Project Proposal

Support group members for people living with
HIV/AIDS being trained income generating
projects by Self Help Development Foundation

Project Title: Protecting Urban Vulnerable Communities
Name of Organisation: Life Empowerment Support Organisation
Countries Covered: Zimbabwe
Location: Chitungwiza (2253- F Seke)

Project Purpose

Facilitation of Prevention, Care, Support and advocacy to vulnerable communities with HIV/AIDS and other health problems.

Target Beneficiaries

The requested resources will benefit Life Empowerment Support Group members which are for the Aged, People living with HIV/AIDS, Widows, Youths, Disabled, Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Patients on Home Based Care Programme and the Community of Chitungwiza. People will be reached through cascading of Life Empowerment Support Organisation (LESO) programmes on various health topics, discussions, exchange programmes with other organizations and encouraging income generating projects.

Statement of the Problem

High rate at HIV/AIDS cases and spread of epidemic diseases leading to high rate of Home Based Care patients. Knowledge deficit on life skills projects leading to economic hardships.

Output

• Community initiated structures and mechanisms
• Identification of community based expertise for a sustainable development.
• Formation of support groups for all vulnerable groups for education on Prevention, Care, Support and Advocacy on health problems.
• Advocacy and behaviour change training and empowerment of vulnerable communities.

Planned Activities

• Training and education on HIV/AIDS and other health problems and encouraging income generating projects.
• Documentation, compiling of statistics, monitoring and evaluation.
• Policy, advocacy and lobbing campaigns with relevant government department and other organizations.

Formation / Background

Life Empowerment Support Organisation aims at alleviating suffering; allay anxiety and reduce poverty to vulnerable communities. We facilitate prevention, care, support and advocacy to the aged and their dependencies. The organization also aims at reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections and other epidemic diseases, stigma and discrimination among young people so as to promote behaviour change and improve quality of care and support for families affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.

In recent years the overall situation in Zimbabwe has rapidly declined. The economic, political and HIV/AIDS has affected the people of Zimbabwe. These crisis have led the cumulative effect and escalating the social and economic hardships that communities face. More people are unemployed and more people are affected and infected, most children have been orphaned and left with no birth certificates, no school fees, lack of food and clothing. There is a number of people who are also mentally challenged due to economical situation. There is need for them to have adequate medication, food aid, supportive counselling and care to strengthen their economic status.

In our area of Chitungwiza in Zimbabwe there are funding partners who sponsor Zimbabwe Red Cross Society with food AID, clothing, fees for the orphans and vulnerable children and HIV/AIDS cases.

Life Empowerment Support Organisation has a holistic approach and was community driven. The organization was started by three Registered General Nurses who worked under the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare for 23 years and gained community participation. One of the nurses was appointed Home Based Care and Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission Coordinator at Chitungwiza Central Hospital for over 5 years and gained experience in networking with other organizations and the community.

During the time of nursing within the Hospitals we identified that the community is lacking knowledge on prevention, care and support for the vulnerable people. We also identified that clients need follow ups especially those on Home Based Care Programme Organisations are there in Chitungwiza who are doing similar work but the population of vulnerable communities is very high due to the HIV/AIDS Pandemic and economic hardships.

The Life Empowerment Support Organisation will help to lessen the burden of care by Home Based Care Programme as they assist in carrying out chores for the infected and affected families and will provide quality palliative care as they will now have more time to attend to core activities of caring for the sick. The project also seeks to make contributions towards addressing these challenges, by providing psychosocial support for the aged and their dependencies so as to handle challenges.

Our target beneficiaries are the aged and their dependences we have support groups for the aged, people living with HIV/AIDS, Widows, Youths, Disabled, Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Home Based Care Programme for all chronically ill patients.

Achievements from 2008, we are registered with the Social Welfare PVO 02/08 and we networked with several organizations and attended meetings which concern HIV/AIDS and we are under the partnership with National AIDS Council. Our clients were trained Income Generating Project by Self Help Development foundation.

Main Activities

List the planning activities to deliver the output above.

1. Training and Education on HIV/AIDS and health issues.

2. Documentation, compiling of statistics, monitoring and evaluation.

3. Policy advocacy and lobbing campaigns with relevant government departments and other organizations.

Background 250 words max. Please include relevant work conducted in this area by UK and other donors and coordinators.

Formation / Background

Life Empowerment Support Organisation aims at alleviating suffering; allay anxiety and reduce poverty to vulnerable communities. We facilitate prevention, care, support and advocacy to the aged and their dependencies. The organization also aims at reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections and other epidemic diseases, stigma and discrimination among young people so as to promote behaviour change and improve quality of care and support for families affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.

In recent years the overall situation in Zimbabwe has rapidly declined. The economic, political and HIV/AIDS has affected the people of Zimbabwe. These crisis have led the cumulative effect and escalating the social and economic hardships that communities face. More people are unemployed and more people are affected and infected, most children have been orphaned and left with no birth certificates, no school fees, lack of food and clothing. There is a number of people who are also mentally challenged due to economical situation. There is need for them to have adequate medication, food aid, supportive counselling and care to strengthen their economic status.

In our area of Chitungwiza in Zimbabwe there are funding partners who sponsor Zimbabwe Red Cross Society with food AID, clothing, fees for the orphans and vulnerable children and HIV/AIDS cases.

Life Empowerment Support Organisation has a holistic approach and was community driven. The organization was started by three Registered General Nurses who worked under the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare for 23 years and gained community participation. One of the nurses was appointed Home Based Care and Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission Coordinator at Chitungwiza Central Hospital for over 5 years and gained experience in networking with other organizations and the community.

During the time of nursing within the Hospitals we identified that the community is lacking knowledge on prevention, care and support for the vulnerable people. We also identified that clients need follow ups especially those on Home Based Care Programme Organisations are there in Chitungwiza who are doing similar work but the population of vulnerable communities is very high due to the HIV/AIDS Pandemic and economic hardships.

The Life Empowerment Support Organisation will help to lessen the burden of care by Home Based Care Programme as they assist in carrying out chores for the infected and affected families and will provide quality palliative care as they will now have more time to attend to core activities of caring for the sick. The project also seeks to make contributions towards addressing these challenges, by providing psychosocial support for the aged and their dependencies so as to handle challenges.

Our target beneficiaries are the aged and their dependences we have support groups for the aged, people living with HIV/AIDS, Widows, Youths, Disabled, Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Home Based Care Programme for all chronically ill patients.

Achievements from 2008, we are registered with the Social Welfare PVO 02/08 and we networked with several organizations and attended meetings which concern HIV/AIDS and we are under the partnership with National AIDS Council. Our clients were trained Income Generating Project by Self Help Development foundation.

Project Risk Analysis / Management

• Fear of poor turn up of participants due to wrong perception.
• Interference and rigid laws
• Fear of being diagnosed leading to stigma and discrimination.

Management

• Avoid political quotations
• Seek local guidance e.g Department of Social Welfare
• Emphasise common areas of the project by giving health education on Health problems and encouraging income generating projects.

Life Empowerment Support Organisations Strengths Identified

• Proven ability to mobilize the community of Chitungwiza and ability to disseminate the information through brochures etc.
• Innovative and creative enough to find solutions rounds challenges and difficulties.
• Effective communication at all levels and access to means of communication.
• Commitment to work with the community of Chitungwiza and ensuring our interventions are demand driven and to deliver a holistic approach.
• Good interaction with grass roots people and to operate effectively at social levels.

Beneficiaries Participation

Participation of beneficiaries is high, they managed to attend for the days of support groups as stipulated and managed to disseminate the information to others in the community.
Participants joined the training of income generating projects which they were trained by Self Help Development Foundation which was organized by Life Empowerment Support Organisation.

Sustainability and Long Term Impact

Special Care will be taken to ensure the project strengthens the economic status of those who are vulnerable by working closely with communities and local authorities to target those in need. This targeting will encourage an environment that protects those who are economically stressed.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Formation of the monitoring and evaluation team both internal and external. Documentation, weekly and monthly meetings to assess progress and compiling of statistics. Reports to be sent to funding partners.

Conclusion

The HIV/AIDS pandemic and economic hardships have caused a lot of stress worsening the health of those living with HIV/AIDS.

The pandemic has eroded the extended family network and many children robed their protection and dignity ending up with no life security.

Life Empowerment Support Organisation (LESO) will participate in filling the gaps and hopes that given the resources and funds should be able to provide quality palliative care for the Home Based Care Clients and Psychosocial Support for all the vulnerable communities and strengthening of Income Generating Projects.

Contact details >