1. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. LOCAL LINKS for OVC support Project (Kenya) Presentation to ECD Partners’ Meeting, Sept. 26-30, 2005 (Nairobi)

2. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Strengthen the economic coping mechanisms of OVC families and communities Strengthen the capacity of local organizations to meet the needs and rights of orphans and vulnerable children Reduce stigma and discrimination against orphans and vulnerable children and their families. Local Links - Objectives

3. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Kibera Informal Settlement, Nairobi, Kenya 13 villages spread across a 5 sq. km area Largest informal settlement in Kenya High population density (1,000,000 people) Poor sanitation (flying toilets) & social amenities Poor shelter (squatters) Recurrent conflicts on land and politics High incidence of CSW and child rights violations High rate of unemployment HIV/AIDS rate 17% in 2002 Insecurity and culture of violence – lynching is common

4. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Key Partners 15 CSOs addressing OVC issues in Kibera 10 faith based organizations Government (mainly thro’ the Children's Department) 10 community youth groups Local administration (area chiefs, councilors and headmen) 14 community schools

5. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Project Components Group Savings and Loans schemes Capacity Building for CBOs (skills training and provision of seed funds for scale up) Stigma reduction work with the youth and FBOs (PET, sermons, sports, beauty contests, IEC materials etc.)

6. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Key Achievements Establishment of a functional field office Participatory identification of causes of S&D in Kibera Design and execution of successful stigma reduction campaigns Involvement of AAC in coordination of children services Provision of a variety of skills to partners (GS&L, S&D, IEC dev’t and distribution, Project Design and Management, Child Rights, SPM and PET) Established GS&L services for 1,200 caregivers taking care of 6,000 OVC Addressing of other emerging issues affecting OVC (deworming, child rights and SPM for non-GSL members) Numerous highlights of Local Links work on national media High levels of community participation thro committees Formation of a network of CSOs working on OVC issues in Kibera

7. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. GS&L features Internal loans scheme – no external injection of cash 5 module training Groups comprise of 5-15 people Most variables determined by the group (interest, meetings pattern, group membership etc) Facilitates graduation of members to conventional MFI services Cost effective M&E tools for tracking group progress and benefits to OVC

8. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Challenges Stigma is deep-rooted but impact of Local Links is starting to show High incidence of child rights violations Inadequate attention to children in pre-sch Over-moralization of HIV makes FBO engagement difficult Inroads into Muslim community Low capacities of partner CSOs; “briefcase” CSOs Insecurity Dependency syndrome fuelled by other agencies working in Kibera Reaching young women and the poorest of the poor Mobilizing men and youth for GS&L Lack of government concern/responsibility for informal settlements Oncoming slum housing upgrading scheme

9. © 2003, CARE USA. All rights reserved. Questions?