Orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) living in Namibia are the recipients of a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/PEPFAR). In partnership with the Namibian people, this grant will help supply OVCs with necessary school supplies like uniforms, books and school lunches. Counseling services will also be provided for OVCs in many of the communities.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic has left 85,000 children orphaned in Namibia. Often left to take on head-of-household duties, many OVCs do not have the resources to remain in school. The grant will support 28 schools and communities in the Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Caprivi regions of Namibia.
To address the needs of OVCs, the U.S. Government has partnered with the Ministries of Education, Gender Equality, and Child Welfare, as well as non-governmental and faith-based organizations to support the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Education Initiative.
The program, which began last March, will use the grant money to provide critical care and support for more than 58,000 OVCs in Namibia. |
