Faces of Positive Change: Highlighting Positive Changes in the Lives of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Ethiopia

This book of stories and photographs is designed to be a celebration of three groups who have participated in and benefited from the PC3 Programme (Positive Change: Children, Communities, and Care) in Ethiopia: children, families, and communities. As stated in the Introduction, their participation in the PC3 programme is creating significant changes in the lives of individuals and families across Ethiopia. According to the authors, the stories and photos contained in this book are examples of positive change and provide insight into how children can be part of this change.

The PPC3 is a six-year (2004-2010) integrated programme designed to provide care and support to half a million orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their families throughout Ethiopia. The programme emphasises community-based, results-oriented, and family-focused efforts to reduce the negative impact of HIV and AIDS on children, families, and communities. PC3 is a consortium of international and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community groups working in partnership with the government of Ethiopia, the private sector, and the communities and families themselves to address the needs and unrealised rights of OVC.

According to the authors, the PC3 programme made changes in the lives of OVC and their caregivers, including: access to education, better nutrition, and health care; psychosocial support; training in life skills to help make transition to independent life easier; protection from abuse and exploitation; and promotion of child rights and children's participation in decisions that affect their lives. The authors state that the stories demonstrate that people can make a difference in the lives of children if they are provided with the appropriate tools, skills, knowledge, and support.

In addition to the inspirational aspect of these stories, there are lessons to learn for those who work with children or want to begin the process of creating services and support for OVC. These include the following, as described by the programme leaders:

• “Orphans and vulnerable children have incredible resilience and coping mechanisms. With appropriate support, skills, and guidance, child-headed households are a viable and cost-effective way of keeping families together and children within communities. Support services and mentoring are key components of any programme targeting child-headed households....
• Children frequently know what is in their best interest and when given the opportunity, they can eloquently share their insight on issues affecting their lives. The members of the Children's Parliament demonstrated this capacity. When adults tune their ears to listen to the voices of children, important lessons can be learned.
• Schools are focal points of any community and provide not only education, but protection and psychosocial support.... Schools can be the focal point and gathering place of a community and frequently provide a safe haven for children suffering abuse and exploitation.
• Strengthening families is an essential way to improve the lives of OVC. Providing educational support, medical treatment, food, and shelter are all ways in which families may be assisted.... We have also learned that providing caregivers with small loans to begin their own livelihood initiatives has a huge impact on families.... The domino effect of giving a woman the opportunity to make a decent living and provide for her children has benefits that go way beyond the obvious....Livelihood and community savings groups are essential elements of any comprehensive care package.
• Strengthening and building capacity of local community-groups with capacity- building is an excellent way to improve ownership and buy-in, encourage locally-inspired responses, and promote programme sustainability.... With training in key areas, local groups have created and sustained responses to meet the needs of OVC in their communities. Utilizing national NGOs as mentors and incorporating the experience and expertise of international organizations in the tiered approach, has created sustainable changes in the lives of children. Capacity building which utilizes a tiered approach has been demonstrated to be not only successful, but increases reach of program ideas and services, utilizes program resources in a cost-effective manner, and promotes local ownership of OVC responses.
• An essential part of the success of the PC3 Programme is the use of volunteers, especially at the community level. Thousands of volunteers across the country were involved in efforts related to OVC including but not limited to service provision, fundraising, advocacy, and training. An important lesson learned by program partners was that keeping volunteer motivated was a priority.... Developing different activities, awards, or recognition of the value of volunteers needs to be incorporated into program strategies and must be done on a regular basis in order to retain volunteers. If volunteer appreciation is done correctly, it is an excellent way to retain volunteers. Incorporating volunteers into program implementation is cost-effective and can be sustainable.
  
• Finally, identifying champions of change who will be leaders who advocate on behalf of orphans and vulnerable children is an important tool for increasing public awareness.... Finding and collaborating local heroes who can show commitment and leadership is an excellent way to promote public awareness and involvement in OVC issues.”