Activities
OCT Active Programs
Permanent Foster Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
UNICEF estimates that twelve million children and adolescents in Sub- Saharan Africa are orphans, having lost one or both parents to AIDS (UNICEF, 2011) specifically in Uganda, 6.5 percent of adult population lived with HIV and 1.2 million children and adolescents were orphaned due to AIDS in 2009 (UNAIDS, 2010). Orphan hood does not only affect a child or adolescent who grows up without a parent, but it also exerts additional economic pressure on the family.
Given this context, as we identify children that have lost their parents, we trace the next of kin to try and place them there, so as to keep that unique semblance of ancestral attachment going. In the absence of relatives, we identify homes with the ability to take in an extra child and then place them there. These homes are expected to treat the orphans as though they are their own children, by providing them with whatever their families would: food, shelter, medical care, education, clothing, but above all, love without peripheral qualifications. OCT now visits these homes after every two weeks to supervise and ascertain compliance to OCT’s child foster standards.
New Moon Children’s House:
In the absence of a suitable home for orphaned and vulnerable children, OCT provides a family environment where children can grow and get the necessary skills in order to be independent and valuable contributors to their communities and largely to the country’s economic and social development. Children’s needs are complex and require physical, social, developmental, and spiritual care to raise them with a sense of self confidence and self-worth.
New Moon Pre-School:
Nelson Mandela is quoted to have said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world; our pre- school program provides a safe child care environment for working mothers and an enriching early childhood education curriculum that prepares young children for formal education. The school enrolls 25 orphans and vulnerable children annually who are either living at New moon children’s house or children who come from our community that meet OCT’s qualifications as needy Children. As we are able to meet the needs, we intend to add a class as time goes should resources for construction and sustainability of day to day activities become available.
As the child progresses to middle primary to secondary level of education, we partner with public schools to make education possible for orphans and vulnerable children who would otherwise find it difficult as OCT pays school fees with support from our international sponsors and the community members.
The majority of sponsored children are children who lost either one or both parents and girls who are disproportional denied access to education.
Mentoring Program:
Our mentoring program works to support and keep secondary students in school. At a time when they are more at- risk of dropping out of school. Working with our partner schools, this monthly course covers topics on building strong self- esteem and leadership, making healthy decisions and creating a bright future. To date, this program has benefited over hundreds of young people in secondary schools.
Achievements:
OCT as an organization has been relatively successful in mobilizing and motivating the community members, churches and schools to practically meet the critical needs of people living with Aids in their midst. To date, over 12 families have been cared for by our Social care groups by providing them with practical home based care, encouraging their families most especially children and giving them counsel about their critical needs for example; Economic empowerment of the widows and orphans, Counseling support and Aids education, Development and advocacy programs for the orphans, Educating the community to reduce stigma among people living with HIV /AIDS.
OCT’s Social care groups in partnership with local believers walk to the sick and the affected offering spiritual help and comfort, through this outreach we have seen many people give their lives to the Lord, and we have had total behavioral turn around. We are convinced that a God fearing population will develop mechanisms that will inevitably curtail the further spread of this epidemic and save the future generation from this horrible pandemic plus the incidence of orphaning and vulnerability. Actually OCT is overwhelmed, due to the magnitude of the problem and the resources at its disposal so we seek to interact with all churches as well as bodies and individuals who share the same vision.
Long Term Plans:
1. Moving forward, we seek to expand our preschool program from nursery level to primary level. Our organization strongly needs donations for purposes such as; educational materials, uniforms and after school clothing, Boarding facilities, classrooms, pit latrines and text books
2. We need School dropouts (orphans) to train in trade skills like tailoring, cosmetology and computer studies.
3. We have plan to initiate an AIDS care center for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients
