The growing number and need for orphans and vulnerable children in Tanzania due to HIV/AIDS is becoming a major concern. The program vision is to see improved and strengthened best initiatives based on community mode for caring and support for OVC by making all stakeholders including community in itself, are playing their role equally and in an effective way.
This Program has developed and maintains a working relationship with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Youth Employment, Ministry of Local Government, USAID and PACTCurrently WAMA is working on creating a database of OVCs and community based programmes for supporting OVCs. The Program is also liaising with key stakeholders to develop a strategy that will enable the Foundation to make interventions under the revised National Child development Policy of 2000.
The program uses various strategies such as strengthen and support the capacity of families to protect and care for OVC. Mobilize and strengthen community based responses to care, support and protection of orphans and vulnerable children and raise awareness and advocate for the creation of a supportive environment for orphans and vulnerable Children .
The program carries out the following activities :
• Provide psychosocial support within families to improve the wellbeing of OVC by providing training programme that address holistic needs of OVCs.
• Provide material support to OVCs
• Establish food security schemes for OVC and their families to improve nutrition and health of OVCs and their families through community food banks.
• Support Vocational and skills training to improve coping mechanism and functioning skill of child headed households by providing skills training programmes for child headed households on money management, food management nutrition and health, skills on parenting, decision making, and self awareness.
• To establish and maintain data base of OVC to identify needs priorities by developing OVC register, and establish directory of support priorities.
• To mobilize and organize for early identification of OVC
• Advocating for the rights of child at every level of society.
The Program has made the following achievements:
• Sponsored 21 orphans both boys and girls at Secondary, Primary and Vocational education.
• Enhanced learning among disabled children who are studying at Salvation Army, Tumaini Primary School by WAMA providing a Television set .
The units' Motto : We Stand for Children. Make a new dream for them