African Centre for
Rural Development &
Environment (ACERDEN)

The African Centre for Rural Development & Environment (ACERDEN) implemented an approved number of activities in the month of March, 2015 with respect to the provision of essential care and support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in eight (8) communities of four (4) Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Enugu State. These activities include capacity training of Community Volunteers (CVs), baseline/needs assessment and pre-enrollment/registration of OVCs in the target eight (8) communities, enrollment of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) provision of food and nutrition support to these OVCs as well as organization of kids clubs for 364 OVCs other activities executed within the period were the disbursement of health products to these OVCs, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and distribution of educational materials.

Capacity Training of Community Volunteers (CVs):
Twenty four (24) community volunteers selected from eight (8) target communities were trained, participatory methodologies/approaches employed in the capacity training include lectures, discussions, questions and answers, brainstorming and practical demonstrations. The training was facilitated by the use of the minimum prevention package of interventions (MPPI), screening tools (eg child status index and child vulnerability index) as well as the service from and Referral form. A major outcome is 24 CVs equipped with the skill to track progress of the OVCs within their households. Critical challenges encountered include limited time for the training of CVs, female domination of the CV list as well as relatively low academic qualification of the CVs key recommendation is centralized training of the CVs in a conducive environment with modern training facilities (eg projector and screen .etc)

Baseline/Needs Assessment and Pre-enrollment/registration of OVCs:
These activities were successfully carried out in the eight (8) target communities for the OVC interventions in the State. Needs of the OVCs were identified prioritized and recorded. These were with respect to health, education, shelter, food security, enviorment, protection, etc. Thereafter, all the OVCs physically present in each of these communities were registered or enrolled. Basic data in term of sex, age, status, etc. were recorded against the names of the OVCs pre-enrolled a total of 484 OVCs were pre-enrolled in the eight (8) selected communities for the project within the period.

Enrollment of the OVCs:
The purpose of the enrollment is to ensure that a total of 364 OVCs were registered in the eight (8) selected communities for this project. The enrollment exercise was carried out jointly by the AECRDEN staff and the Community Volunteer (CVs) the criteria for enrollment were based on the key elements in the Child Status Index (CSI). Forty-five (45) OVCs were enrolled in Mbu Agudene and Nkpologu respectively. Overall, 274 OVCs were enrolled in March, 2015 in the selected communities for the OVC intervention. However, 46 OVCs were registered in Neke Emeora, Edem-Ani,Ozzi-Edem and Nimbo communities.

A greater number of paternal and double orphans were registered in Nimbo, uzo-uwani LGA and Neke Emeora, Isi –Uzo than in other communities. A major challenges the large number of OVCs the presence of other children in poverty and with physical disabilities and disease in these communities. Scale up of OVC intervention in the various communities of Enugu state is being advocated or recommended.

Provision of food and Nutrition support and Organisation of Kids clubs of 364 OVCs:
The enrolled OVCs benefitted from the provision of food packs distributed to them by the ACERDEN staff. Kids clubs were formed in each of the communities. The OVCs under the Kids Club were entertained with drinks and food to make them happy and give them a sense of belonging in the society. This activity was adjudged successful.

Disbursement of Health Products to OVCs:
carefully selected health products distributed to the OVCs include tooth paste, tooth brush, disinfectants (Dettol) and bathing soap were given to each child in a pack.

ACERDEN staff educated the OVCs on the use and benefits of the various health products so distributed. Disbursement of the health products to the OVCs were done independently for each of the target communities. A major outcome is that all the targeted OVCs received the health products in good condition.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E):
This activity was carried out by the M&E officer, Geraldine C. Ebeh in the company of some other ACERDEN staff in the eight (8) target communities for the OVC intervention. This was done between 25 – 28th March 2015. The target groups were Community Volunteers (CVs) as well as the beneficiary OVCs and their care – givers. The purpose of the M&E activity is to mentor the CVs, measure progress, identify challenges and profer solutions/ recommendations. It is recommended that the CVs need to be trained on report writing and documentation as well as in basic monitoring and evaluation process.

Review Meeting with Community Volunteers:
Review meetings were carried out from 29th march to 1st April, 2015. It is primarily to assess progress of work by the CVs. Strategies employed include experience sharing, discussions, question and answers etc. monthly reports were collected from the CVs at the end of the meetings.

Major challenges faced by the CVs include the inaccessibility of some of the OVC households during home visits. Althrough the CVs showed evidence of volunteerism and commitment, it is recommended that more incentive support be provided for the Community Volunteers (CVs).

Disbursement of Educational Materials:
The objective of this activity is to provide educational materials to the less priviledged children in the targeted communities. ACERDEN staff successfully distributed one dozen of 80leaves note book per OVC across the eight (8) selected communities for the project in March 2015. In total, 274 OVCs benefited from this activity during the period. This is the need to scale up intervention so that out of school children will have the opportunity of having basic education in these targeted communities.

Lesson Learnt:
There are a large number of OVCs and physically challenged children in the communities that need help in terms of food and nutrition, health products, protection and education, among other needs.

Conclusion and Recommendations:
The OVC interventions in the month of March, 2015 were adjudged successful because majority of the enrolled OVC benefitted in the eight (8) targeted communities. It is recommended that there activities should be scaled up to accommodate a large number of other OVCs that need help in the communities

Capacity training

1. Capacity training in Ozzi Edem Community


2. Capacity training in Edem-Ani Community


3. Capacity training in Nkpologu community


4. Capacity training in Nimbo Community


5. Capacity training in Emeora Neke Community


6. Capacity training in Ugbo Oghe Community


7. Capacity training in Mbu Agudene Community

Pre-enrolment / Registration

1. Pre-Enrolment/Registration in Ozzi-Edem community


2. Pre-Enrolment/Registration in Edem-Ani community


3. Pre-Enrolment/Registration in Nkpologu community


4. Pre-enrolment/registration in Nimbo Community


5. Pre-enrolment/registration in Emeora Neke community


6. Pre-enrolment/registration in Mbu Agudene community


7. Pre-enrolment/registration in Ugbo-Oghe Community

Enrolment of the OVCs

1. Enrolment of the OVCs in Ozzi-Edem community


2. Enrolment of the OVCs in Edem-Ani community


3. Enrolment of the OVCs in Nkpologu community


4. Enrolment of the OVCs in Nimbo community


5. Enrolment of the OVCs in Emeora Neke community


6. Enrolment of the OVCs in Mbu Agudene community


7. Enrolment of the OVCs in Ugbo-Oghe community

The Provision of food and Nutrition/ Kids Club activities

1. OVCs in Emeora Neke community during the Provision of food and Nutrition/ Kids Club activities


2. OVCs in Nimbo (uzo-Uwani LGAs) during the Provision of food and Nutrition/ Kids club Activities


3. OVCs in Ozzi – Edem ( Nsukka LGAs)during the provision of food/Nutrition and Kids club activities


4. OVCs in (Mbu Agudene Isi-Uzo LGAs) during the provision of food/Nutrition and Kids club activities


5. OVCs in Mkpologu (Uzo-Uwani LGAs) during the provision of food/Nutrition and Kids club activities


6. OVCs in Edem-Ani community during the Provision of food and Nutrition/ Kids Club activities

Distribution of Health Products to the OVCs by ACERDEN team

1. Distribution of Health Products to the OVCs by ACERDEN team in Ozzi-Edem


2. Distribution of Health Product to the OVCs by ACERDEN team in Edem-Ani


3. Distribution of Health Products to the OVCs by ACERDEN team in Nimbo


4. Distribution of Health Products to the OVCs by ACERDEN team in Nkpologu.


5. Distribution of Health Products to the OVCs by ACERDEN team in Emeora Neke.


6. Distribution of Health Products to the OVCs by ACERDEN team in Mbu Agudene.

Distribution of educational materials

1. Distribution of educational materials to OVCs in Emeora Neke community


2. Distribution of educational materials to OVCs in Ozzi Edem community


3. Distribution of educational materials to OVCs in Mbu Agudene


4. Distribution of educational materials to OVCs in Nimbo


5. Distribution of educational materials to OVCs in Nkpologu


6. Distribution of educational materials to OVCs in Edem-Ani