Mozambique – SOS Social Centres in Mozambique

In Mozambique there are currently seven Social Centres for children and the local community, including those in Chimoio, Inhambane and Pemba.  Many SOS Social Centres operate via Family Strengthening Programmes, which aim to support the wider community.  Below is some information about some of the Social Centres that SOS Children runs in Mozambique:

SOS Social Centres around Mozambique: In-Depth

Maputo

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In 2002, an SOS Social Centre was put into operation to offer help to HIV/AIDS affected families in the area. The aim of this facility is to support and strengthen socially and economically disadvantaged families, avoiding their breakdown and thus enabling the children to grow up with their biological relatives. It offers home-based care, supports two community kindergartens with nutritional programmes for between 100 and 120 children each, and runs a school placement programme. Additionally, measures are taken to improve the living conditions of the families and to offer them psycho-social support. Up to 2,000 children and their families receive support through this outreach programme. Another SOS Social Centre was set up in Laulane in 2007, giving help and support to around 500 children.

Work and Achievements:

The objectives for the year 2009 were to increase the number of beneficiaries so as to reach the full capacity of the FSP project of 1350 beneficiaries. To facilitate the Formation & Development of Community Based Organization as community partners of FSPs and to facilitate the formation and development of CBOs to spearhead the management of the projects initiated by FSP in the communities as part of FSP community project withdrawal strategy.

With regard to education we supported the handing over of the responsibilities and management of the community kindergartens to the Community Based Organization (CBO). We supported the recruitment of children from supported households for school re-integration and integration to achieve the target as per annual plans and budgets.  We facilitated the recruitment of youths from supported households for VTC training as per annual action and budget targets. We worked on the reduction of illiteracy problem affecting the supported households as one way of fighting against poverty and we developed and promoted child sports and traditional dance groups in each community within our catchments areas as one way of identifying the hidden talents and promoting children rights.

Chimoio

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

A community based Family Strengthening Programme will be established in the years to come, reaching out to the ever increasing number of children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. It is also planned to support government efforts to improve the local educational facilities to guarantee good quality primary education for all.

Inhambane

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

A maximum of 1,000 children and their relatives from HIV/AIDS affected families receive direct support, skills training, counselling and medical treatment in the SOS Social Centre. Those accepted onto the AIDS outreach programme are children who have lost both parents and now live with grandparents, older siblings or other relatives, as well as those whose parents are seriously ill.

Pemba

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In summer 2002 an SOS Social Centre was added, offering home-based care, supporting two community kindergartens with nutritional programmes for between 100 and 120 children each, and running a school placement programme. Additionally, measures are taken to improve the living conditions of HIV/AIDS affected families and to offer them psycho-social support. The aim of this facility is to support and strengthen socially and economically disadvantaged families, avoiding their breakdown and in this way enabling the children to grow up with their biological relatives. Up to 2,000 children and their families per year receive support through this outreach programme. Another SOS Social Centre was set up in Chiuba in 2007, giving help and support to around 500 children.

Work and Achievements:

The year 2009 can be defined as the most active year as there was a variety of activities like that focused on the assessment of beneficiaries, scaling up of project statistics and expansion of programmes.  There are a total of 602 child beneficiaries and 115 care givers.

Achievements for 2009 are the recruitment of new beneficiaries to reach our full capacity.  CBO’s are able to do the initial recruitment following the required criteria.  All community leaders have the status of the CBO in order to analyze, to elect the founder members and tender committee is in place. Capacity of staff was developed on the new format of the master list, as well as the new recruitment form and monitoring form.

Community Home Based Care Programmes:

Several activities were undertaken in this program, with a total of 79 families benefiting from treatment and provisions.  Key partnerships that assisted us were the Ministry of health, Red Cross, Medico de la Munds, Action Aids, Monasa, N.P.SIA and Geracao Ibis.    We also worked at expanding and equipping FSP clinics with all the necessary materials as they are now offering services to FSO staff, SOS village staff, children and pupils from the schools and nursery.  Besides the home based care, staff also provide medical assistance, counselling and mobilization fo HIV awareness to the communities.

Income Generating Programme:

25 families have been supported through this programme through interventions like tailoring shops, brick molding and welding shops.  Families were orientated on how to run their business, on pricing of goods and products and on marketing of products.  Families are working successfully and they manage to sustain their families on the income they receive.  The tailoring group made uniforms for the children under the school integration and for the community around.

Food Security Programme:

Caregivers with land received agricultural farming inputs and seeds for their respective gardens.  The products from the garden will be sold to the school, nursery and the SOS Village and will support the community nurseries.  More than 15 families benefitted from the programme

Tete

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

An SOS Social Centre was opened in April 2004, offering help to HIV/AIDS affected families in the area. The aim of this facility is to support and strengthen socially and economically disadvantaged families, avoiding their breakdown and in this way enabling the children to grow up with their biological relatives. It offers home-based care, supports several community kindergartens, runs nutrition programmes for between 100 and 120 children each, and runs a school placement programme. Additionally, capacity building and income generating activities are provided, as well as psycho-social support. Up to 2,000 children and their families receive support through this outreach programme. Another SOS Social Centre was set up in Kapaia in 2007, giving help and support to around 500 children.