubende.

Contact: KISSAKA ARONE

Email: kissakarone@yahoo.com, muborphan@gmail.com.

VISION:

An organized, recognized, and coordinated network of orphans for a contribution towards the Mubende town council efforts to have a quality, healthy, socially responsible and economically productive population free from HIV/AIDS.

MISSION:

To mobilize, unit, support-building capacities and coordinate all orphans and care givers in Mubende town Council or a right involvement in the prevention, treatment, care, support and in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

• Build capacities of orphans in Mubende town Council.

• Channel orphans and care givers concerns; receive information, treatment, care, prevention measures, and support of all kinds.

• Lobby for OVC support.

• Enhance partnership and collaboration in and outside the area of jurisdiction.

• To begin home income generating activity (ies) for orhans and there care givers.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE:

It consists of the general assembly, executive, secretariat, and small sectoral committees from three psychosocial support groups.

Representative from the three support group members of the organization

The general assembly is a supreme body.

GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE:

Mubende orphans support organization (MOSO) operates in Mubende Town council and the surrounded areas.

It is found in Buwekula County, Mubende District. Capital city kampala It has different social and ethnic tribes i.e. Baganda, Bakiga. Bafumbira, Banyankole, Iteso, Bagisu, Basoga, Banyarwanda, Bakonjo etc….

Accordance to 2002 population census, it had a population of 12, 228 people of which 6,495 were women and 5,773 were men. 62% of the total population is below the age of 18, worse still 38% of these children are orphans (District population office).

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in MTC is 28% (RCE-JCRC/Mubende Hospital data as 2006/7).

Mubende town Council is located in a dry belt area and it is generously hilly.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES:

MOSO has fully been engaged in all HIV/AIDS preventive activities like at Mubende Hospital/JCRC HIV/AIDS Clinic where the organization expert clients bridge the gap in counseling for ART, VCT and community mobilization through Radio program presentations support by Mubende hospital or JCRC. Its members are of different professional fields like Social science, education Architecture and health workers who work on voluntary basis as part time workers. We also network with the existing structure, i.e. community workers, Rotary Club of Mubende, KULIKA UGANDA and local leaders.

Volunteers of Moso attending a seminar on HIV/ AIDS CONDUCTED BY KULIKA FUNDERS

The organization currently receives funds from its membership and well-wishers. It has not yet got a potential funder but trying to fundraise by writing proposals.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

As Mubende district suffer the attack of HIV/AIDS epidemic with the current prevalence rate of 18% which is higher than 7.4% of the nation. In addition, the prevalence rate of Mubende town Council being at 28% as per JCRC-Mubende hospital (2006-2007) convinces a thereat to a high rate of vulnerable children, youth and adults (DDH’S Data as 2006). The HIV/AIDS problem is producing orphans on a shocking scale.

This deeply reflects feature of high infection rate among youth and adults.

It is on record that out of every four counted households in MTC bears an orphan.

The population of Mubende town Council is characterized by a high number of youths totaling to 40% of the population. The high rate of transmission has created greater negative impact on the social economic development within the area and costs of caring for a sick family continued with the decrease in house hold income leaves many AIDS affected families impoverished as it leads to greater risk of malnutrition, illness, abuse and sexual exploitation than children orphaned by other causes do.

Unlike other places, Mubende town Council, lack a strong community social support system to combat for HIV/AIDS related activities. The problem has worsened due to the low economic status of family caused by increased number of dependant ratio where even youths below 18 years head families because of HIV/AIDS.

MOSO therefore suggests that there must be a project to address this problem. As most vulnerable families in the area have inadequate incomes to educate their children in schools and meet family needs and health services. The situation described above violates the fundamental human rights of children and create no future hope to the OVC’s as well as caregivers.

GAPS;

Below are intended gaps to be addressed by MOSO

• Strengthen MOSO coordination office

• Mobilization and trainings on IGA’s skills acquisition.

• To reduce the illiteracy levels among the orphans and vulnerable children

• To mobilize resources /seed capital to enable orphans and vulnerable children posses running projects in homes.

• Monitoring and evaluation of the program.

The organization therefore, suggests this project program to address such gaps.

Improving the health standards of people

The population of Uganda is estimated at 25 million people and its projected to double by the year 2025 because of high population growth rate of 3.4 percent per annum. The population is young with more than half below 18 years of age and only 2 percent being above 65 years of age.

A fifth of the population is below five years while a quarter is of primary school age (6-12 years).

POVERTY:

Poverty prevents the enjoyment of basic human rights, security, and well-being. The rapidly increasing population of Uganda coupled with low resource base put significant pressure on the delivery of basic social services, particularly to the venerable.

Poverty remains high and its prevalence varies by population group, religion, and rural /urban divide. In Uganda, 38 percent of the populations live in absolute poverty with children constituting 62 percent of the poor. The number of children who live below the poverty line is likely to rise due to the high fertility rate, HIV/AIDS, Other preventable diseases and insecurity.

Other causes of poverty include limited access and control of productive assets especially by women, limited utilization of improved production technologies, large families, alcoholism, and unemployment, under employment, lack of markets, inadequate opportunities for education, and lack of information.

HEALTH STATUS:

Despite the efforts of the Health sector in service delivery, the demand for health is growing while access to health services at the community level remains limited. The cost of ill health, which includes treatment costs, productivity loss and interrupted school attendance is crippling, particularly to orphan and care giver families and the poor.

EDUCATION:

Education as a measure of fighting poverty and reducing vulnerability is one of the top priorities for the children. The government has given due attention to basic education, resulting in substantial increase in primary school enrollment, particularly for the poorest quintile and the girl child.

Unfortunately, there has been a decline in primary school retention in the past few years due to high drop out rates. Further regional, rural, and urban disparities still in school enrollment with a high proportion of children enrolled in urban areas and are relatively more prosperous in central region. The main barriers to access and full participation of children in education include, costs of scholastic and basic requirements, costs of post primary schooling, disability, ill health, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, sexual harassment, heavy burden, (Uganda Demographic and Health survey (2000/2001) of house holds chores, distance to school, insecurity and poor nutrition or no meals both in schools and at home. In spite of the universal primary Education (UPE) programme, 3 percent of primary school age children were not in school. In addition, many more children who were in school were not consistently attending classes. Consequently, the transition rate from primary to post primary and tertiary levels has been low and very few children are now likely to complete primary and continue to higher levels of education.

HIV/AIDS:

Since the pandemic started, the country has lost about one million people and this has contributed significantly to an estimated 2.3 million orphans. Approximately 14 percent of children in Uganda less than 18 years of age are orphans, among those, 20 percent of children 6-17 years are orphans, Even if the fresh HIV infections ceased to day, the population already infected constitute a massive potential for swelling the number of orphans in the country. Uganda communities have traditionally absorbed orphans within the extended family system. One in four households in Uganda foster at least one orphan by providing for health, shelter, nutrition, education and other needs. However, many of these care givers are over burdened and often lack the socio-economic capacity to provide adequate care and support for these children. Community organization, religious bodies and other civil society members have stepped in by providing information, vocation skill trainings, basic education, and medical care, counseling, and micro-credit services. These groups too often lack the human and financial resources to adequately respond to the problems.

Many children who are orphaned are forced to live on the streets or under exploitative conditions of labour, sexual abuse, many live in child, headed households they have to feed for them selves and support their younger siblings. Some of these children are infected with HIV either through mother-to-child transmission or through defilement. (Uganda Demographic and Health survey (2000/20001) Situation Analysis of orphans (2000)

The situation of Orphans and other vulnerable children:

Uganda communities have traditionally absorbed orphans within the extended family system. One in four households in Uganda foster at least one orphan by providing for health, shelter, nutrition, education and other needs. However, many of these caregivers are over burdened and often lack the socio-economic capacity to provide adequate care and support for these children. Community organizations, religious bodies and other civil society members have stepped in by providing information, vocation skill training, basic education, and medical care, counseling, and micro-credit services. These groups too often lack the human and financial resources to adequately respond to the problems.

Many children who are orphaned are forced to live the street or under exploitative conditions of labour, sexual abuse, many live in child, headed house holds they have to feed for them selves and support their young siblings. Some of these children are infected with HIV either through mother-to –child transmission or through defilement.

Some of the sponsored children by MOSO.

OVERVIEW ON THE VULNERABLE AND ORPHAN CHILDREN:

What are `` Vulnerability’’ and Vulnerable population’’ in the context of HIV/AIDS?

Vulnerability to HIV infection arises from circumstances that are beyond the direct control of the people involved. Such circumstance includes poverty, low social status, inequality, gender discrimination, marginalization, and criminalization. Among other things, these circumstances also reduce or deny a person access to HIV information services, means of prevention and support. Gender inequalities increase the vulnerability of both men and women to HIV infection. (Parliamentary HIV/ AIDS communication Tool kit June 2004)

Orphans and Vulnerable children:

Orphans are children under 18 years who have either lost one or both parents. Vulnerable children include all those living in difficult circumstances:

• Orphans;

• Children who are ill and those whose parents are chronically ill;

• Children who live in house holds that have taken in orphans.

• Children who live on the fringes of society like street children

• Children in displaced camps, conditions, or areas of conflict.

• Children conflict with the law e.g. those who are isolated and discriminated because they are involved in commercial sex etc.

• Poor children, whether from poor or well-off families (Parliamentary HIV/AIDS communication Tool Kit June 2004)

A female volunteer attending to orphans at the orphanage centre.

According to the reports from the health services indicates that HIV/AIDS and Malaria are the major diseases affecting the children in the area and would not be addressed adequately by any single intervention. Multiple intervention are needed to respond to the broad range of needs of children, their families and communities fostering linkages between HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention activities, home based care and efforts to support the needy communities where orphans and other vulnerable children live.

To respond to the immensity of this crisis requires a precedence mobilization of resources from the global community donors, and a new mechanism needed is to ensure that resources and support move directly to the vulnerable communities that care for support the affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.

Mubende orphan support in its attempt to give support to orphans and vulnerable children has been able to organize community meetings for households with orphans and vulnerable children in some parishes of Mubende Town council and the neighbouring areas. The organization has equally conducted dialogue meetings for the affected children (Orphans and vulnerable children) discuss and laying strategies to over come problems affecting them.

The organization has enough capacity of skilled human resource to implement the project and as an affected community organization stands directly to receive and render the support.

Therefore we do believe that if the proposed proposal if not implemented, the number of OVC’s will continue to suffer and dropout from schools. Many will loose hope for their future hence generating a frustrated cropping future society.

More still if the problem is not solved female orphans will continue to go for early marriages, defilement cases, HIV prevalence rates will go high, and levels of literacy will also be low and therefore no development in the area.

GOAL.

IMPROVE ON THE ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN FAMILIES TO RAISE THEIR INCOMES IN MUBENDE TOWN COUNCIL.

Objectives.

• Empower OVC and their family members to get skills in raising their incomes.

• Empower the infected/affected people on nutrition support and able to plan for children.

• To reduce the illiteracy levels among the orphans and vulnerable children

• To mobilize resources /seed capital to enable orphans and vulnerable children possess running projects in their homes.

PROJECT STARTEGY/PPROACH/METHODOLOGY.

The principle strategy will be to provide support to vulnerable families as the way of improving household income. Selected area families will be given a pair of piglets while other selected families will receive chicken. The program will continue as they produce. The programme shall be implemented by (MOSO) Staff, hired experts and as per SAVE THE CHILD UGANDA guidelines.

Mobilization of the affected families will be through local councils (LC1s) schools, CBO. Churches, mosques, and parish development committees.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS.

• Most orphans shall go to schools

• Rights of the orphans shall be protected

• Health standards of the orphans shall be in position of sustaining their families economically.

• Orphan’s property shall be protected

• More people able to make wills

• Early marriage & defilement reduced among the orphans

• Orphans shall be given seed capital and be able to open up running projects.

INPUTS.

Personal, Training materials, Newsprint, manila cards, makers, masking tape, Scholastic materials.

• Note books and pens, venue, items for setting an income generating projects. E.g. projects, chicks, shelters equipments needed and other improved seeds. Transport, realms of papers, meals/refreshment, Acting allowance/salary, and photographs.

ACTIVITIES.

1. Strengthen a coordination office with requirements.

2. Support Orphans and venerable children scholastic materials.

3. Training workshop to open up a running project for income generating activities; piggery, chicken keeping.

4. Construction of animal/families and birds houses in OVC’s families/procure of quality piglets and chicks for OVC’s families/procure of quality piglets and chicks for OVC’s.

5. Establish community participatory monitoring and evaluation project continuity. WE CALL FOR ANY ORGANISATION WITH SAME ROLLS AND OBJECTIVES TO PARTNER WITH US

6. TOGETHER WE CAN RESTORE PEACE FOR ORPHANS AND VOLUNAREBLE CHILDREN

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE DIRECTOR ON 0773230180

Detailed Budget.

Contact:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MR KISSAKA ARONE

SECRITARY IS MS PEREPETUA EBONS

TRESURER IS MS KABUGHO EUNICE

LOCATION:

The office of the organization is at Butoologo Diary, Kiwalabye road, Kasaana parish, Opposite Mubende Works P.O.BOX 349 Mubende.

Contact: KISSAKA ARONE

Email: kissakarone@yahoo.com, muborphan@gmail.com.

Sent to the internet: 15 august 2009.