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ORPHAN EXPERIENCES IN NGOGWE SUB - COUNTY, BUIKWE DISTRICT UGANDA ASSESSING OPRHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN COVERAGE

A Baseline Survey Report On The OVC Mapping Exercise Conducted In Ngogwe Sub County

March 2012

ASSESSMENT OF OVC COVERAGE IN NGOGWE SUB COUNTY, BUIKWE DISTRICT UGANDA

Contents
List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 7 Message from the Coordinator ....................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................................ 10 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 10 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................................. 10 1.4 Objectives of the Baseline Survey ....................................................................................... 10 1.1 Brief about RAFFORD-UGANDA........................................................................................... 11 1.2 VISION.................................................................................................................................. 11 1.3 MISSION............................................................................................................................... 12 Thematic Areas .............................................................................................................................. 12 CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................... 13 2.0 Study Methodology ................................................................................................................. 13 2.1 Study Area and Design............................................................................................................. 13 2.2 Study Methods and Tools ........................................................................................................ 13 Ethnographic fieldwork ......................................................................................................... 14 In-depth interviews ................................................................................................................ 14 Focus Group Discussions ....................................................................................................... 15 Data analysis .......................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER THREE............................................................................................................................. 18 3.0 District Situational Analysis and Profile ................................................................................... 19 3

3.1 District Location................................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER FOUR .............................................................................................................................. 20 4.0 Survey Findings ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.1 Experiences of the orphan challenge in Ngogwe ................................................................ 20 4.2 The typical Ngogwe orphan ............................................................................................. 20 4.3 A challenging orphan concept ......................................................................................... 21 4.4 Gendered vulnerability .................................................................................................... 22 4.5 Age-based vulnerability ................................................................................................... 24 ............................................................................................................................................... 25 4.6 Willingness to care for orphans ....................................................................................... 25 4.7 Reducing the burden of work of orphans ....................................................................... 25 4.8 Improving orphans educational opportunities............................................................... 27 4.9 Community sensitization ................................................................................................. 29 4.10 Proposed project interventions ..................................................................................... 33 Policy implications ..................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................................ 36 5.0 Challenges................................................................................................................................ 36 ....................................................................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER SIX .................................................................................................................................. 38 6.0 Recommendations................................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER SEVEN ............................................................................................................................ 40 7.0 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 40 Annex 1: Detailed Data on House Holds Reached during the survey ........................................... 41 Annex 11: Research Team ............................................................................................................. 45 Interview guide for Heads of household fostering Orphans ................................................. 46 4

Glossary ......................................................................................................................................... 48 Child ............................................................................................................................................... 48 References ..................................................................................................................................... 50

List of Abbreviations
ACDO CBO CBSD FGD H/H HIV/AIDS Assistant Community Development Officer Community Based Organisation Community Based Service Delivery Focus Group Discussion House Hold Human Immune Virus Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome IGA MFPED Income Generating Activity Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic

Development MoES NGO NSPPI Ministry of Education and Sports Non Government Organisation National Strategic Programme Plan For Intervention for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children OVC UPE Orphans & Other Vulnerable Children Universal Primary Education

Executive Summary
This baseline survey report for Orphans and other Vulnerable Children highlights the OVC situation in Ngogwe Sub County, Buikwe district Uganda. The study covered a total of thirty seven households of which seven were headed by males and 30 female headed households.

RAFFORD Uganda set out to conduct a series of research on OVCs aged 8 to 18 years in Ngogwe Sub County, Buikwe district. The research, guided by a carefully designed questionnaire helped the team of researchers to obtain desired variable information for a period of three days. The aim of the survey was to establish the situational nature and actual needs of OVCs and their care takers in Ngogwe Sub County. The research findings are expected to form a basis for structuring comprehensive OVC interventions in resource constrained areas, mainly in rural Uganda.

The research targeted households that have orphans and vulnerable children in the area, and as such, the following criterion was used while selecting and choosing vulnerable children and households:Children living alone or in institutions, children in a poor psychological state, children in an unstable environment, due to conflict, abuse, migration etc, children orphaned or otherwise vulnerable, children the community agrees are in need for any other reason. Households included:Households headed by a single or widowed person, households headed by a very sick adult, households headed by a woman, households headed by an elderly person, and households which include orphans or other vulnerable children.
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The report is divided into four parts (chapters); the first giving a brief background to the research process and also highlighting RAFFORD Ugandas operational scope, the second chapter describes the different methods used in conducting the research at both household and community level, the third chapter gives an insight into the study site where the research was conducted, and finally the last chapter concludes the report by giving a detailed description of the survey findings, and recommendations therein.

Message from the Coordinator

Genesis!! Its with great pleasure that RAFFORD UGANDA has been blessed with an Opportunity to go through this initial process of undertaking a thorough, investigative, narrative research study to bring forth an understanding of the the OVC situation in Ngogwe sub-county. RAFFORD UGANDA is a child centred organisation that values humanity in totality. Children are the future that needs proper nurturing, guidance, and feeding in preparation for responsible citizenry. RAFFORD UGANDA values community participation and full engagement of beneficiary communities right from identification of needs to implementation so as to foster ownership and sustainability of interventions. Sincere gratitude goes to Buikwe district officials, Ngogwe sub-county technical staff, community leaders all the respondents and the entire research team for the hard work exhibited during this survey. Thank you all for the work well done.

Akampurira Sarah Coordinator RAFFORD UGANDA

CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background


Children under the age of 18 years constitute 57.4 percent of Ugandas 30.7 million people1. Despite children representing a significant majority of Ugandas population, they are the most vulnerable group. Of Ugandas 31 percent under the poverty threshold, 62 percent are children.

The OVC situational analysis report places the level of vulnerability among the children in Uganda at 96 percent. The high level of vulnerability is largely attributed to poverty, HIV and AIDs, general gaps in the national OVC response as well as internal conflicts in some parts of the country.

In 2004, the government of Uganda responded to this level of vulnerability by formulating the national OVC policy and the NSPPI, among others. Although this effort drew huge interventions especially by civil society organisations, services provided to OVC were far from being commensurate with the actual needs2. It was against this background that this study was conducted by RAFFORD-UGANDA in Ngogwe SubCounty.

1.4 Objectives of the Baseline Survey


The main objective of the survey was to establish the situation of orphans and vulnerable children in Ngogwe Sub County, Buikwe District.

UNHS, 2009/2010 SA 2012

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Specific Objectives The specific objectives of the baseline survey were to: Identify and establish the nature and situation of orphans and other vulnerable children living in Households Establish the number of OVCs and caretakers that have knowledge on HIV/AIDS. Assess and establish the level of HIV /AIDS awareness in Ngogwe SubCounty. Assess the enrolment rate of OVCs in schools (including participation and performance). Identify and document interventions undertaken by government, NGOs, CBOs and media to address the situation of orphans in homes and schools. Document the role of children as actors in addressing the orphan situation. Propose viable mechanisms and holistic ways of addressing the problem by stake holders at all levels.

1.1 Brief about RAFFORD-UGANDA is a Community Based Organizations non


profit making , non religious and non Government Organisation (NGO) with the aim of improving the life of rural communities to attain better livelihoods through advocacy, and psychosocial support for the OVCs and vulnerable People especially girls and women .

1.2 VISION
An empowered community with knowledge and skills to foster sustainable development of Orphans and other Vulnerable Children, and other People in the rural communities

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1.3 MISSION
To contribute to Health improvement of the OVCs and other vulnerable people by empowering rural communities in Uganda through advocacy, research and life skills to improve their wellbeing.

Thematic Areas
RAFFORD anchors its operations on six guiding thematic areas which are as follows; Institutional capacity building Orphans and Vulnerable Children HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support Poverty Eradication and community empowerment; Research and Documentation. Advocacy, Communication and Networking

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CHAPTER TWO 2.0 Study Methodology 2.1 Study Area and Design
The study on which this report is based was carried out at diverse administrative levels, but with a prime emphasis on community and household level in Ngogwe sub-county in Buikwe District, Central Uganda.

Ngogwe is a rural area located 4 kilometers south of Buikwe town and has a population of 30,132 people3.The large majority of the inhabitants are Baganda of Buganda ethnic origin. Their main occupation is peasant farming of mainly food crops like cassava, maize, potatoes, millet, beans, peas, sunflower and cotton, combined with fishing, the rearing of some livestock, particularly cattle, goats and poultry.

2.2 Study Methods and Tools


At the community level the study combined ethnographic fieldwork with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.4

Literature review and analysis of documents from a variety of sources to help identify different thematic areas to focus the field study on. These included:

The 2002 Uganda Population and Housing Census projected mid 2011) A detailed Household questionnaire is attached in the annex section of this report.

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OVC reports and publications Relevant Research study reports on OVC coverage and services Annual reports Mid term review report District Development plans

Ethnographic fieldwork: Information was gathered through discussion of experiences with orphan care in a context of rapidly increasing numbers of orphans with a number of different people in a large variety of settings. Home visits were done coupled with direct observations which were made in households caring for orphans throughout the fieldwork period. The information from discussion and observation was recorded in the form of detailed field notes and memos continuously reviewed by the research team.

In-depth interviews: Systematic in-depth interviews were conducted with three categories of informants namely: community leaders comprising of teachers at primary schools, local council chairpersons, elders, and heads of households caring for orphans (women 30) and (men 7) and sixty four (64) orphans aged eight years to eighteen (18) years. Each interview was conducted individually using an interview guide for each of the three categories of informants. The interview guide was designed in English and translated into the local language. All the interviews were conducted in Luganda the local language spoken by the informants. Tape recording of the interviews was not feasible except for a few isolated cases.

However, the team made detailed notes during all interview sessions. The informants were asked to repeat key utterances to allow for proper recording. The notes were discussed and unrecorded details were added soon after the interview sessions.

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Caption: Project Officer having an interview with one caregiver

Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted with five separate groups of
informants; women, men, community leaders, female orphans and male orphans. Each focus group had between 6 to 12 members, and the discussions lasted an average of one and half hours. The researchers facilitated discussions in each group using an FGD guide while the research assistant took notes. All the informants in the qualitative interviews and focus group discussions were purposely sampled. The community leaders were interviewed because the orphan challenge is considered a social problem with political dimensions, while heads of households fostering orphans and the orphans were interviewed, as they are the ones directly affected by the problem. All interviewees were identified and recruited with the assistance of local leaders with substantial knowledge of the inhabitants who lived in their area. An extensive review of research based literature and official programme documents was also carried out.

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Caption: community members in a focus group discussion with the programs director RAFFORD Uganda.

Data analysis: The qualitative data was analyzed using the questionnaires that were
designed before conducting the research.5

Ethical principles of anonymity, confidentiality and rights of withdrawal were shared with all potential study participants, and verbal informed consent was obtained from all who participated in the study.

The study used a combination of methods and tools with a participatory approach. The various methods were meant to provide a deeper insight into the issues as expressed by and ensure that the intended categories like the OVCs and the wider community that were looking after orphans were reached. Each method helped compliment the other and assisted the researchers to gather a deeper insight into the views, impressions and perception household heads looking after OVCs

Graph 1: Showing average number of children per H/H


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See annex chapters of the report for a copy of the questionnaire administered

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Ddungi

Namulesa

8-18years 0-7years

Kikakanya

10

20

30

40

50

60

From the graph, the majority of the children from the selected households were 8 to 18 years and hence they are of school going age.

Below is a table indicating Villages, and the number of beneficiaries interviewed


Table 1: Information on OVCs per village Village No. of OVCs No. Orphans with one No. Orphans No. Children per Village parent without both with Both Parents parents but Vulnerable No. No. %ages No. %ages No. %ages
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Namulesa Buwoya Bugwisa

22 34 9

4 14 4 0 22

18% 41% 44%

9 16 5 0

41% 47% 56%

9 4 0 2

41% 12% 0 100% 22%

Kikakanya 2 Total 67

33%

30

45%

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Graph 2: Information on OVC'S per Village

%ages

Namulesa No. Orphans with one parent No. Orphans without both Parents No. Children with Both parents but Vulnerable 18% 41% 41%

Buwoya 41% 47% 12%

Bugwisa Kikakanya 44% 56% 0 0% 0% 100%

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CHAPTER THREE 3.0 District Situational Analysis and Profile


3.1 District Location
Buikwe district lies in the central region of Uganda, sharing boarders with the district of Jinja in the East, Kayunga in the North, Mukono in the South West and Buvuma in the South.

The District Headquarters is located in Buikwe town, Situated along Lugazi- Kiyindi road (59 Kilometers East of Kampala City and 39kms East of Mukono Town). Buikwe town serves as an Administrative and commercial center. Other urban centers in the District include Lugazi, Njeru and Nkokonjeru Town Councils. Table 2. Population and other demographic indicators per Sub County
Subcounty/To wn council Buikwe Kawolo Lugazi T.C Najja Najjembe Ngogwe Njeru T.C Nkokonjeru T.C Nyenga Ssi Bukunja Wakisi Total 1,998 1,007 1,800 15,638 1,695 800 1,366 12,540 8,146 4,736 7,331 74,080 19,510 9,892 16,908 166,927 19,103 10,054 16,489 162,931 38,613 19,946 33,397 329,858 12 6 10 100 Elderly populati on 1,622 1,795 545 1,582 1,580 1,865 1,376 468 Infant populati on 1,000 1,089 1,084 1,362 1,031 1,074 1,658 381 Numbe r HHs 6,158 7,482 7,089 6,670 6,559 6,553 11,353 2,003 Female n 14,365 15,371 14,452 16,153 13,247 15,289 26,048 5,692 Male Populatio n 13,611 15,995 13,527 14,732 13,986 14,843 25,188 5,403 Total n 27,976 31,366 27,979 30,885 27,233 30,132 51,236 11,095 % of of Populatio Populatio total populati on 8 10 8 9 8 9 16 3

Source: The 2002 Uganda population and Housing Census projected mid 2011.
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CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 Survey Findings


4.1 Experiences of the orphan challenge in Ngogwe
4.2 The typical Ngogwe orphan
Ngogwe informants readily referred to the appalling care of many orphans. Many examples were cited by orphans themselves or by various categories of adults working with or caring for orphaned children of how orphans were neither wanted, cared for nor loved by their care takers. The most manifest sign of this lack of care and attention was seen in many orphans relatively heavy workloads, inadequate feeding, dress and shelter and limited rest.

It was observed that orphans were engaged, working in the fields, herding, cleaning, fetching water and firewood, preparation of family meals, etc. Orphans digging in the fields appeared time and again in peoples accounts, and this was readily observed during the field work period.

The substantial burden of work was noted to have consequences for schooling; teachers stated that albeit their good enrolment rates, orphans tended to report late to school, to perform poorly and to drop out of school more often than other pupils. Inadequate feeding, dress/uniform and lack of scholastic materials were brought up as further strains put on the educational opportunities of orphans. Teachers interviewed drew attention to the very visible orphan scenario in schools by pointing out pupils without school uniforms. We should hasten to say that the study revealed that not every orphan was equally deprived, and informants would refer to stark variations in living conditions for orphans. We shall return to the varying vulnerability of orphans below.
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4.3 A challenging orphan concept


The typical Ngogwe orphan, and the apparent acceptance of scenarios of somewhat general life conditions for orphans, cannot be properly comprehended without reference to the Ngogwe orphan concept muleekwa or rather to notions of orphanhood. In the present study orphans were not integrated into foster households on equal terms with natal children of the household. The position of a muleekwa in some foster home was recognised to imply hard work, and a relative lack of privileges regarding education, dress, rest etc. What was more, it was not uncommon to address an orphaned child by the term muleekwa rather than by his/her personal name, implying a constant reminder of the childs inferior position in the home. The relatively underprivileged life situation of orphans was simply explained by a number of informants by the absence of parental care, and was linked to a concern to prepare orphaned children for example as seen in the challenges linked to clearing and ploughing of fields. As mentioned above, poverty was moreover found to be associated with social tension over inheritance and land ownership.

Graph 3: Showing the number of OVCs per H/H

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40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Kikakanya Namulesa Ddungi Male Female

From the graph, majority of the OVCs were found to be varying from parish to parish

Orphans living with their mothers and maternal aunts or grandmothers nonetheless reported fewer hardships and were more often cared for by people whom they felt were genuinely concerned for their well-being. Although economic hardships were reported as being comparatively greater among orphans residing with maternal kin, the orphans experience of compassion, care, involvement in the household affairs and of being a part of the family were central in their responses. Grandparents on both sides however stood out as an exception from the emerging paternal/maternal divide, and were generally described as good and loving caregivers.

4.4 Gendered vulnerability


The study found that female orphans, particularly those aged between five and twelve, were at greater risk of being excluded from education than male orphans, as they are in particular high demand as domestic servants, and in some cases willingly refused to go to school even when called upon by the caregiver. It was revealed that families with young

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children, especially urban families, often take in female orphans as child minders or as general domestic servants.

Graph 4: Information on H/H caring for OVCs.

20 15 10 5 0 Namulesa Kikakanya Ddungi Figure 1 Information on House Holds Boys Girls

Informants observed that those caring for orphans were often inclined to give away young female orphans, particularly to relatives in towns in need of domestic assistance. Young girls of 12 years and above are likely to face a big challenge of early marriages, unwanted pregnancies as well as sexual abuse since they are treated the same like boys for instance sending them to isolated places like water sources, markets and shops at night which puts them at a greater risk of being sexually abused by irresponsible men.

Furthermore, when the problem of inadequate school fees comes in and all children can not be sponsored by the caregiver, a girl child is expected to drop out of school for others (boys) to study.

Graph 5: OVC school enrolment

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45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Kikakanya Namulesa Ddungi Attend School Do not Attend School

Informants were asked why some children do not go to school in the area and they had the following reasons: 1. Have no school fees to take them to school and UPE schools in the area are very far. 2. Have no source of income to take them to school.

4.5 Age-based vulnerability


The degree and kinds of vulnerability of orphans were not surprisingly found to vary with the orphans age. Younger maternal orphans for example appeared to be particularly vulnerable to hunger and starvation. Young orphans were commonly left at home more often than their foster mothers biological children when their care-providers spent their days in the fields. Informants indeed observed that many very young orphans roamed from homestead to homestead in search of food and for other children to play with. Older orphans also reported hunger, not least during school hours due to inadequate breakfast and lunch. They were moreover found to provide domestic labour in other people's homes in return for food. Older orphans were, however, as stated at the onset of this section, at substantial risk of being overworked. The workload of orphans above the age of seven often increases tremendously as they are regarded as old enough to cope with long working hours in the fields, with severe consequences for schooling. `

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4.6 Willingness to care for orphans


Despite the fact that the extended family in Ngogwe is under severe pressure, and examples of discrimination and deprivation of orphans were brought up by study informant, it is important to emphasize the amazing continued willingness to absorb orphans especially total orphans (those who have lost both parents) into extended families when calamity strikes. Even in the face of severe impoverisation, families continue to accept the care for orphaned children. It should moreover be re-stated that the orphan situation in Ngogwe is highly complex and does not produce one single profile of vulnerability but very many; hence, it is possible to encounter orphans well and lovingly cared for by step mothers, or deprived or even abused orphans cared for by maternal kin.

From the findings of the baseline survey and stakeholder consultations, the research established that most of the interviewed respondents have no access to proper health services which could partly explain why majority had never taken the trouble to test for HIV. These are the priority areas to be looked at when structuring interventions to address the OVC situation in resource constrained settings among children mainly in rural areas. This implies that while structuring interventions, there is need to have them put into consideration.

In the final section we shall draw upon the above study findings to indicate policy and intervention of relevance for orphans and their caregivers in Ngogwe.

4.7 Reducing the burden of work of orphans


As noted above, the most visibly manifest aspect of many orphans vulnerability was their immense workloads. This was the aspect immediately pointed out by every category of informants. Ways of reducing the undue burden placed on children appear to be vital,
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as the enormous workloads have severe consequences for diverse aspects of childrens lives. Like most of the themes brought up in an orphan context, the issue of the high workloads among Children are highly complex. Hardships regarding long and strenuous working hours are commonly linked to quite extreme economic marginalisation and, in the last instance of family survival. The steadily increasing daily monetary demand on economically marginalised households caring for orphans has exacerbated the demand for childrens labour.

A number of different small-scale ventures have been attempted in response to the linked challenges of poverty and child labour. Cash contributions have rarely been successful. The initiative that to us emerges as most promising in terms of costs and sustainability is linked to strengthening of households agricultural capability. This proposal was raised by our informants. Providing households caring for orphans with assistance in the form of increased knowledge about the well being of orphans through sensitization, with our support, training households caring for orphans on how to start up small Income

Generating Activities (IGAs) that will yield enough income for the family, we believe, have substantial spin-off benefits. It would help reduce the demand for childrens labour in cultivation to earn income; it would increase food and cash-crop production because with increased income, such households can easily hire a worker to provide manual
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labour which will lead to an increase in production of food for consumption, thereby improving the households nutritional status and health. These factors would in turn create the potential for greater school attendance and performance. This kind of support would also reduce on the challenge of stigma. With close monitoring and with sufficient funds, such schemes should also reach other households with vulnerable children. There is obviously no guarantee that the provision of income generating activities and hiring of manual labourers to replace orphans in gardens would ultimately limit orphans digging and enhance their nutritional status, but the immediate demand for manual labour would be greatly reduced, with all the potential benefits in this context.

4.8 Improving orphans educational opportunities


Although questions are continuously raised as to the relevance and the efficiency of schooling for children, it remains increasingly clear that education provides the basis for gaining important life skills and is the basic premise for upward social mobility. The need to improve orphan educational opportunities appeared vital to all categories of informants in the present study, not least to the orphans themselves.

The Universal Primary Education (UPE) initiative has clearly had a dramatic effect on general school enrolment, but formal enrolment in and by itself hardly guarantees proper school attendance and school performance. Experience indicates that assistance to individual families/children to enhance school attendance and performance among orphans is extremely challenging, as it may easily generate scenarios dominated by envy
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and stigma. In a school context generalized/non-targeted programmes confronting locally experienced challenges may more fruitfully be opted for, albeit obviously targeting experienced needs. The Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda is providing primary schools with textbooks, but there is an acute need to ensure that other school-related costs, such as costs of uniforms and scholastic materials, are entirely covered. To complement government efforts, it is vital to generate funds to ensure that all scholastic requirements are provided free of charge, so that children are not held back from school due to a lack of equipment. At a rural primary school in Buikwe District, the cost of scholastic materials (pens, exercise books, mathematical set and school uniforms) necessary to maintain a pupil at school for one year would most likely not go beyond US 15 dollars for a full school term. Yet, this is much more than the total monthly income of the great majority of rural households caring for orphans in Buikwe District for example, in one of the households visited by the researchers, one of the house hold heads narrates how he is struggling to see through all his five children in school with a monthly pay of US 17dollars. Completely free primary schooling would, we believe, act as a powerful signal and incentive to adults taking care of children.

The problem of hunger among orphaned school and pre-school children was another major finding of the study, and is a challenge that needs to be urgently addressed to improve equity as well as quality of education in Uganda. Other studies have also pointed out the challenges related to inadequate food for pupils. Food support can often more easily be monitored (to ensure an equitable distribution) when provided to schools rather than to households. We believe that as an immediate measure, school authorities in collaboration with parents could fruitfully design schemes in which parents contribute dry food items such as beans and maize from which the schools can prepare one meal a day for the children. Since not all parents may be in a position to contribute, the government in collaboration with NGOs and CBOs should devise ways of topping up parents contributions as an effort to maximize the benefits

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of the initiative. Such a school-based meal programme could moreover act as an additional incentive for sending children to school.

4.9 Community sensitization


The suffering and deprivation indicated in numerous cases and reports among Ngogwe informants were found within the context of insufficient understanding of what is often labelled the extended family. A vital starting point from which to approach the orphan challenge among most households caring for orphans in Ngogwe Sub county is fundamental knowledge of the many and diverse implications of the ways in which matrilineal ideology shapes particular patterns of care for orphans. One young boy of twelve years said when our grandmother fails to raise our school fees, she sends us to our relatives for help but they instead tell us to sit and wait for them to first cater for the luxurious needs of their children since we are not their responsibilities and we can sit home for a full term. The patrilineal ideology has a number of practical outcomes of utmost importance for orphans well-being, such as the imposition of children upon disinterested or unwilling female care takers, patterns of exploitation and care among matriand patri-kin, particularities of inheritance rules/property grabbing, particularities of sexual abuse etc. However culturally relevant, one cannot design efficient programmes targeting matri- households where sexual exploitation is likely to take place, households where excessive workloads are likely to be placed upon children by step mothers, or households where neglect and abuse are taking place to the extent that young orphans withdraw in such powerlessness like conditions. Such specified program initiatives simply cannot be implemented without creating suspicion in and around particular households, and without facing the risk of adding increased burden to already suffering children since they will still be the hands of the same caretakers. What can and should be established however, are locally based sensitization programs to address the particularities of risks and resources inherent in most cultures and societies. a) A community based initiatives approach, driven not by outsiders, but by respected adults and elders, community health workers and by articulate orphans. These
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individuals would not only have a fundamental understandig of the challenges facing orphaned children in general, but would, due to their knowledge of people and places, be in positions to recognize the relative vulnerability of particular homes and individuals. b) The prime mandate of such community-based groups should be to address obstacles to childrens well-being in general in smaller and larger village based meetings. Beyond information and education, their mandate should include identification of key challenges in particular households caring for vulnerable children, counseling at individual, family and community levels, and monitoring of homes identified as most vulnerable. c) Backed by more information and skills, such local groups could develop into community-based d) Institutions that could be in unique positions to link vulnerable households and vulnerable children to safety nets and potential organisations for support. e) It is believed that a comprehensive community sensitization programme must be located at the heart of any attempt to address the challenges highlighted in this study. f) Ever increasing competition for scarce resources within the household and the clan, amplified by the ever increasing numbers of adult deaths and numbers of orphans, are producing situations where orphans are at risk of becoming victims rather than beneficiaries of the extended family. g) The gendered imbalance in decision-making processes with regards to care for orphans is another issue located at the crux of the orphan challenge.

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As the main care providers, women are located at the heart of the matter, and need to play a decisive role in making decisions on who should care for orphans. Imposing children upon unwilling care takers is bound to be a tragedy for both adults and children, and this underlines the significance of participation of potential care givers in the processes. In the case of orphan care among, a concerted effort to mobilize and sensitize to the significance of womens engagement in these decision-making processes is essential.

Beyond the vulnerability of the child him/herself, the multiple challenges produced by the transition of orphan care to matrikin combined with the discontinuation of the customary property and widow inheritance practice need to be central topics in future sensitization efforts. While acknowledging the discouragement of the practice in an HIV prevention context (and possibly also in a larger and long term womens emancipation scenario), members of the patri-clan who use the discontinuation of the practice as a pretext for abandoning customary obligations to provide care and support for widows and orphans must be questioned. Again we are dealing with a problem of such proportions that it threatens the well-being of women and children at large. It is these and other culturally grounded issues that a locally constituted team of resource individuals can address, discuss and question with far more insight, authority and impact than any outside driven effort to bring about change.
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Graph 7: HIV/AIDS situation: awareness.

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Kikakanya Namulesa Ddungi Aware Not Aware

Graph 8: Willingness to test HIV/AIDS by both caregivers and OVCs.


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20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

Willing to test Not Willing to test

4.10 Proposed project interventions


The baseline survey revealed that there were a number of challenges that the local community were facing at both Household level and community level in general in the process of providing assistance to the OVCs. Discussions with the Household heads revealed that public service delivery in rural areas is still lacking and where present, very inaccessible. Below is a set of some of the arrears identified by community members as the most areas in need both at household and community level as shown in the table.

Table 3: Projects identified by the respondents No. 1 At Community Level At Individual H/H level

Hospitals-Health services nearer to School fees, books, pens the people. Safe Water Free education for all. Beddings for children like mattresses Food and Income Generating Activities (IGAs) to boost household income levels. House Construction orphans. especially for

2 3

Strengthening Women groups

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RAFFORD UGANDA gives great importance towards community identified projects due to the fact that involvement of beneficiaries right from identification stage is a key step in success of a project of any kind.

Policy implications
Implications for policy and intervention thus have to be as varied and multi-dimensional as the problems addressed; levels and scale of intervention, target groups, kinds of approach and content of interventions will have to be as diverse as the problem itself. A key challenge when designing appropriate interventions is two fold; firstly, for proposals not to remain mere dreams they need to be realistic in financial terms. In a context where the challenge emerges as overwhelming, the temptation and danger of designing too costly measures is immediate. In this context, the necessity of targeting assistance to categories and individuals who are in most dire need becomes very evident. From this point however follows the second challenge: the problem of reaching the ones who need it the most, without adding further burdens of shame, stigma, or jealousy to already vulnerable persons or households. These are hardly programme dilemmas related merely to this particular problem, but they become acute in contexts where we are dealing with such a vast challenge and when the assistance is targeting children with little or no adult support. Our approach can be summarized as resting upon the following pillars: a) Community based programmes aimed at alleviating orphans unacceptable heavy workloads. b) Community based programmes aimed at improving orphans school attendance and performance. c) Community based sensitization programmes aimed at improving orphan care and support as well as reducing stigmatization.
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These points could be drawn from any programme document, and gain in value only when applied or adjusted to local context. We would like to state at the onset that it is the third point, community sensitization, which in our opinion is by far the most important, and which creates the foundation on which all other activity would be based. Words without very visible action and which do not aim at doing something concrete about the situation will have very limited potential. We therefore start out addressing a couple of areas that for community members will emerge as most immediately meaningful and relevant.

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CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 Challenges


This section of the report highlights some of the challenges faced by OVCs and their caretakers as highlighted during the assessment. Major challenges identified were related to poverty, inadequate social services, domestic violence, household food insecurity and poor child care practices which have further compounded their vulnerability;

Inadequate Social Services The research established that most of the interviewed respondents have no access to proper health services which could partly explain why majority had never taken the trouble to test for HIV. Children also recognised the socio-economic challenges and gaps affecting their welfare and express the need for actors both public and private to respond accordingly. For instance, children pointed out the need for; making education truly free and universal at all levels, effectively supporting with special needs as well as instituting social protection measures for families and communities.

Household Food Insecurity In some Households, the care givers experience a problem of inadequate food to feed the children and since they look after more than five children, their worry is that since they are old, their children will starve to death since they can no longer go to the garden to dig and even the children are still too young.

Domestic Violence Most widows experience a problem of insecurity from relatives of their deceased husbands who grab all the property left for widows and the children leaving them homeless and yet they have children to look after.

Information on HIV/AIDS Inadequate awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention by pupils


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HIV/AIDS is not mainstreamed in the District Development Plan/budget. Some of the suggestions from both children and caregivers to duty bearers Government should make regular follow-ups in schools and Government Hospitals to improve effective coordination of services provided to vulnerable children. Local council leaders should put strict rules and follow-ups on CBOs and NGOs which come in the name of helping OVCs but end up asking for money from caregivers. There is need to create awareness about childrens rights among children and the community. Parents should be sensitised about the importance of educating children............Should encourage girl child education.

5.1 Verbatim Community Statements During the study children were asked to explain how they would like to enjoy their adulthood through skills development. Children had amazing dreams and aspirations of which the following deserve mention;

My dream is to be a mechanic

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One care giver (grandma) said; All I need is to see my children through school amidst scarcity, old age, lack of money I would love to see him study, if I get lucky and people like you give a hand I am CHAPTER SIX sure that he will continue in 6.0 Recommendations school..
1. Government should institute a conditional grant to all local governments to enable them deliver social welfare services as is done in the case of health and education sectors. The performance of the grant can be monitored through the local government performance assessment minimum conditions. OVC should therefore become an assessment area. 2. The Ministry of Finance planning and Economic Development should increase funding to Local Governments to enable hiring of staff (PSO, CDOs and ACDOs) so as to facilitate delivery of quality child care and protection services. The fund should further facilitate grass root efforts/ for engagement of families and communities to complement government in delivery of social welfare services. 3. Local governments should prioritise CBSD staffing in the non conditional grant provisions by MFPED and increase local revenue allocation from the current
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average of 1.4 to 5% by 2013 to facilitate delivery of social welfare services (child care and protection services). 4. To close the gap between the child and the social welfare system that stops at the sub county level, government should deliberately include village and house hold networks in the care and protection of OVC. 5. There is a need to encourage each sector at the District level to mainstream HIV/AIDS in its work plans and project profiles i.e. counseling, treatment, sensitise parents/guardians on the need to educate such children. 6. Service providers should always endeavor to reach the communities if possible individual households before delivering service because in most cases the people who are vulnerable and are in most need of these services are left out by greedy leaders for their own self interests. 7. Government should make regular follow-ups in schools and Government Hospitals to improve effective coordination of services provided to vulnerable children. 8. Strict laws should be put concerning parents, communities and law enforcement agencies who often connive and deny children their rights by asking money from culprits as a bribe to bury cases reported to them by children.

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CHAPTER SEVEN 7.0 Conclusion


Based on the findings of this assessment, the study found that in spite of considerable challenges there is continued willingness to absorb and care for orphans within extended families. It is therefore local communities and extended families that in the foreseeable future will remain the major asset to be drawn upon in handling the challenges of caring for orphans. The report has highlighted the importance of drawing upon ethnographic material to inform policy development and intervention planning, and as such, will form the basis of the intervention strategies that will be used while implementing the OVC pilot phase project in Buikwe district before, rolling it out in the other selected parts of the country. One of the principal points we have tried to make is; The importance of designing interventions in collaboration with those who daily experience the diversity and the particularities of problems linked to the ever increasing masses of orphaned children. The study on which this article is based has generated knowledge of specific factors that contribute to differing degrees and kinds of vulnerability in different categories of orphans. This implies that diverse categories of children will require different kinds of attention and followup. It is our belief that any shortcut to addressing the orphan challenge may fail if it does not recognize that childcare is culturally constituted in ways that will affect how orphaned children are ultimately perceived and cared for. This knowledge is vital, lest time and resources of orphan support schemes are wasted while children and communities continue to suffer. If serious attempts at alleviating the most important sources of suffering for orphaned children are to be made, it is the responsibility of the policy makers and intervention planners to identify the very real challenges and resources inherent in diverse socio-cultural settings, and to draw upon such local knowledge in policy development and programming that leads to the experience of improvements in the lives of orphans.
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ANNEX

Annex 1: Detailed Data on House Holds Reached during the survey.


Name of H/Head Age Sex of H/Head No. of children in Children the family 18yrs 8- Education children Prim Sec of Source of family Income

1. Wesonga Robert 2. Opera Damascus 3. Nabukere Magret 4. Mubiru Joseph 5. Mary Waswa 6. Nalukwago Mary 7. Mbikola Margret 8. Nakiyini Lydia 9. Jane

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Subsistence farming and teaching Teaching

45

50

Subsistence farming

55 74 30

M F F

5 7 6

1 3

Farming Support from her children Agriculture

58

Farming

40 83

F F

9 4

7 3

7 2 1

Piece works Farming 41

10. Nakafu Specioza 11. Bisilikirwa Fatinah 12. Nakato Mariam 13. Nantambi Proscovia 14. Elyania Nalongo 15. Namayanja Drolence 16. Badda Gertrude 17. Mayanja Stephen 18. Ssemambo Anthony 19. Babirye Agnes

60

Farming

40

Farming

72 34

F F

4 4

2 3

2 0 0

Weaving mats and baskets None

50

Farming

45

Farming

40

None

41

10

Cattle keeping

33

12

Farming

51

SUBSISTANCE FARMING Farming Farming keeping and animal

20. Namugalu Betty 31 21. Nalwanga Phina 67

F F

3 6

3 5

3 4

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22. Nazziwa Rose 23. Nababi Costance 24. Nansubuga 25. Nakito Margret 26. Ssebukalu Faustine 27. Igumba Emmanuel 28. Nakunja Allen 29. Babirye Aidah 30. Erasmus Kyonyi 31. Nakiyinji Christine 32. Rine Kiyini 33. Nansubuga Leticia 34. Nalweyiso Maurine 35. Florence

44 82

F F

5 1

1 1

1 1

Subsistence farming Farming

60 70 55 M

F F

3 7 4

1 3 3

1 0 2 0 1

None None Farming and piece works

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None

34 80 29 M

F F

3 3 4

3 2 4

3 1 4 2

Farming and livestock Subsistence farming Fishing

70

Subsistence farming

70 65

F F

4 2

3 2

1 2

FARMING Local brew

23

Sells household items

45

10

Farming 43

Giibwa 36. Mukasa Sarah 65 F 4 2 2 1 Farming, coffee Farming S/S: Common Income: source of piggery and

37. Nola Naziiwa Total No. H/hs: 37

60 23-82( range)

6 >18yrs:

6 P/S:

age No. of No. of No. Of Children: M: F: 7 30

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Annex 11: Research Team


S/N Name Title Coordinator Organisation RAFFORD-Uganda 1. Akampurira Sarah

2.

Arrikod Ivan

Director Programmes

RAFFORD-Uganda

3.

Nabukenya Mary

Program Officer-Children Affairs

RAFFORD-Uganda

4.

Timothy Matovu

Program Officer Health

RAFFORD-Uganda

5.

Douglas Mbogo

Community Development Ngogwe Sub-county

Officer Buikwe District Government

Local

6. Babirye Agnes-

LC111 Councilor

Ngogwe Sub County

7. Nankunja Allen

VHT

Ngogwe Sub County

8.

Tibigwayo Livingstone

Head Teacher

St. Henrys S.S Ngogwe

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Interview

guide

for

Heads

of

household

fostering

Orphans

UGANDA

BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE Part 1: Bio Data Name of interviewee: (Optional).................. Age :..Sex: No of Family members: ... Position in the Family: H/Head, child, Relative, Guardian. (Tick Appropriate) Village/ LC1 Cell: Sub- countyDistrict.. Part 2: Data on House Hold 1. Who is the head of this family? ............................................................................................................. 2. Approximate age of the household head.. 3. What is the relationship in the Family? . 4. How many children are in the family? 5. How many are 8 to 18 years of age? 6. Do children go to school? ....................... How many are in: primary.Secondary... 7. What is the family source of Income? . Part 3: OVC 1. Do you have orphans in your family? Yes..No.. 2. How many are they? 3. How old are they: 1st .2nd 3rd ....4th 5th ........6th . 4. Do they go to school? YesNo.. 5. If no ask why? 6. What are their details?

Email: rafford_uganda@hotmail.com

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Interview guide for Heads of households fostering orphans (cont)

S/N Name 1 2 3

Education level reached so far

Age

Sex

Part 4: HIV AIDS awareness 1. Are you aware of HIV/AIDS? Yes No .. 2. Where did you get Information about HIV Aids from? Radio..Church..school Others please specify? ................................................................... 3. Do you know your HIV status/ have you ever tested for HIV? Yes .No ... 4. Would you like to know your HIV status? Yes No: ... 5. Would you like to test your Children for HIV? Yes .No: .... Part 5: Projects Identification. 1. What do you think can be done to help Orphans and Vulnerable children in your community? 2. At Community level: 1.................................... 2. . 3. At House Hold Level: 1.. 2...

Thank You very Much for Participating

Email: rafford_uganda@hotmail.com

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Glossary
Care giver The individual who takes primary responsibility for the physical, mental and emotional needs and well being of the child.

Child A person who is below the age of 18 years.

Child Labour Work that is mentally, physically, socially and/ all morally dangerous and harmful to children. It is also perceived as work or activities that interfere with children education. Child labour includes hazardous work. Which by its nature or the circumstances under which it is performed, jeopardizes the health, safety and morals of a child

Child neglect Constitutes the failure of care givers to provide adequate, physical emotional care for a child; may also involve the refusal of or delay in seeking care, inadequate supervision, abandonment and expulsion from home or refusal to allow a run a way to return home.

Child headed households A child headed household is a household in which the oldest person living there, the authority figure in the house, is below the age of eighteen. This usually means that the adults of the household have died, living orphans to look after them selves.

Family A basic unit of existence consisting of one or more parents and their parents and close relations that provides a setting for social and economic interaction, transmission of values and protection. In the context of OVC programming, families may vary in
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constitution, some of the categories include those that are child headed, the elderly caregiver headed, single parent families, among others.

Household A group of people who normally live and eat together in one spatial unit and share domestic functions and activities.

Intervention Intervention is used in this report as a general term to describe all programmes, projects and activities that are started and carried out by any person, group or organisation for the benefit of orphans and other vulnerable children.

Orphan A child who has lost one or both parents

Vulnerable child A child who is suffering and or all is likely to suffer any form of abuse or deprivation and is therefore in need of care and protection

Vulnerability A state of being or likely to be in a risky situation, where a person is likely to suffer significant physical, emotional or mental harm that may result in their human rights not being fulfilled

Vulnerable Being vulnerable means being in position of risk from treats to ones physical or emotional wellbeing. Being vulnerable implies a lack of protection from such threats.

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References
1. Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development National Strategic Programme Plan of Intervention for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children 2011/12 -2015/16 2. Ministry of Local Government Buikwe District Development Plan 2010/2011 2014/2015 3. UNAIDS Memory Book Ugandas Annual HIV&AIDS success story magazine December 2011-November 2012 4. Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, 2002 Uganda Population and Housing census Report. 5. Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, National policy and Strategy for Orphans and other Vulnerable Children.

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