Child Protection Society (CPS)
Support (psycho-social, educational, nutritional and care) for Children Affected by HIV/AIDS
Harare/Mufakose, Zimbabwe
Background
The Child Protection Society (CPS) is a humanitarian organization established in 1952 to cater to the needs of disadvantaged or marginalized children in Harare. Today, CPS has become an authority in championing the rights of children in various difficult circumstances, including orphan children and others who face challenges from the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
CPS works to establish and strengthen existing community structures that can offer efficient and accessible services to children in difficult circumstances. Psycho-social support is integrated into all of the Society's outreach programs to help the large numbers affected by HIV/AIDS who may not have support in their homes. CPS has a highly developed gender framework; all the programs have a strong focus on issues which affect girls and young women.
"The depth of psychological distress that plagues an entire generation of children numbering in the millions is simply overwhelming, and the struggle to cope is complicated fiercely by a lack of resources at the grassroots." Stephen Lewis |
The Project
Currently, CPS runs a program in which the children affected by HIV/AIDS receive psycho-social support, educational assistance, supplementary feeding, early childhood education and child fostering. CPS will build an expanded psycho-social support program for youths aged 8 to 20 years within the Community Based Child Care Program. The project will help young people in existing community structures to:
- provide support to youths in difficult circumstances.
- assist them with issues of loss, mourning and grief.
- impart youth with knowledge, leadership and life skills through training and camps.
The Stephen Lewis Foundation provides funds to assist:
- 100 children per camp.
- four child care committees that have been operating in the area.
- 10 youth groups.
- five faith-based organizations at minimum.
- three volunteer groups of youths and women.
- two residential care institutions, i.e. Chinyaradzo and Hupenyu Hutsva.
- 40 school career guidance and counseling teachers.
CPS will work in high-density areas of Harare (Highfield, Kambuzuma, Westwood, and Rugare) and Mufakose. An assessment conducted by CPS in 2003 indicated that there were an estimated 3000 children needing care in the area.
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