PAHCCDI is currently implementing a self funded OVC intervention. These OVC are children of the key population, - Female Sex Workers (FSW), High Risk Men (HRM) and Injecting drug Users (IDU). Imploring an innovative strategy of using the birthday celebrations of her staff to reach to the OVC, PAHCCDI aims to show empathy and bring succour driven by passion and zeal in line with her mission and vision statement.
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| Celebrants (Mirable and Christabel) pose with PAHCCDI staff and OVC |
Taking into cognisance the estimated national population of orphans from all causes which was put at 7 million in 2003, PAHCCDI driven by passion and the desire to serve the marginalized and underserved groups, courageously ventured into the OVC intervention having understood the conducted desk review of the situation of OVC in Nigeria that implicated factors like poverty, socio-cultural constraints, gender inequalities, inadequate policies and enabling environment which has over the years put the rights of the OVC in jeopardy. PAHCCDI undertook these interventions across Eight thematic areas; Health, Nutrition, Shelter/Care, Education, Psychosocial Support, Protection, Economic Strengthening and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH).
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| Eme Ita (celebrant) cuts the Cake with the OVC |
Undeterred and unimpeded by the lack of funding for these interventions, PAHCCDI developed an innovative approach of using staff birthdays to reach out to the OVC and with support from internally generated funds, PAHCCDI support every staff to celebrate their birthday with the OVC as part of the interventions while providing multiple services on spot, in company of friends and family members.
Since the idea was conceived, PAHCCDI have so far reached the Lemna cohort of Calabar Municipality L.G.A. with these interventions twice, while celebrating the birthday for two of her staff, Miss Eme Ita Sunday on Friday the 22nd day of September, 2017 and Miss Mirabel Enebong Essien who co-celebrated with her twin sister Miss Christabel Enebong Essien on Monday the 2nd of October, 2017.
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| Vulnerability Assessment and Enrollment |
We realize the fact that without taking determined steps to address the specific needs of children there will be no chance of meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and having implemented the largely successful SHiPS for MARPs project which targeted the key population and their partners, we felt the need to fill the vacuum created, since the project did not cover interventions for the children of these key populations.
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| OVC feasting on the foods, drinks and nutrient supplements |
Although what we have done and our achievements so far can be considered to be a drop in the sea of massive deprivation owing to the number of children yet to be reached, however, it still represent; a new dawn for interventions in resource deficient settings like ours, a gateway for funded collaborations, an easy access to intervention expansion and a dependable / sustainable voice & face of OVC response in Cross River State.
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| Distribution of nutritional supplement packs |
Over 47 (32
females, 15 males) OVCs were captured during the exercise with an
average age of 13.21 and average vulnerability rating of 13.68.
