Bringing Hope to The Family

1. Organizational description
Bringing Hope to The Family (BHTF) is a faith-based organisation under the Full Gospel Mission, located in the district of Kyenjojo, at Kaihura trading Centre. The organisation has been in existence for the last 5years working with orphans and vulnerable children in the communities of Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Kibale, and Kamwenge.

Working in a population of more that 50,000 people, where there is not much being done on those affected and infected by HIV/AIDs.

Since its formation in September 2000 Bringing Hope to The Family has reached to more than 1200 children in the above mentioned area through;

1. Provision of Formal and informal education to OVC.

 Support to OVC for formal education has been achieved through the provision of scholastic materials like books, pens, pencils, math mathematical set, and school uniform to 1,200 OVC. The Scholastic materials are distributed to the OVC through the 28 centers that BHTF supports in the district. Each of this centre has a coordinator and responsible for monitoring, providing psychosocial support and care to the OVC in that particular area.

 Through BHTF vocational training school, 18 out of school OVC have been trained in various vocational skills and are awaiting graduation tool kits.

 Currently Docas Vocational School has 76girls under going training in Tailoring, Crafts, Agriculture, Home management and Hygiene, Hairdressing, and basic cookery, while 16 boys are being trained in welding.
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 Bringing Hope to the family strongly supports caring for OVC in a family setup and not in homes run by the organization, However, given the need that arises, OVC that are homeless are accommodated at Home Again Children?s Centre which was established by BHTF. Currently, the center is caring for 25 OVC, of which 16 are girls and 9 are boys and two of these OVC are HIV positive. BHTF provides OVC with accommodation, food and basic needs like clothing, beddings, and supports a caretaker.

 BHTF currently supports 15 Early child development Centers (ECDC) where the OVC who are not yet of primary school going age a provided with pre-school materials. These centers have been instrumental in improving the education standard of the OVC when they join Primary Education.


2. Health and hygiene is another area where our OVC benefit from Bringing Hope to The Family (BHTF).

 BHTF runs Hope Again Medical centre and with the support of the District Directorate of Health Services in Kyenjojo, HAMC was able to initiate voluntary counseling and testing services. The centre offers Voluntary Counseling and Testing services, treatment of Opportunistic infections, Ongoing counseling, Home based care, free treatment to OVC and general treatment to the Public. The Post test Club has been instrumental in reaching out to families and individuals tested by providing counseling and referral for various services for children and adults. The club also conducts monthly drama shows in Kaihura.

 Through Hope Again Medical Centre (HAMC), OVC are provided with free medical treatment of most common sickness. The OVC that are HIV positive and their caretakers are also provided with treatment for opportunistic infections. HAMC is being supported by Mr. Steve Cobin from Los Angels USA through the Rotary Club of Kampala East.

 Since its inception in April 2005 Hope Again Medical Centre has been able to offer VCT services to 614 people, out of which 125 have tested positive and of these, 30 are OVC. The OVC that are HIV positive are being provided with treatment, care and support. All the 30 OVC are currently accessing ARVS from JCRC and the district health unit in Kyenjojo. Every Wednesday BHTF provides medical staff, lunch and transport using public means to enable the HIV+ OVC to access care, have their CD4 count tests done when need arises and meets the medical examination costs for those tests that can not be carried out at the Hope Again Medical Centre (HAMC) or the district health unit in Kyenjojo, such services include, x-rays, CD4 count, and ARV treatment for children.


 The Hope Again medical centre and our other social workers do home based care every Friday. This has been instrumental in counseling at home especially to the caregivers.

 BHTF has well established relationship with the Police and District Community development office. To that effect, a number of children have been referred by the Education office, the District health unit in Kyenjojo, the Police, and other CBO like RWIDE, DIFORA, Burden Bearers, churches and local community leaders for care and support to neglected, abused and abandoned children.

3. Socio-economic support
Over the last 5 years we have been able to provide Income generating activities like; the Heifer, Passion fruit growing, and seed program to OVC households.

 27 heifers have been distributed with the help of several individual and Mr. Steve Cobin through the Rotary Club of Kampala East to OVC households and the families are benefiting from the sale of milk, and improved nutrition. Every family that has a milking heifer saves shs. 500 per day from their sales of milk. This money is banked with the organization and given back to the family in a lamp sum at the end of the month or whenever they need it. This has been helpful in payment of fees for secondary school going OVC.

 35 families have been supported with passion fruit growing under the Alliance for Youth Achievements ? USA program.

 140 families received hybrid maize seeds to enable them improve on the crop yield.


4. Psychosocial support for OVC and their households

 Every first and last Saturday of the month the OVC gather at the 28 centers, where they are provided with information, counseling and general learning. It is during these meetings that OVC concerns are addressed and where they cannot be addressed they are referred for further management, care and support to the various centers depending on the need. The centre coordinators and other church leaders whom we work with submit monthly reports to enable us plan and report.

 To build OVC knowledge base, prevent the spread of HIV among OVC, BHTF holds monthly music, dance and dram activities in the community.