Kitovu Mobile AIDS and Home Care and Orphans Project (MAHCOP)
Orphans and Family Support: School Assistance to
HIV/AIDS Affected Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Masaka District, Uganda
Background
The focus of the Mobile AIDS Home Care and Orphans Project (MAHCOP) is to enable orphans and vulnerable children who have completed their primary education to continue with secondary and tertiary education. Every step a child moves ahead in their education gives that child a better chance to survive.
MAHCOP's activities are spread across Masaka, Rakai and Ssembabule Districts. Reverand Sister Ursula Sharpe started the program in 1987 to care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in their homes and the community environment. Counselling and preventative AIDS education were added to the program. Positive living was encouraged; but how could people live positively when they had so many needs? This led to the provision of priority requirements such as school fees for orphans, house construction and repair, food relief and other basic materials.
The Project
MAHCOP will:
"We haven't met these people in Canada, but we have felt their love. It really makes us think people care and love us even if we are living with HIV/AIDS quite far away." Emma Tuahepa, Lironga Eparu (Learning to Survive) Namibia |
- conduct an assessment exercise to identify 140 orphans to receive school sponsorship;
- sponsor and follow up identified orphans in schools with fees, uniforms and other scholastic materials;
- follow up orphans in school to ascertain their attendance and performance;
- conduct family visits and follow up orphans that need special care in terms of psycho-social support;
- provide medical care services to sick orphans;
- hold community meetings to discuss issues pertaining to orphan care and support (HIV/AIDS awareness and behaviour change, children and women's rights, will-making, etc.).
The Stephen Lewis Foundation contribution will be spent on:
- school fees for 140 orphans per year.
- psycho-social support for the children.
- scholastic materials and uniforms.
- medical care.
- orphans and guardians meetings.
- salary/allowance for supervision.
- transportation.
SLF Ref#: KMAH.03.10