By Ojambo Justine | National Director
Currently PEFO is supporting over 1366 grandmothers and 2,383 orphans under their care. The orphan is supported alongside the immediate care giver of whom 4 in every 5 orphans are under the care of their grandmothers. PEFO’s approach emphasizes mutual reinforcement between the two categories of beneficiaries. Grandmothers are supported in their right through a care for Caregivers’ programme (Livelihood and Micro credit, Health, Housing and Human Rights) but also based on the fact that their improved life puts them in a better position to ably support orphans under their care. And, orphans that have been given a chance to education are getting in position to support respective grandmothers households they live.
During the ten years of our service in grandmother-OVC communities, we have learned that poor housing is a major challenge that almost all rural grandmothers face in their struggle in caring for orphans. For some grandmothers, they’ll tell you that they would rather keep out through the rainy night than stay inside their dangerous shelters. In Feb 2013, one of the grannies lost a 4 year grandson under the collapse of house during a rainy night. This same challenge (poor housing) has in away had a deep effect on the performance of school going children. The level of absenteeism among OVC under the care of grannies seems to escalate every rainy season. Some of the reasons for this situation have been shared to include; failure to have a night sleep because they feared the house to fall on them; wet books and uniform just to mention but a few. While the other basic needs are necessities just like housing, housing has always proved too expensive for rural grandmothers.
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