Community Based Health Education

Community Based Health Education Throughout Africa, thousands of community-based organizations are addressing the needs of children and families made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. These organizations are strengthening the traditional safety net of the extended family through a range of vital programs and services; often operating with a great deal of volunteer support as very few funds reach the grassroot. STAO works with Community based Social Care Groups as frontline response to the needs of children affected by AIDS. We walk down to the people, deep in the remotest of villages, and teach the basics; what HIV/AIDS is, what it is not, ways and means of protection from infection, and how to treat and care for the infected without discrimination. In vicinities where there is electricity we show videos about nutrition, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Where practical, STAO together with it’s registered community based volunteers use local polical leaders to mobilize concerts in parishes as a mass approach. We also use the home-to-home approach where we reach out to those who cannot make it to the collecting centers for one reason or another. This is where we also reach out to the chronically ill, assess the vulnerability rate of the children. We administer off the shelf medication, advise on when and where to visit professional medical care, and offer basic necessities OLNHPDL]HÀRXUEHDQVVDOWVRDSSDUDI¿QDQGVXJDU

SAVE THE AIDS ORPHANS Mafubira, P.O. BOX 25 JINJA TEL +256782507785 www.stao-uganda.org Norwegian website www.stao.no

Save The Aids Orphans (STAO)

DEFINITION Save The Aids orphans (STAO) Uganda is an independent, indigenous non-governmental organization which was founded in 1997 by Pastor Nelson Lufafa to address the growing needs of orphans and widows due to the HIV/ AIDS pandemic. Though started as a community based organization, STAO soon upgraded to a nongovernmental organization to better handle the anticipated future characterized by abject poverty and the unending spread of HIV/AIDS. STAO has been a fully independent NGO since 2001 with headquarters in Mafubira, 2 kilometers from Jinja, about two hours east of Kampala, Uganda. STAO Uganda is also now duly registered in Norway.

OUR MISSION STAO Uganda is a pro-life giving ministry whose mission and mandate is to uphold the sanctity of human life and endeavor to meet the physical, spiritual and emotional needs to the HIV/AIDS orphans and widows in need of welfare support.

OUR VISION To ensure the well being of orphaned children and widows in need of welfare support. Our aim is to reach out to all NLQGVRI+,9$,'6DIÀLFWHGSHRSOHLQERWKUXUDODQGXUEDQ communities through various means. STAO works in: Assessing child welfare needs for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children and coordinating resources for their care. Providing psychosocial care to widows and children whose lives have been affected by AIDS Empowering widows economically through pursuing income generating activities and vocational training. Providing formal education for orphans and vulnerable children whose families are affected by AIDS. Sensitizing and educating communities about HIV/ AIDS. Providing mobile palliative care for people living with AIDS. Providing zspiritual care and support.

Agape Integrated School We currently serve about 180 orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) who are either living at Agape Children’s home or coming from within our community. We run classes from kindergarten WR \HDU ¿YH RI SULPDU\ HGXFDWLRQ :H LQWHQG WR DGG D FODVV DW a time as time progreses should resources for construction and sustainability become available.

Beyond Primary School As children progress beyond primary school STAO continues to pay school fees for OVCs through middle and high school level in public schools with support from within the community and our international partners .

Agape Children’s Home In the absence of a suitable home for OVCs, STAO provides a home to care for them. Children’s needs are complex and require physical, social and spiritual care to raise them with a sense of VHOIFRQ¿GHQFHDQGVHOIZRUWK$JDSH&KLOGUHQ¶V+RPHFXUUHQWO\ serves sixty-seven children.

Widows Economic Empowerment Projects and Support Care Groups (SCO’s) It is women who assume much of the responsibility for orphaned children ultimately. The income generating capacity of these households is profoundly constrained E\ QXPHURXV GHSHQGHQW FKLOGUHQ GLI¿FXOW\ WR DFFHVV credit and lack of opportunity to accumulate productive resources like cattle, goats, and farming implements. They are further constrained by limited education and training which limits their employability. STAO has countered this trend by organizing widows in groups, and then offering them training in different skill sets such as tailoring, crafts, agriculture and farming. The women work on skills of their own choice and demonstrable ability for sustainabilty. STAO raises support for groups of widows in form of sewing machines , supplies for crafts, and livestock-Support Care Groups