Consol Homes Orphan Care
Social, economic, and academic support for orphans and grandmothers
Namitete, Malawi
Background
Consol Homes Orphan Care was established in March 2000 to promote community participation in the care of orphans and other vulnerable children for their social, economic and academic advancement.
Consol Homes Orphan Care provides educational support in the form of school fees, learning materials, psychosocial guidance and the promotion of skill development among the AIDS orphaned youth. They also offer health care services, home based care, counseling, and recreational facilities to orphans, as well as childcare centers to stimulate early childhood development.
One of the most unique components of Consol’s work is their Orphan Affairs Unit (OAU). The OAU is an exceptional group of young orphans, aged 10 to 18 years, who provide support to each other, to other Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in their communities, and who genuinely participate in the running of Consol Homes. They encourage each other to go to school, discourage early marriage for girls and support children who do not have enough resources to attend school. They have been trained in children’s rights and leadership skills with funding from UNICEF - which has helped them to know and protect their rights with support from the adults at Consol Homes.
Consol Homes Orphan Care recognizes that the caretakers and guardians of these children also need support. A Widows and Grannies Group was recently formed - a women’s group whose members are all supporting orphans in their homes. They meet regularly to support each other and to carry out income generating activities that will allow them to provide the basic necessities for the children in their household.
The Project
Funding from the Stephen Lewis Foundation provides help in:
- Strengthening the Orphan Affairs Unit - This project provides educational support (i.e. school fees and uniforms) for 40 orphans. It will also offer 40 communal gardens (1 acre/each) and the cost of inputs like seed and fertilizer.
- Providing support for Widows and Grannies - Funding for the Widows and Grannies Group helps provide training sessions for income generating activities and the start up capital necessary to get projects off the ground. The project provides poultry livestock for 300 households and craft materials for nearly 20 clubs.
- Providing Community Home Based Care - The Home Based Care Program is reliant on trained volunteers from the community. In order to support them, the project provides a patient care-kit and a bicycle for transportation. The kit includes items like soap, disposable gloves, cotton wool, painkillers and bandages.
- Initiating Community Based Child Care (CBCC) - The CBCCs provide a secure and stimulating environment for early childhood development. This poject will provide food (i.e. nutritious porridge) for the children at the CBCCs, since many of the parents lack the resources sufficient to provide their children with constant nourishment.
SLF Ref#.05