MWENDO OVC

Support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

MWENDO OVC is a USAID-funded project that supports Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in 17 counties in the former Nyanza, Western, Nairobi, Coast and some parts of Rift Valley provinces of Kenya. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) leads a consortium of three partners including Maestral International and Health Innovations Kenya (HIK). MWENDO OVC focuses on addressing the social determinants of health to improve the well-being of children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS through:

  1. Increasing access to health and social services for OVC.
  2. Strengthening capacity of households and communities to protect and care for OVC.
  3. Strengthening child welfare and protection structures and systems for effective response in targeted counties.

MWENDO OVC takes a child-focused, family-centered and community-based approach that ensures the child’s well-being is nested within the household’s well-being. The Project uses a comprehensive case management model as the foundation and entry point for evidence and needs-based approach to ensure timely and effective service delivery.

Overall Targets

432,850

Children Targeted

341,415

Children Reached

480

Saving Groups Linked to Formal Financial Services

PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ENHANCING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Mworwaru SILC Group is one of the saving groups in Marani Ward, Kitutu Chache North in Kisii County. The group consists of 25 members – 23 female and 2 males. Mworuaru SILC Group was formed in September 2018 and is in the second cycle of savings. In their first cycle, they saved KES 178,000 and shared out KES 229,000 following interests made from loans and small businesses ventures that the group took up.

Ninety percent of the group members are living with HIV and taking care of Children Living with HIV (CLHIV) enrolled in MWENDO OVC.

Majority of the members of Mworwaru SILC group practice agriculture as a source of livelihood. Through Public Private Partnership, LifeSkills Promoters -MWENDO OVC’s Local Implementing Partner in Kisii County, linked the group to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) at Kitutu Chache. Through the linkage, the group was trained on SMART agriculture to improve their yield thus boosting their individual income.

“We taught the group members on the recommended agricultural practices, advised them on the kind of crops that will do well in this area, pest and disease control, crop spacing, post-harvest management among others,“ said Peter Oyaya, Marani Ward Agricultural Extension Officer. Peter has been very supportive of the group and has been on call whenever they need his services.

Jackline Kwamboka is a member of Mworwaru SILC Group. Jackline points out that through the training, she has seen improved quality and yield in her farm which translated to her getting more money for her household and savings. “Now I make more money from my bananas and vegetable, I used to grow my bananas very close to one another and would never take enough precautionary measures to protect my crops from pests and diseases,” said Jackline. “Now I follow what I was told by Mr. Oyaya and I have seen great improvement. I am now earning more from my farm,” Jackline added.

Through the improved income, Jackline now saves KES200 to 300 shillings weekly as compared to the first cycle when she could afford KES50 to 100 weekly.

LISP Targets

17,900

OVC Targeted

15,597

Current Active OVC

5,398

Household Reached

2,109

CLHIV Reached

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Rose – MWENDO OVC

Rose is 13 years old from Kisii County. When she was enrolled in MWENDO OVC in April 2018 her Viral…
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NON FORMAL EDUCATION FOR OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH

According to attachment theory, young children need to form a strong attachment to at least one primary caregiver who can provide the unconditional love…
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Disability is not Inability

They say Disability is not inability and one can still achieve their dreams if only you commit yourself to hard…
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Out of School Youth Program Providing Unlimited Possibilities.

Education opens unlimited possibilities for society that would otherwise be denied namely; a better chance to lead healthy and productive…
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APPRENTICESHIP SKILLS AS A MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD

MWENDO’s apprenticeship approach provides out-of-school OVC (15 – 17) OVC with specific occupational skills, as well as valuable employability skills,…
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Suppressing Viral Loads and Empowering Caregivers

Gladys, who is HIV positive, is a beneficiary of the MWENDO OVC project. She is a mother of 5 children…

Jackline Kwamboka. “Now I make more money from my bananas and vegetable”  Through her group, she was linked by Life Skills Promoters to the Ministry of Agriculture and trained on SMART Agriculture