Embedded Files
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Box 3527, Windhoek, Namibia
ERF 651, 23 Wewer Street, Extension 8,
Reg. WO 311 Khomasdal, Windhoek, Namibia, 11001
Tel: +264 61 211704
Mobile: +264 81 237 4937
E-mail: solidaritycomcare@gmail.com
Facebook: @solidaritycomcare
Twitter: @MwandingiC
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/solidarity/solidarity-community-care-organisation
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ANNUAL REPORT OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION (SCCO) COVERING THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE ORGANISATION FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2017
1. INTRODUCTION
Solidarity Community Care Organisation is a registered Community –Based Welfare Organisation (WO) founded on 24 March 2006 with the goal of contributing meaningfully to the anti-HIV/AIDS and antipoverty efforts in order to improve the health and welfare of HIV-positive and poor individual and communities affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty.
Mr. Constancio Hishiyukifa Mwandingi, Founder and Executive Chairperson of Solidarity Community Care Organisation, founded the organisation on 24 march 2006 after being diagnosed with HIV in October 2004 and felt that he needed to take whatever action he could to help prevent and eradicate HIV/AIDS and poverty and bequeath a better future to Namibian children.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services registered Solidarity Community Care Organisation as a Welfare Organisation (WO 311) on 30 November 2007.
Solidarity Community Care Organisation has over 404 volunteer Community Home-Based Care Providers and members in Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana, Oshikoto and Khomas regions of Namibia, 195 of these are trained in Community Home-Based Care and Community Development.
The Community Home Based Care Providers of the organisation have been providing community-based care and community development services, mostly HIV/AIDS care and support, to over 10,000 clients per year since 2008. In addition, the organisation has been implementing income generation and food security programmes and projects in order to contribute to poverty eradication efforts in the country through employment creation in five regions.
About 209 members of the organisation still need to be trained in community home-based care and community development. The organisation is therefore seeking financial support to this effect.
Solidarity Community Care Organisation has been operating in four (4) regions of Namibia, since 2006 namely Ohangwena, Oshana, Oshikoto and Khomas. However, in response to the demand of people in Omusati region, the organisation expanded to that region in 2006 with the establishment of a community care and development team at Outapi, which now has over 46 members ,26 members in Outapi Constituency, 15 members in Okalongo Constituency, 3 members in Anamulenge Constituency and 2 members in Ogongo Constituency.
The Community Home-Base D Care Providers of the organisation currently reach over 1000 clients of all ages and gender in the community on a monthly basis. The areas of operation of the organisation are identified based on the HIV prevalence rates as indicated by the Surveillance Reports of the National HIV Sentinel Surveys and on poverty statistics provided by the National Planning Commission. Areas of operations of the organisation are also chosen according to the needs of the communities in each of the five regions, especially the high demand by communities for community-based care and development services.
The community-based care and development services provided by the organisation are still in great demand as many more individuals and communities continue to approach the organisation for service provision and training. Therefore, the organisation wants to expand its services to others areas within the five regions where it operates, but it can only do so effectively if it obtains additional funding and its management and technical capabilities have improved significantly, which are currently some of the limiting factors.
Apart from HIV/AIDS; care, support and treatment services as a focus area, Solidarity Community Care Organisation has a strong interest in income generation and food security projects for its clients and members as part of its poverty reduction strategy. As a result, the organisation carries out various income generation and food security projects, including a community vegetable and fruit garden at King-Kauluma community and other small-scale project at Etope LaShilongo community and Khomasdal in Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Khomas regions respectively.
THE VISION OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
The vision of Solidarity Community Care Organisation is the achievement of Zero HIV/AIDS infections by 2030 and humankind that is safe from the danger of HIV/AIDS and poverty, because we, the present generation, have sufficiently understood and effectively eradicated HIV/AIDS and poverty for the benefit of future generations.
THE MISSION OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
The mission of Solidarity Community Care Organisation is to contribute meaningfully to the anti-HIV/AIDS and anti-poverty efforts with the purpose of improving health and welfare of HIV-positive people and communities affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty.
VALUES OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
Solidarity Community Care Organisation members believe in;
1. Working in friendship and team spirit, we believe that people dedicated to anti-HIV/AIDS and anti-poverty efforts must do so in unity. We must always remember that our enemies are HIV/AIDS and poverty, and not our colleagues. We believe that time wasted in fighting allow HIV/AIDS and poverty to escalate and must, therefore, be avoided at all costs. That is why we call for solidarity to confront HIV/AIDS and poverty in unison.
2. Honesty; we have the responsibility to account transparently for the use of the resources entrusted to us for the prevention and eradication of HIV/AIDS and poverty. This means that our members, sponsors, partners, beneficiaries and stakeholders have the right to know how the resources at our disposal are solely used to prevent and eradicate HIV/AIDS and poverty.
3. Commitment to the provision of quality community home-based care and development services for our clients, members and community home-based care provider with emphasis on awareness raising and training; this means that while providing care and support to our clients in the community, we must also take care of our own members and community home based care providers. Therefore, the belief that people will prevent HIV/AIDS and eradicate poverty only if they understand their causes sufficiently guides our work and so we work consistently to raise awareness for effective HIV/AIDS prevention and poverty eradication.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
The main objectives of the organisation are as follows:
1. To provide opportunities for individual and communities to contribute meaningfully to the anti-HIV/AIDS efforts through community home based care and support services.
2. To renew vigour and dedication to the anti-HIV/AIDS and antipoverty efforts through community mobilization, education and training of community home-based care providers and community members;
3. To provide truthful and correct information about HIV/AIDS to individual and communities affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty through HIV/AIDS counselling, encouragement, mutual support and information meetings;
4. To take HIV/AIDS care and support services, especially community home-based care and community development projects, to individual and remote communities without access to such services,
5. To provide HIV/AIDS and TB treatment related information and support to individual and communities, including how to cope with HIV and TB, protection after HIV and TB infection, antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT);
6. To genuinely and meaningfully advocate for the rights and responsibilities of HIV-positive people, particularly with regard access to services and their interactions with health workers, local leader and other stakeholders and;
7. To carry out income generation and food security projects in order to contribute to poverty eradication through employment creation at the community level and for the sustainability the organisation and its programmes.
THE AREA OF OPERATION OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
Although the Headquarters of Solidarity Community Care Organisation are currently in Khomasdal suburb of Windhoek, in Windhoek West Constituency, Khomas Region, the organisation operates and implements its programmes, projects and activities in Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana, Oshikoto and Khomas regions of Namibia, a catchment area of 1,185400 people as indicated by the Namibia 2011 Census.
In 2016 a Community Care and Development Team of Solidarity Community Care Organisation was established at Outapi in Omusati region, now it has established four (4) teams that has members from others areas of the region such as, Okalongo, Anamulenge and Ogongo.
The main reason why the organisation chose to implement its programmes, projects and activities in the above mentioned five (5) regions is that according to the Namibian Surveillance Report of the 2016 National HIV Sentinel Survey these regions are still among the most affected by HIV/AIDS, with an average HIV prevalence rate of 17.45%, varying considerably by areas or testing sites.
In Oshana region, the majority of Solidarity Community Care Organisation members are in and around Oshakati and Ondangwa towns, especially in Oshakati West and Ondangwa Urban constituencies, while many others are scattered in various constituencies of the region.
In Oshikoto region, the organisation works from Onyati, Onkumbula, Omuthiya, Omutsegonime, King-Kauluma, Oshivelo communities as well as in Tsumeb City. it has a Hammer mill Project and a Garden in King-Kauluma community.
In Khomas region, the organisation focuses its works on the informal settlements, especially in Katutura, Tobias Hainyeko, Moses “Garoeb, Samora Machel and Windhoek West constituencies.
The five regions, where Solidarity Community Care Organisation operates, are also among the poorest and populous regions of Namibia. In addition, the Khomas region was chosen because it has relative poverty characterized by the existence of informal settlements with poor sanitation, high levels of urban poverty and unemployment.
In Ohangwena region, the organisation works across various constituencies and communities, including Omulonga, Ondobe, Eenhana, Omundaungilo and Okongo constituencies. its operations cover a number of communities from Etope laShilongo, Ohaukelo, Onekuta communities in Omulonga Constituency, various communities around Eenhana to Omadano in Omundaungilo Constituency. In addition, it has a Community Health and Development Centre at Etope laShilongo Village, which is its most important asset and serves as the second headquarters of the organisation.
2. Activities carried out by the Solidarity Community Care Organisation during 2017
2.1 Fundraising and sources of income
The organisation also uses the following avenues to raise funds:
Online fundraising, the organisation has since December 2016 been carrying out online fundraising campaigns under the auspices of GlobalGiving. Although the ultimate goals of these online campaign have not been achieved thus far, the campaigns have been useful for bringing in some money into the organisation. Therefore, the organisation will continue to pursue the ultimate goals of these online campaigns, which are to qualify to become a permanent member of GlobalGiving by raising USD5.000.00 from 40 unique donors, because this will open up more funding opportunities for the organisation, and as a result, increase its capabilities to deliver more and better community-based care and development services.
Members annual contributions, members of the organisation are required by the organisation`s Constitution to make an annual membership fee contribution of N$50.00 per annum. These fees, although not much, have been a stable source of income for the organisation for years and have made it possible to carry out some important small-scale activities such as facilitating referrals for clients from the community to health facilities, register our clients who doesn`t National Documents or Birth Certificates or buying food for client who is in desperate need of food.
Other income generation activities include selling Sweets, 2nd hand clothes and rental fees from the organisation`s Community Health and Development Centre at Etope laShilongo in Omulonga Constituency, Ohangwena Region.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services supports the organisation with training of community home-based care providers and the supply of home-based care kits and their contents.
Other stakeholders such as Namibia Network of Aids Service Organisations (NANASO) and the Regional AIDS Coordination Committees of Khomas, Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena and Omusati regions and others provide referee, networking and coordination support to the organisation and its local members such as providing reference letter for donors and facilitating the organisation`s involvement in national events such as WORLD AIDS DAY activities.
Ministry of Health and Social Services continued to supply the organisation with Home-Based Care Kits and the organisation was able to refill its kits at the clinics of the Ministry once the supplies were finished.
2.2 Service Provision
During the period under review, Solidarity Community Care Organisation continued to focus on HIV/AIDS and poverty eradication as its focus areas in community service provision, namely community home-based care and community development. Community home-based care is provided by recruiting, training and deploying community home-based care providers in the communities to provide home-based care; especially community health education, training and the physical care and support targeting poor HIV-positive people, orphans and vulnerable children, women –especially pregnant and poor women and the elderly- especially poor and HIV positive old people.
AS in the past the main emphasis has been on the provision of Home-Based Care which assistance provided to sick persons, referred to as clients, directly in the home by members of the organisation together with family, friends and members of the local community, and cooperating with the advice and support from the trained health workers of the Ministry of Health and Social Services at both national and regional levels. Home-Based Care is not only intended to give care to bed ridden conditions, but also intended for the psychosocial support, reducing stigma and discrimination, adherence monitoring in order to have the comprehensive continuum care of HIV-positive people and other clients.
The community home-based care providers of the organisation are trained and supplied with home-based care kits by the Ministry of Health and Social Services and are regarded as part of the healthcare provision spectrum in Namibia at community level. A number of them were also trained last year, as it would be shown under the training and recruitment section.
With regard to poverty eradication services, which are done through employment creation and establish of community projects aimed at income generation, employment creation and food security, the organisation has helped many community members in the five regions where it operates e.g. supporting kindergartens and day-care centres at King-Kauluma, Omutsegonime, and Etope laShilongo village in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions respectively.
2.3 Training and Recruitment
On 6-7 November 2017, Mr Constancio Hishiyukifa Mwandingi, the Founder and Executive Chairperson of Solidarity Community Care Organisation, attended a workshop held at Gateway Conferencing Centre in Windhoek, Namibia, on the invitation of Ministry of Health and Social Services. The workshop was about the QUARTERLY FORUM FOR COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH CARE (CBHC) PROVIDERS.
On the 13 April 2017, 44 members of Solidarity Community Care Organisation from Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshikoto and Khomas regions completed a 5-day training course on Community Home-Based Care in Eenhana, Ohangwena region. The training was supported by the Ministry of Health and Social Services and funded by Global Fund Mechanism for Namibia and was conducted by Solidarity Community Care Organisation members for the first time.
A breakdown of participants in the 5-day Community Home-Based Care training in 2017 is shown in Table 1 below.
Table1: Breakdown of community home-based care providers trained in 2017
Table1: Breakdown of community home-based care providers trained in 2017
No. of community home-based providers trained
No. of community home-based providers trained
Khomas 7
Khomas 7
Oshikoto 6
Oshikoto 6
Ohangwena 18
Ohangwena 18
Omusati 13
Omusati 13
TOTAL=44
TOTAL=44
The refresher training tour to communities that usually take place in October of each year in all five regions could not be carried out due to lack of funds.
Supervision, community meetings and monitoring
On the 9th of February 2017, some members requested for funds to be used for monitoring community meeting in Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena and Omusati regions over the weekend of 11-12 February 2017.
The funds we needed for the following purpose:
1. Money for fuel to and from the region
2. DSA
3. Transport refund for members to and from the meetings
On the 11th February 2017, a meeting for all members of the organisation in Omusati region was organized to discuss the following;
1. The team must introduce the organisation to Regional Health Directorate in their region
2. Membership fees must be paid every year
3. Fundraising Campaign
4. Members to start up project in the community
On the 11th February 2017, a meeting for all members of the organisation in Ohangwena region, Eenhana Community Care and Development Team was organised to discuss the following issues;
1. The team must introduce the organisation to the Regional Health Directorate in their region, luck enough some members that were trained went there after the training because they were told to go introduce the organisation after the training they went and the Regional Health Directorate of Ondobe Constituency accepted them.
2. The special needs or assistance to the vulnerable children
3. Defaulters HIV treatment people
4. For a team to set up a temporal account
5. For every member of the organisation to pay his/her membership fees annually
Oshana and Oshikoto regions members did not show up,
On the 26th February 2017, a community meeting was held with members in the Khomas region to discuss and to elect or appoint of an acting 3rd signatory to the organisation account, to open a transmission account for Fundraising Campaign.
On the 18 March 2017, Solidarity Community Care Organisation held our 1st Soup Kitchen in Tobias Hainyeko Constituency, in One Nation location it was attended by about 40 children that were given Health Education and were given food and drinks.
On the 29 March 2017 the Founder and Executive Chairperson of Solidarity Community Care Organisation, conducted a Radio interview, with Mrs Magnaemi Mvula broadcast on NBC Radio, after 11 news in the morning, it went well and good feedback was received from members of the organisation and the public.
On the 30th March 2017, the organisation sent some money for transport to one of our member in Ohangwena region, to take some orphans children to the Ministry of Home Affairs to go register them to get their National Documents because they never held any since from birth.
On the 25 April 2017, the organisation brought basic sanitary for our client, Theresia Kayinda, 18 years old disable girl in One Nation in Tobias Hainyeko Constituency and she was very happy with her things she received from the organisation.
Again on the 17th May 2017, the organisation brought foods and clothing for our 2 clients in Havana resident in Khomas region in Moses Garoeb Constituency.
On the 21st June 2017, the organisation received three students from University of Namibia (UNAM) who want to do their practical attachment in the organisation from 03 July- 25 August 2017.
On the 9th July 2017 our members in Oshana region, received their certificate on Home-Based Care. Members give thanks to Ministry of Health and Social Services for training them and they are asking other members and colleagues that are trained to work very hard so that they can improve others.
On the 15th July 2017, a meeting for all members of the organisation in Khomas region was organized to discuss about the students from University of Namibia (UNAM) who wanted to do their attachment with the organisation, it went well and all the members agreed for the students to come do their attachment.
On the 22nd July 2017, we held our Soup Kitchen in One-Nation, in Tobias Hainyeko Constituency
On the 8th July 2017, a community meeting was held with members in Oshikoto region, the main aim of the meeting was to confirm on the needs and wants of the project, to teach or train our members on online Fundraising campaign, to open-up a temporary account for the team.
The needs and wants of the team: they need water in the place, and they have a quotation of $21,000 for the construction of water.
Things achieved in the project;
1. 100 poly pots
2. They harvested, spinach, tomatoes, green-pepper and onion and they have sold them.
3. Nets, that are covering the place to avoid the plants to be burned by the sun
4. 2500L Tanks and they are still in good condition, they also connected pipe from the tank connected by Elemo Trading (Ongwediva)
On the 16 July 2017 we held our 2nd Soap Kitchen in One Nation in Tobias Hainyeko Constituency, Khomas region.
On the 2nd October 2017, the organisation held a training on Home-Based Care funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Services and it was facilitated by Solidarity Community Care Organisation members for the 1st time.
The training started on the 2nd -6th October 2017 in Ohangwena region, Eenhana in Litu Hotel, the training was attended by 44 members and they were trained to become Community Health Providers, from 4 regions that the organisation operates in Khomas, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Omusati region in Namibia.
On the 12th October 2017 a member of Solidarity Community Care Organisation attended a RACOC meeting at Khomas Regional Council in Khomas region.
On the 9th November 2017 one of our member attended the quarterly forum for community based health care (CBHC) provider held at Gateway Conferencing Centre in Windhoek
We also visited our Garden in Oshikoto region in King-Kauluma and is doing very well.
At the same meeting it was made clear that the target groups of Solidarity Community Care Organisation in the community are: HIV-positive people especially the poor ones, orphans and vulnerable children especially those orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, women especially pregnant women elderly people especially those who are poor and need frequent assistance.
2.4 Networking
Three members of SCCO attended a Regional AIDs Coordinating Committee (RACOC) meeting held at Khomas Regional Council in Windhoek in preparation of WORLD AIDS DAY, which was later held at Independence Arena. Another aim of the meeting was to deliberate on TB Day but Ministry of Health and Social Services did not come to address the issues of TB recorded in local hospitals and clinics.
The meeting made a reflection on HIV/AIDS and concluded that people were getting comfortable with HIV/AIDS in society because they are no more taking it seriously and neglect issues such as disclosure, adherence to treatment and eating health while some are abusing alcohol and drugs.
Solidarity Community Care Organisation is a paid-up member and has a good partnership with the Namibia Network of Aids Service Organisations (NANASO) .it pays its membership fees to NANASO every year.
The organisation is a full and active member of the Regional AIDS Coordinating Committee (RACOC) of the Khomas Region and such, it attends all RACOC meetings and participates actively in RACOC activities in the regions.
Furthermore, as part of the cooperation endeavours with its partners, Solidarity Community Care Organisation remained actively involved in the Home-Based Care Forum and Feeding Process of the Khomas region and continued its fundraising endeavours for existing and new community home-based care and community development projects.
3. Constraints experienced in the implementation of the activities of the organisation and actions taken to address constraints during 2017
The major constraints that the organisation faced during 2017, and continue at present, are funding and transport. The organisation needs money to pay its members and fund its operations. This is a top priority for the organisation now and needs the involvement of all members of the organisation.
The fact that the organisation had to use either own or public transport for meetings, training workshops, supervision, monitoring and delivery of medicine supplies to its Community Care and Development Teams (CCDTs) in all the five regions where it operates, considerably reduced the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. To exacerbate the situation, the organisation had relied fully on its meagre resources because apart from Sanlam Namibia who funded the organisation in 2016, no other donor came on board to support the organisation `s activities during 2017. Consequently, much time was wasted while waiting for, or wandering around in public buses and taxis.
To solve the problems of funding and transport, the organisation intensified its fundraising campaigns in 2017 with the purpose of raising more funds for the implementation of its programmes and projects, including the buying its own vehicle (S).
The monthly reports, from regions to the national level of the organisation, were still not sent on time as expected. This sometimes was because the community home-based care providers were scattered all over the region and it was difficult for them to come together on a regular basis, compile reports and submit them on time. But then again, it seems that, in some cases, the community home-based care providers, and particularly their community and regional leaders, do not yet understand very well the importance of reporting about their work on a regular basic. Therefore, the importance of keeping records and reporting by community home-based care providers still needs to be emphasized.
Our members need to understand that if they do not report about their work regularly, nobody will ever know what they are doing. In fact, their work, even if excellent, will remain unknown and useless unless reported and acted upon. It needs to be kept in mind that reporting will promote the organisation, its programmes and activities thereby attracting more support and donations to strengthen the organisation and ensure its sustainability.
On the other hand, our Community Home-Based Care Providers continue encountering problems regarding the replenishment of their HBC kits at state clinics in some regions. This is happening despite the fact that the Ministry of Health and Social Services supplies the kits and the Ministry issued a circular to all state clinics informing them that HBC kits can be refill at the nearest local clinics.
Despite the Ministry`s directives on the refilling of kits, some Regional Health Directorates and staff at clinics are reluctant to accept our Community Home-Based Care Providers and to allow them to refill their kits. The organisation will continue to work with the Ministry, especially the Home-Based Care Division to resolve this problem in all the regions.
It is, however, important to mention that some regions such as Khomas and Omusati are working very well together with our organisation, including in the replenishing of kits. Oshana is also, to some extent, is doing better than Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. In Oshikoto region, the organisation enjoys the support of the Regional Health Director but staff at clinics level are still not supportive enough. Ohangwena region, which ironically has more health problems, lags way behind when it comes to accommodating community home-based care providers, and the collaboration between community-based organisation such as Solidarity Community Care Organisation in that region is at its lowest level.
The difficulty of replenishing Home-Based Care Kits in Ohangwena, Oshikoto and, to some extent, Oshana regions continue to cause delays in home-based care delivery, and as a result, the organisation did not meet some of its intended community home-based care targets in 2017.
To improve on reporting, the management of the organisation will continue to educate its Community home-based care providers about the importance of reporting regularly about their work and will work to improve the present reporting mechanisms to make it easy for the communities and regions to report regularly and timeously.
The motivation of the Community home-based care providers of the organisation has sometimes been poor because, apart from the interest to serve their communities, nothing else is being provided to motivate them to continue carrying out this important community work on a voluntary basis to address this problem the organisation has incorporated the allowance elements in its project proposal budget, which is a tough challenge, as most donors do not want to fund staff salaries and allowances. The organisation however believes that this is imperative as no person can be expected to work for free for a long time.
In future, the organisation will work together with its partners to make provision for incentives, including monetary allowances, for its community home-based care providers in order to motivate and keep them active all the time and to assist them to fight off poverty under which many of them live.
THE ONGOING PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
THE ONGOING PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY CARE ORGANISATION
Solidarity Community Care Organisation will continue to focus on HIV/AIDS and poverty eradication by providing the following main programmes and services:
COMMUNITY HOME-BASED CARE PROGRAMME
COMMUNITY HOME-BASED CARE PROGRAMME
The Community Home-Based Care Programme of Solidarity Community Care Organisation is aimed at disease prevention and reduction in the community by providing community home-based care and promoting community health for over 10,000 people per year.
Under Community Home-Based Programme, the organisation provides the following services:
Under Community Home-Based Programme, the organisation provides the following services:
1. High-quality community home-based care, to alleviate suffering, including home visiting for physical care and psychosocial support of clients, distributing painkillers, multivitamins and condoms to HIV-positive people and community members in need;
2. Community health; including personal and environmental hygiene, access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation as well as food production, availability and security;
3. Assistance to HIV-positive people to live positive lifestyles through counselling, mutual support, encouragement and support groups;
4. Treatment support to people on ARV and TB medication and facilitating referrals between the organisation and local clinics/hospitals, especially from the remotest and inaccessible communities;
5. Training and supporting families to enable them to take care of their relatives at home;
6. Community training in HIV-AIDS and TB care and support;
7. Maternal and child health support services within communities; counselling and encouraging mothers to attend antenatal and postnatal services and helping to prevent child malnutrition through community education, targeting mothers; and
8. Supporting national child immunization campaigns within the community; mobilizing communities, raising awareness, direct participation and providing venues for immunization campaigns.
To implement the Community Home-Based Care Programme successfully, the organisation urgently needs funding for the following activities:
To implement the Community Home-Based Care Programme successfully, the organisation urgently needs funding for the following activities:
· Renovation and upgrading of the organisation`s Community Health and Development Centre at Etope laShilongo village, in Omulonga Constituency, Ohangwena Region, for about N$200,000;
· Procurement of medicines and pharmaceuticals for the provision of community home-based care, for about N$120,000;
· Procurement of office furniture and equipment for the Community Health & Development Centre of the organisation to serve better the clients, for about N$50,000;
· Procurement of office stationery in order to run the Community Health & Development Centre efficiently for the benefit of clients, for about N$10,000;
· Maintenance and upgrading of water and electricity infrastructures at the Community Health & Development Centre of the organisation to continue providing portable water and electricity to clients and the community, for about N$125,000; and
· Provision of training in community home-based care, especially HIV/AIDS and AIDS counselling for both organisation and community members, for about N$50,000.
COMMUNITY MOBILISATION, INFORMATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMME
COMMUNITY MOBILISATION, INFORMATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMME
This programme is focusing on HIV prevention by mobilising, informing and educating over 16,000 community members per year to prevent HIV, mainly through the following strategies:
a. Promotion of behavioural change, including reducing concurrent relationships and using condoms constantly and correctly;
b. Promotion of biomedical strategies, including male circumcision and the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT);
c. Promotion of HIV Treatments as Prevention (TasP), and treatment of other viruses and sexually transmitted infections
d. Promotion of social justice and human rights in HIV-AIDS.
To implement the Community Mobilisation, Information and Education Programme successfully, the organisation urgently needs funding for transport and information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials.
To implement the Community Mobilisation, Information and Education Programme successfully, the organisation urgently needs funding for transport and information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials.
Transport is needed in the form of a 4*4 vehicle (S) to reach the outmost rural communities, but it can also be in the form of motorbikes, bicycles or money to pay for public transport when visiting inaccessible communities for about N$589,900.
The organisation will accept IEC materials about HIV prevention and treatment that are applicable to the Namibian context. However, it also welcomes funding to develop IEC materials locally in consultation with the beneficiaries. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), health, including HIV/AIDS information, can be communicated through various channels (or methods) to increase awareness and assess the knowledge of different populations about various health, and HIV/AIDS issues, products and behaviours. these methods might include interpersonal communication, such as individual discussions, counselling sessions or group discussions and community meetings and events or mass media communication; such as radio, television and other forms of one-way communication, such as brochures, leaflets and posters, visual and audio visual presentations and some forms of electronic communication, for about N$260,960.
SUPPORT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN PROGRAMME
SUPPORT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN PROGRAMME
The aim of this programme is to support 2,500 disadvantaged children, especially orphans and vulnerable children, attending kindergartens and support centres run by women who are members of the organisation at King-Kauluma, Omutsegonime, Etope, Omadano, Outapi, Oshakati and Katutura communities, in Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Khomas, Oshana and Omusati regions of Namibia respectively.
The support to be provided under this programme, include shelter-N$400,000 ( basic structures or buildings to provide cover or protection for schooling and living ), healthcare-N$100,000 ( community home-based care ), schooling-N$90,000 ( supporting kindergartens and preschools that provide schooling to children under the age of five).
Clothing -N$60,000 ( especially with the purpose of providing hygienic protection, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the children`s bodies and protecting them from harmful UV radiation ) and feeding-N$120,000 ( providing community-based infant and young child feeding in accordance with UNICEF`s global strategy on infant and young child feeding, which has the overall goal of protecting, promoting and supporting optimal infant and young child feeding practices and soup kitchens ), the total programme budget is about N$770,000.
The implementation of this programme is expected to result in improved nutritional status, growth, development, health and ultimately the survival of infants and young children, including the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding as the perfect way of providing the best food for a baby`s first six months of life and adequate complementary feeding of children from 6 months onwards, which is particularly important for growth and development and the prevention of under nutrition.
INCOME GENERATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
INCOME GENERATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
This programme is aimed at sustaining the organisation and its programmes, generating income for organisation members and the beneficiaries of its activities as well as contributing to poverty eradication in Namibia through employment creation for at least 1,500 people by December 2020 (the annual target is to employ about 500 people).
To implement of the Income Generation and Community Development Programme successfully, the organisation urgently needs funding for the following projects:
To implement of the Income Generation and Community Development Programme successfully, the organisation urgently needs funding for the following projects:
1. Setting up of 3 Community-Based Information and Technology Centres (CITCs) in Katutura, Oshikango and Oshakati as employment creation and income generation projects, for about N$420,000.
2. Sewing and Needlework projects; sewing of school uniforms for orphans and vulnerable children and knitting of babies/children garments by the organisation and community members, for about N$250,200.
3. Vegetable and Fruit Gardens projects by the organisation and community members; small and medium sized gardens where fresh vegetables, including cabbages, carrots, sweet potatoes, eggplants, peppers, lettuce, sugar cane, beans, maize, watermelons, pumpkins, will be grown to feed orphans and poor HIV-positive people.
Fruits plants such as mangoes, guavas, pears and oranges will be planted for the same purpose. Any surpluses of the produce will be sold to the public for income generation to sustain the organisation and its programmes, for about N$75,000.
4. An Agricultural and Farming Implements Project for income generation; ploughing tractors are usually scarce in North-Central Regions of Namibia during the planting season. Therefore, if the organisation acquires ploughs and others farm implements, it will be able to help its members and other communal farmers to cultivate their crop fields on time in order to produce food and ensure food availability and security while generating income to sustain the organisation and its programmes simultaneously, for about N$260,000.
The innovative idea of setting up Community-Based Information and Technology Centres is a noble attempt to link Information Communication Technology (ICT) with HIV prevention and poverty eradication by attracting the public, especially people of 15-49 years age group, to the proposed centres with services such as computer training, selling of recharge for cell phones, copying, typing, email and internet services.
The idea is that while people are visiting the Community-Based Information and Technology Centres for the above-mentioned services, they will be educated and given HIV prevention and treatment information through specifically designed leaflets and distributing condoms from the centres.
The proposed Community-Based Information and Technology Centres will also run regular competitions concerning HIV prevention awareness and the winners of such competitions will be rewarded with free recharge vouchers (or airtime) for their cell phones. Those who on their own ask for condoms from the centre will also be rewarded with recharge vouchers for their cell phones on regular basis.
In essence, the proposed Community-Based Information and Technology Centres will generate income for the organisation, create employment and contribute to HIV prevention at the same time.
5. PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE PROGRAMME
5. PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE PROGRAMME
This programme is aimed at contributing to the fight against Gender-Based and Domestic Violence (GBV) in five regions in which the organisation works. GBV is endemic in Namibia and the organisation has decided to contribute actively and effectively to preventing this scourge in order to promote peace within families, women`s rights and gender equality in Namibia.
This will be done by offering the followings services to victims of gender-based violence:
1. Counselling and psychosocial support
2. Formation of support group for victims of GBV
3. Referral service to social workers, psychologist and other relevant services, based on victims, specific needs;
4. Facilitate access to legal advice as required;
5. Assistance with immediate needs such as safe accommodation and social needs;
6. Providing a hotline number for victims of GBV
7. Assistance to start income-generation projects and small businesses to promote self-sustenance;
8. Producing GBV materials, including pictures and videos.
9. Conducting a massive community education campaign on gender-based violence by conducting at least thirty-six (36) 5-day workshops and seminars for 1,800 selected women and 900 men in the five regions in which the organisation operates in order to educate them on the causes and ways of gender-based violence prevention.
The organisation will also carry out a massive community education campaign on gender-based violence by conducting no less than thirty-six (36) 5-day workshops and seminars for 1,800 selected women and 900 men in the five regions in which the organisation operates in order to educate them on issues of gender-based violence, especially on the causes and ways of gender-based violence. The organisation needs urgent funding to the tune of about N$300,000.
Recommendations
1. The organisation should continue to strengthen and improve its restructures and systems at all levels and redefine its operations to make it more effective and reposition itself in order to achieve its goals and objectives, such as raising more funds, recruit more members, reaching more clients and expanding to new communities.
2. The organisation should create and fill necessary and key staff positions with qualified people to improve its performance and functioning, once funds to do so are available. One of the key position is that of a fulltime fundraiser.
3. For fundraising, the Executive Chairperson should continue to be Chief Fundraiser to raise funds effectively for the implementation of organisational activities. A Fundraising Army and Regional Teams must assist the Executive Chairperson with fundraising.
4. The organisation should venture into bigger and long-term projects and programmes of income generation and community development in housing, fisheries, wild life and farming sectors.
5. To solve the transport problems, the organisation should raise funds to buy its own vehicle (s).
6. The members of the organisation must renew their annual membership fees of N$50,00 on time in order to sustain and improve the organisation`s financial position, since most of its funds come from donors.
7. The organisation must improve collaboration and networking with traditional, local and regional authorities and partners in all the regions, constituencies and communities where it works, especially with the Regional AIDS Coordinating Committees (RACOC), Regional Health Directorates and Constituency Offices. To this end, all Regional and Community Representatives of the organisation must establish good working relationship between theirs Teams and Regional AIDS Coordinating Committees (RACOC), Regional Health Directorates and Constituency Offices.
8. To improve the replenishment (refilling) of home-based care kits, each regional or community representative must make sure that all trained community home-based care providers are registered with the local clinic in order to refill their home-based care regularly.
9. All members of the organisation must improve their involvement and commitment to the work of the organisation, including attending meetings regularly and contributing time, labour and ideas to take the organisation to another level through the achievement of its goals and objectives.
Conclusions
· The organisation continues to face major challenges and constraints to its development, with the main ones being money, transport and inadequate human capability. Therefore, these must be the focus areas for the development of the organisation now.
· Although the organisation has over four hundred (400) members, most of them still need training in order to improve their leadership, management and technical capabilities. Deliberate efforts must be made to train members on leadership, management and technical (report writing, proposal writing, fundraising, financial management, project planning and management, communication skills, and so on), areas. All training opportunities must be used and members must be encouraged to get relevant training.
· The focus of the organisation now is the sustainability of its current programmes and the repositioning and development of the organisation through big transformational projects in fishing, wild life, farming, land acquisition and housing, which would require serious and dedicated involvement of all its members and stakeholders including the Advisory Council of the organisation.
· In the near future, the principal areas of work of Solidarity Community Care Organisation will continue to be HIV/AIDS and poverty eradication.
All enquiries about this Annual Report
Should be directed to the Founder and
Executive Chairperson of the Solidarity
Community Care Organisation
PO BOX 3527
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: +264 61 211704
Cell phone: +264 81 2374 937
E-mail: solidaritycomcare@gmail.com
Facebook: @solidaritycomcare
Twitter: @MwandingiC
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/solidarity/solidarity-care-organisation
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