Voices of Hope and Change
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THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TO OUR IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS This publication would not have been possible without our dedicated partners from all across East and Southern Africa, who have shared their challenges and successes with us, so that others might learn from them. OF HOPE AND CHANGE They, and the communities and families they work with, gave their time, energy and commitment to the process of collecting these stories. We thank them deeply for this. TO OUR FUNDING PARTNERS VOICES Ten years ago, an extraordinary group of government and corporate funders came together to do something about the social and emotional wellbeing of children affected by HIV and AIDS in Africa. Stories from across Africa, celebrating ten years They believed in REPSSI and the vision behind us, and it is because of their belief that we are here ten of social and emotional support for children, years later. To the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), and the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development (NFSD), we their families and communities. offer our sincere thanks. Cover photo: Children at a partner’s community-based centre © REPSSI, 2011. All photos in used in this publication have followed ethical written consent procedures. [email protected] | www.repssi.org | +27 11 998 5820 | PO Box 1669, Randburg, 2125, Johannesburg, South Africa TABLE OF CONTENTS Confi dence WHAT WE STAND FOR .............................................................................................. 2 Holistic CREATIVE LOVE y ce empowerp CARING A SMALL DEDICATION ............................................................................................... 3 Active p Supportive y FUTURE OUR JOURNEY: 2002-2012 ........................................................................................4 support pator i G c CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF: i TALENT ilin PLANNIN Rights amil Igniting Hope .................................................................................................... 6 Part F Ownershi es JOY INCLUSIVE Changing Behaviour .......................................................................................12 Potential P INVOLVED learning Hope Children R Building Communities ....................................................................................20 dreams COMMUNITY Combating HIV and AIDS ...............................................................................26 TREATMENT Protection Skilling Those On The Ground .......................................................................32 Working With Governments …………… ........................................................ 38 EXPERTISE: TOOLS AND TRAINING ......................................................................... 44 REPSSI PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION ................................................................. 46 action Page 1 WHAT WE A SMALL STAND FOR DEDICATION LOVE. CARE. PROTECTION. LOVE. CARE. PROTECTION. WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT? At REPSSI, it is our privilege to work with a range of outstanding All children have the right to be cared for, loved, Psychosocial support is love, care and protection. It is organisations across the region. Whether they are well-known encouraged and protected from harm. support for the emotional and social aspects of a child’s international NGOs, or small, community-driven initiatives, our partners life, so that they can live with hope and dignity. are all concerned with the wellbeing of vulnerable children and youth. Children and youth exposed to the devastating effects of poverty, confl ict, HIV and AIDS are especially in need All services for children can and should be delivered in a Throughout the decade since our foundation, we have been of care for their emotional and social (psychosocial) way that takes account of their psychosocial wellbeing. inspired by the successes of our partners in improving the social and wellbeing. Many have lost parents and family, experienced emotional wellbeing of the people they work with. Despite distressing deprivation and abuse, been stigmatised, witnessed Psychosocial support includes: circumstances, poverty, legacies of confl ict, and the devastation of HIV atrocities, and suffered overwhelming grief. • ensuring the participation of children and AIDS, ordinary men, women, boys and girls across Africa are being • listening and responding to children’s problems supported and empowered to help one another live with hope and If we wish to realise the potential of these children, if • allowing children to express their feelings and needs dignity. We are proud to have been part of that work. we wish to build strong and productive communities, if • helping children to appreciate their identity we wish to prevent HIV infections and promote healthy • encouraging children to set goals and reach their In these pages, we have collected together stories of change, inspiration behaviour, if we wish to change attitudes and reduce potential, and encouragement from our partners. These stories show us that discrimination… then we need to provide love, care and • ensuring children have positive, nurturing relationships change is possible, and that situations of despair can be transformed protection for all children. • providing life skills for children and youth by hope. We dedicate this collection to our partners. We need to provide strong systems around children and Psychosocial support is best provided by families and youth to build their resilience and help them thrive. communities. Page 2 Page 3 OUR JOURNEY YEAR1&2 YEAR 3&4 YEAR 5&6 YEAR 7&8 YEAR 9&10 REPSSI is Adoption of the REPSSI fi rmly Finalisation of 8 5 million children 2002-2012 offi cially mainstreaming mainstreaming reached through established within registered as approach to the fi eld. Begin to guidelines and 14 partners. Organisations a non-profi t working with invest in training other manuals. seeking endorsement initiative, and partners’ regional facilitators. from REPSSI. the vision of its programmes. REPSSI ensuring founders is put Study initiated with children and PSS are REPSSI named It has been ten years since REPSSI was founded. into action. 8 key child service the Swiss Academy on the agenda at “Technical partner” to Those ten years have seen REPSSI move from IN THE areas prioritised. for Development and national, regional and SADC. Regional Forum strength to strength, becoming a leader in REPSSI begins to ChildFund Zambia to international fora. held with participants psychosocial support for the region. BEGINNING expand, create Development identify a successful from 17 countries. partnerships of Strategic minimal Psychosocial 8 countries piloting Together with our partners, we have placed In 2001, a meeting was convened at Masiye and develop Framework 2005 Support package. the Certifi cate course, Zambia study provides psychosocial support on the national, regional Camp, Zimbabwe. This “think tank” was attended knowledge. – 2010. supported by UNICEF independent evidence and AusAID. of need for REPSSI and international agenda; become SADC’s by a concerned group of practitioners, children, Partnership initiated Inauguration with the University interventions. technical partner; set regional standards; trained youth, partners, managers, and academics, from of the REPSSI REPSSI and UNICEF a pool of regional expertise; created an innovative of KwaZulu-Natal organisations responding to the crisis of orphaned Governing Board. to develop a support SADC to Social Enterprise new distance-learning course; and developed a and vulnerable children in the region due to HIV and distance-learning develop a “Minimum launched to resource comprehensive body of knowledge which can be AIDS. Deepening Certifi cate Course in package of services new strategy 2011- applied at community level. partnerships in psychosocial support. for orphans, 2015. They met to discuss the social and emotional needs the region. vulnerable children of these children, and how best to address them. The First partnership and youth”, to 1088 students enrolled four lead partners were terre des hommes, Salvation consultative Forum provide a framework in Certifi cate Course Army, SAT and International HIV/AIDS Alliance. held. for governments in across 10 countries. region. Supported by a trio of funding partners (the Swiss agency for Development and Cooperation, the Swedish International Development Agency, and the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development) this group established the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI). 2003-2004 2005-2006 2007-2008 2009-2010 2011-2012 Page 4 Page 5 VOIIGNITINGCE HOPES Hope is the wellspring of all dreams, ambitions and change. Hope can be fostered through kids’ clubs and caregiver support groups; home visits to show care and attention; and training for members of the community who interact with children every day. “We are dealing with a situation of despair and we need to restore confi dence, give hope for the future... psychosocial support does that.” ~ Willard Manjolo, Government of Malawi Page 6 A 5-year-old member of a Kids Club supported by REPSSI’s partner Red Cross Lesotho. Photo © REPSSI/ Willem De Lange Page 7 IGNITING HOPE PASSING ON HOPE Often, the most valuable things cost nothing at all, such as Three years ago, Tshikukulume was a teenager in rural Limpopo, South Africa, encouragement, love, trust, or a listening ear. This has been a who was struggling to cope with the death of his parents. revelation for our partners, and the communities they work with.