Project title:                Construction of a Classroom for Orphaned and vulnerable children

Date:                           19^th April to 7^th may 2010

Duration:                     3 Weeks

Project code:               VFSD/001/03

Project Host:                Vision for Sustainable Development, (VFSD) Kampala Branch

Project Theme:            “Quality Education is a Right to OVC's ”

Project Location:          African child primary school Sub County-Kampala District

Project back ground:

African Child nursery and primary school is one of VFSD’s orphanage placement partner schools that helps to support Orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC'S), provide solutions towards the prevention of HIV/AID’s and to ensure community self- sustenance. VFSD and African Child currently provide free formal education and other social services to over 170 Orphans and Vulnerable children (OVC's) aged 4-13. The Centre does not have permanent premises to conduct its teaching, but the land and buildings are rented.

In addition to providing free formal education to OVC'S, the center also provides these children with psycho social support, free HIV/AIDS testing and counseling services, and other additional trainings such as HIV/AIDS prevention and Health/Nutrition. VFSD has also build strategies programs that target the guardians of these children through empowering them with entrepreneurship skills, to ensure that the OVC's too have access to basic rights that every child deserves.

VFSD has a positive working relationship for several years, based on our similar objectives and goals of improving the lives of communities. We would like to continue this partnership in 2009 by constructing a classroom for these OVC's. Our hope is that by working together, we can accommodate more orphans and create conducive learning environment for these orphans.

The three- week bilateral work camp between VFSD and African Child school shall expose volunteers to the challenges of these 100 OVC's aged 4-13 years and will offer a lot of interactive activities such as games and sports on one hand, while the 35 volunteers shall be engaged in construction of a classroom, with an emphasis on hands-on learning and cultural exchange.

Project objectives

·         To create a positive learning atmosphere for Orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC'S)

·         To build hope in HIV/AIDS and other disadvantaged orphans

·         To promote friendship and understanding between volunteers, Orphans, and local people

·         To improve local communities through voluntary activities

·         To promote international exchange and cooperation among volunteers of different nationalities

·         To ensure positive living and sensitizing youth on the prevention of HIV/AIDS

Activities

·         Collecting water, sand and bricks

·         Mixing sand, cement and water

·         Construction of a classroom for orphans

·         Renovation of other classes of the school

·         Games and sports activities with OVC's

·         Drawing and painting pictures with orphans

·         HIV/AIDS prevention training to disadvantaged youth

·         Training entrepreneurship skills to the care takers/guardians of the OVC’s

Cultural and educational visits

·         Visits to Orphans' homes

·         Visits to other orphanage placement schools

·         Visits to health centres and hospitals

·         Visit local markets

·         Visit to Vision Football Soccer Academy

·         Watch a skit on HIV/AIDS performed by Vision Excite Drama Group and local youth’s

·         Visit holy stones landmark (at the cost of the interested volunteers)

NOTE:
During the work camp participants will have an opportunity of traveling to the Eastern part of the country to VFSD-Kumi branch and some of its areas of operation.

Expected Outcome

It is expected after the work camp:

·         A classroom will be built for OVC's

·         Providing Life skills Development and peer education skills to 20 youth with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS prevention

·         Drawing and painting for orphans and volunteers

Beneficiaries

·         OVCs and participating volunteers

·         Kawempe community

·         20 youths trained as peer educators on life skills

·         170 orphans visited

·         Over 170 guardians and care takers empowered with entrepreneurial skills

Participation

A maximum of 35 volunteers are expected. They will also work with the 170 Orphans and Vulnerable Children and other local community members. Participants are expected to be engaged in Games, sports, open group discussions and conduct community outreaches in Bwaise I, Bwaise II, Bwaise III on HIV/AIDS orphans care and HIV/AIDS.

Who qualifies to participate

·         Volunteers with open minds, positive attitudes, and warm hearts

·         Willing to take up various tasks from constructing a classroom to playing games and draw pictures with children

·         Desire to help HIV/AIDS orphans and affected families

·         Flexible and with the ability to accept and adapt to living in rural conditions

·         Willing to share his/her experiences

·         Flexible to the taste of other foods (local)

·         Ready to do heavy manual work on the project

Note:
No expertise required, although volunteers with experience in construction are given priority

The host community

The project location is in a predominantly Baganda population speaking Luganda. There is a very high language barrier in Kawempe community, as most members are uneducated and therefore do not speak English. However, the work camp shall draw participating children from the orphans and vulnerable children from VFSD. Additional volunteers will be recruited from other partner local schools such as Oxford primary school, little stars primary school, linnet primary school, in addition to vision volunteers and international volunteers.

The local Community shall be involved in the project during the home visits, construction of the school building, and during the sensitizations to youth on HIV/AIDS prevention. It is hoped that the local community shall gain a better understanding of volunteerism, and be motivated to work at VFSD part time. The community will also gain skills in cross cultural understanding, construction, and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Accomodation

All volunteers will be staying at the school premises and compound. Volunteers should expected living in simple conditions and not expect luxurious conditions, as we encourage volunteers to live in similar conditions as the local people concerning meals, bathroom, bathing, etc.

Volunteers should come prepared with mosquito nets and mosquito repellent.

Participants will be required to carry own sleeping bags and mats

The camp site has simple bathrooms with no showers

The camp sites have latrines not toilets

And a simple cooking shelter (kitchen)

Participants are requested to bring with them mosquito nets, working clothes, gloves and shoes

If any games, information/pictures from home country bring them

Meals

Participants will divide themselves in Groups to prepare their own meals. Meals may sometimes be booked by other volunteers from the Children's Centre. Kiwangala has excellent produce and local food, which should make preparing meals relatively easy.

Health services

The camp is adjacent to private and government medical facilities including Kawempe health centre, komamboga health centre, family planning health centre of which are VFSD partner referral health centres. Here first aid and simple medications and health services can be provided, while serious cases can be referred to Mulago the main referral Hospital 33 km away from Kawempe.

Water Source

The camp is next to Nabukalu community well, therefore volunteers should be prepared to fetch water Occasionally. in a distance of 50 metres from the camp site.

Climate/weather

April is a month inside the start of the first rains and gets to dry when we are always approaching may. It is usually wet and muddy in Kawempe. The temperatures are warm between 15 - 25 degrees centigrade and the evenings are at times a bit chilly.

Note: The whether of the area is un predictable throught the year.

What to Bring?

It is advisable to bring rain coats, working clothes, gum boots/heavy shoes for easy walking through the mud.