Power and empowerment: Fostering effective collaboration in meeting the needs of orphans and vulnerable children

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS has resulted in a rapidly growing population of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). These OVC have strained the traditional safety net provided by extended families to its breaking point. Increasingly, community-based initiatives are emerging to fill the gap. However, relatively little is known about these efforts and their effectiveness. This article looks at one such initiative in rural Tanzania, and explores the relationship between local communities that seek to empower themselves to address the needs of their OVC and external organisations that have the resources and power to help them. This case study describes the successful effort of a community to build a Centre housing its orphans, and the subsequent closure of that Centre despite its evident success, because of a conflict between internal and external interests. This case study is used as the basis of a broader discussion on how those with power, and communities seeking empowerment, are complexly intertwined.

Keywords:

• orphans and vulnerable children
• sub-Saharan Africa
• impact evaluation
• community-based care

Acknowledgements

The Lundy Foundation would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people that have helped to create new knowledge of the relatively unexplored area of child welfare among African orphans and vulnerable children: Sylvia Kaaya, MD – Muhimbili University; Harryl Hollingsworth, MA – Lundy Foundation; Carl Larson, PhD – University of Denver.

Notes

1. Two grants were awarded by the Rockefeller Foundation to the Denver-based Lundy Foundation.

2. Based on a focus group with villagers who participated in the children's centre development process (conducted in March 2006).

3. The full evaluation report including a detailed description of methods, sampling and results is found in Lundy Foundation (2007).

4. The main instrument selected for measuring depression was the Child Depression Inventory (CDI). ANOVA of CDI results yielded a between group F score = 3.940; and p>0.01.

5. The emotional and behavioural functioning of the children was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Parent Version (SDQ). See Lundy Foundation (2007) for a description of all instruments.

6. The quantitative instrument used to measure social integration was the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ).

7. The standardised measure of physical health was the body mass index (BMI) employing normative scores for Tanzanian children.

8. Quoted materials in this section are based on translations made during the meeting of 30 April 2007.

9. Only a small portion of US PEPFAR funds go to support OVC, and even these funds tend to be directed towards infected children.