DAPP’s zeal to create development together with the people, by running community-based and people centred projects saw the third year of implementing ZAMFAM South Central Project.

According to the DAPP 2018 Year report, achievements have been recorded including provision of services to 150,900 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) and empowering 74,102 families during the reported year.

The project worked with and built capacity of individuals, families and community structures to improve the living conditions of the children, to ensure that they reach their full potential. Its strength is derived from organised community structures such as Action Groups and the active engagement of community volunteers.

The groups met weekly to share knowledge and ideas from lessons and take action in creating better conditions for their children by supporting their social, intellectual and emotional development and improving their health, education and livelihood. The groups also run “pass-on-gifts” through which the neediest families receive ‘gifts’ of livestock and legumes. Families who received the ‘gifts’, pass them on to another family through the first offspring of livestock or grains grown.

The project worked with health facilities in bringing health services closer to the communities and linked OVCs to adequate healthcare and social services. Community Health Workers and Child Care Volunteers carried out child care case management and care protection to ensure that OVCs had access to care and support. Youths were also organised in clubs, working with schools that provide suitable meeting places with a teacher as a guide to support them carry out activities on environmental protection, hygiene, control of HIV/ AIDS, early marriages, among other issues.

By mutual trust among themselves, people established savings groups to improve the economy of their families so as to provide a decent life to orphans and vulnerable children by establishing a common pool of money from which individual members access loans.

Read more about the project from the DAPP 2018 Year report.