Selecting Phase II OVCs

This a portion of the guardians of 150 children in the Kiloleni Ward (district of Tabora) who have been identified as needy by the Ward Officers. It is then the job of the HAPO staff to evaluate each family, their children, and their living conditions to determine who is most needy – and select 27 children for Phase II.

After a brief introduction, we were escorted on foot to the homes of these women where we met their children and completed a questionnaire designed by both international and local officials in medicine and sustainable development. The form was created to assess the biological, psychological, and social state of affairs for both the children and their guardian.  This includes: how often do they eat (most eat a small meal around 10pm at night), do they attend school, is there someone in their family that can lend a hand financially or otherwise?

Once we have a number assigned to each criteria (0 – best, 5 – worst) we can determine how many children from each family we can take. It’s heart-wrenching to turn anyone away, especially after you see firsthand how these people live. But it’s better to be able to help 27 children than none at all. Please help us find the funds for these children by clicking on the donate button at the top of the page.

A few more photos from the day…

Bernadetta (teacher), me (volunteer), Mr. Ndaki (board member of HAPO), Siwan (volunteer)

Here we are sitting in a courtyard with one of the guardians. Technically, she doesn’t live here. She doesn’t live anywhere since her mud house crumbled in on itself in one of the latest big rain storms. Now she’s working babysitting kids for the families close to her former home while she tries to make enough money to get back on her feet.

Me and one of the guardians