It infects the innocent, orphans children, and leaves a heavy burden of stigma and discrimination resting on the shoulders of those who have lost everything.
The tragedy of HIV/AIDS in Africa knocks vulnerable children deeper into poverty, where the disease flourishes. We’re here to pick them up. Our approach is threefold:
Not wanting to have HIV/AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children (also known as OVC) taken away from their local communities and put in orphanages, World Concern emphasizes a unique community and family-centered approach that helps keep children close to home.
While many families in HIV/AIDS-impacted communities are already willing to help local orphans, they often lack resources.
World Concern is working to support these caregivers with food, livestock, business skills, basic hygiene training and more.
In many cases, caregivers are enabled to increase their income by starting small businesses such as selling soap, tailoring or rearing animals.
Children who have experienced the loss of a parent also need space to grieve and World Concern trains local volunteers who provide grief and trauma counseling.
In many families, World Concern volunteers also help the older children (ages 15-17) become capable leaders through a variety of education programs such as hygiene, nutrition and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Once trained, older children are encouraged to pass on this information to their younger siblings and other youth in their communities.
Caring for OVC is a long term commitment and World Concern knows the importance of establishing relationships with local partners to provide effective and sustainable care.
At the broader community level, World Concern actively mobilizes and strengthens local churches, health clinics and other community organizations to provide for those in their midst who are most vulnerable.
Working within local communities, World Concern helps provide basic health care and support for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
PLWHAs are connected with clinics and other community services and given access to Anti Retro Viral therapy that treats the effects of HIV/AIDS.
By enabling local churches and other community organizations to develop and maintain their own PLWHA home-based support programs, World Concern is able to empower local communities to better look after their own friends and family members.
Many families with PLWHA are provided with preventative care packages, including chlorine kits for safe drinking water and food rations for those in need.
In many places, World Concern also works with support groups to strengthen their active outreach to PLWHA.
These groups provide education on HIV/AIDS and training in treatment and health practices to help reduce stigma and discrimination in local communities.
Many youth in Zambia, Haiti and other countries know little about the dangers associated with HIV/AIDS.
World Concern prevention programs focus on disseminating accurate information to these children through a variety of HIV/AIDS awareness curriculum, educational methods and by referring them to Voluntary Counseling and Testing services (VCT) and peer support groups.
Within local communities, teachers, parents and pastors and other leaders are mobilized and trained to help youth make better informed, important life choices.
Notably, all World Concern HIV/AIDS prevention activities are gender balanced with a strong focus on empowering women. Once trained, women are often encouraged to serve as mentors to younger girls in their communities.
Many of World Concern’s children and youth HIV/AIDS education programs also incorporate drama and music.
After attending these programs, children are encouraged to share the information with their parents, caregivers and friends.
These training and prevention programs also help raise awareness, reduce stigma and foster a healthier community environment.
