for effective orphan
involvement



WHAT WE DO



:Our work is focused on 6 main programme areas


Orphan Affairs Unit (O.A.U)
Widows & Grannies
Early Childhood Development
Home-based care
Secondary education
Self-help groups

To enable us to better respond to the specific needs of our communities we have established a number of support groups that meet on a regular basis to discuss and address the issues affecting us in our daily lives.


Fundamental to the ongoing success of the groups is the active engagement of our community leaders. This has led to the communities we work with not only taking responsibility for activities and programmes, but also initiating and implementing their own.


We have also enlisted the support of an increasingly extensive network of community members to monitor, supervise, and manage the running of activities.


Perhaps the most important aspect of our strategy for the care and support of orphans and vulnerable children though has been the active involvement of the children themselves in supporting each other through the formulation of self-help projects.


Further reading:

Consol Homes Profile [PDF]

Consol Homes Strategic Plan 2009-2014 [PDF]

Consol Homes Child Protection Policy 2018 [PDF]

Service Learning Presentation by Ruth Maulana [PDF]

Lessons from Communities (Presentation) [PDF]


If you're an individual or organisation and you'd like to support any of these programmes please click on the link below:



Support our work

ORPHAN AFFAIRS UNIT (O.A.U)



Our first Orphan Affairs Unit (O.A.U) was established in 2001. The group, aged between 10 and 20 yrs and headed by a president and vice president voted for by the group members, meet on a regular basis to discuss and formulate plans to address the problems and issues faced by young people living within their communities.





Although initially comprising a single group based at Kalolo (central-west Malawi), we now have a network of over 20 OAU's across southern Malawi sharing ideas and working together to support and encourage each other.


Meeting weekly, the groups are forging strong voices for themselves within their communities and providing important channels for dialogue and social change.


OBJECTIVES:

  1. To ensure that the rights of orphans and other vulnerable children are protected, their basic needs met and opportunities created for them to reach their fullest potential
  2. To assist elderly guardians caring for orphans and other vulnerable children through the provision of basics such as food, clothing and blankets, as well as assisting with housing maintenance and agricultural work
  3. To encourage and support orphans and other vulnerable children in their pursuit of education.
  4. To participate in the development, organisation and implementation of strategies to assist orphans and other vulnerable children
  5. To develop fundraising activities to support the work of the OAU
  6. To conduct awareness campaigns within communities on the support and care for orphans and HIV/AIDS prevention.
  7. To provide social support for one another.


Having an impact locally, nationally and internationally


The achievements of the O.A.U groups since 2001 have been enormous. Not only have they made major contributions to the development of their own communities, through fundraising activities, educational campaigns and construction projects, they have also begun to play an important role in the national and international development of support strategies for young people affected by HIV/AIDS.


In 2001, our first OAU president Hawa Majola was selected to represent the group at a Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, while our first OAU vice president Timothy Dawa was elected to join the Malawi Children’s Parliament.


In addition to this, in 2002 OAU Secretary Yembekezani Misiyasi was invited to address a Southern African Editors’ Conference (SAEF) on the problems faced by orphans and other vulnerable children and on the importance of children's participation in addressing and finding solutions to the problems they face.


Significantly, in 2004 the O.A.U at Kalolo participated in the government assessment that led to the development of the current National Plan of Action for orphans and other vulnerable children in Malawi. They have also taken part in meetings with UNICEF (Malawi) and the Stephen Lewis Foundation to discuss issues affecting orphans and those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.


In addition to this, since 2003, the O.A.U concept developed by Consol Homes has, with assistance from UNICEF, REPSSI (Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative, Malawi) and Hope HIV (UK), been adopted in a number of other countries including Uganda and Zambia.


Further reading:

Introduction to Psychosocial Support (Presentation) [PDF]


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WIDOWS AND GRANNIES



Recognizing the involvement of parents and guardians in Consol Homes' programmes for support of orphans and other vulnerable children to be fundamental to their long-term success, we established our first Widows and Grannies group at Kalolo in 2001.


Initially a group of 13 guardians, membership has now grown to over 500 women at 26 centres throughout the Lilongwe and Ntcheu districts


OBJECTIVES:

  • To assist parents and guardians in developing their problem solving and parenting skills.
  • To conduct problem solving sessions through group discussions.
  • To improve psychosocial care and support for both guardians and the orphans and other vulnerable children in their care
  • To assist one another in knowledge sharing on income generation mechanisms To provide an opportunity for socialising in a relaxed environment away from the pressures of home life.

​

Since 2001, we have trained over 80 elderly and widowed parents and guardians as community advisors on the psychosocial care and support of those suffering bereavements. In addition to this, as a result of access to training in food and nutrition, early detection of malnourishment in children in the care of guardians has significantly improved, as has the number of referrals to Nutrition Rehabilitation Units (NRUs).


Furthermore, access to training in income generation has enabled many parents and guardians to make greater financial contributions towards school fees for the children in their care, and as a result over 400 children who had dropped out of school have been able to return to classes.


Further reading:

Study on Neonates and Infants under Grandparents' Care [PDF]

Introduction to Psychosocial Support (Presentation) [PDF]


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EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT



We opened our first Community-based Care Centre (CBCC) for early childhood development in Kalolo in October 2001.


Designed to provide orphaned children between 0-6yrs living with elderly parents or guardians, particularly those on a low income, with access to early learning skills and activities, the centre initially registered 120 children and 4 volunteer caregivers.


It has since grown to over 40 centres in Lilongwe and Ntcheu districts, supporting 3,900 children - orphans and non-orphans - under the guidance of over 180 community volunteers.





Distribution of new school uniforms and backpacks


OBJECTIVES:

  1. To promote holistic early childhood development
  2. To promote learning and stimulation in early childhood
  3. To promote psychosocial care and support
  4. To reduce problems of malnutrition and incidences of early deaths


Children registered at our centres attend daily early learning classes in preparation for primary school. The classes are free and sustained by the contributions made by our volunteers, who provide teaching assistance as well as essential food supplies for the children's meals.


As a key part of this pre-school programme, trained volunteers are engaged in nutrition and growth monitoring of all the children registered with the centre.


Further reading:

Study on Neonates and Infants under Grandparents' Care [PDF]

Service Learning Presentation by Ruth Maulana [PDF]


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HOME-BASED CARE



The formation of Consol Homes in March 2000 was prompted initially by the multiple HIV/AIDS related problems experienced by orphans and other vulnerable children within the community.


However, as our organisation expanded, the need to assist in the provision of care for the chronically ill - in most cases responsibility for which was falling to children or the elderly - became increasingly clear.


Starting with 60 patients supported by a team of 15 volunteers, our home-based care programe grew to incorporate over 120 volunteers operating from 19 care centres assisting over 200 patients.


OBJECTIVES:

  • To promote and assist with better care at home for the chronically ill.
  • To promote and assist with improved home nutrition and sanitation for the sick to reduce pressures on elderly and child carers
  • To provide psychosocial support to those affected by HIV/AIDS
  • To promote HIV/AIDS awareness amongst the community


In recent years, as the need for home-based care has expanded, Consol Homes has transferred responsibility for this programme to community-based paramedical teams.




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GREENFIELD ACADEMY



Supporting young people to access high quality, low-cost secondary education



In September 2018 Consol Homes opened the Greenfield Academy (formerly known as Ruth Academy) in Namitete, Lilongwe, to support orphans and other vulnerable children to access quality, low-cost secondary education.


We have been providing educational support to primary-school going children for over 17 years. However, for many of the children we support, progressing from primary school level into secondary school has remained a significant challenge.





New classrooms at Greenfield Academy, Namitete


There are a number of reasons for this, but two of the primary factors are the difficulties of accessing scholarships to government secondary schools and the very high fees charged by private schools.


With the opening of the new academy, however, Consol Homes is able to ensure that the young people it supports can continue to develop the vital skills and knowledge they've developed in primary school and go on to have greater access to employment opportunities in the future.


Set up as a social enterprise, the academy is a member of the Independent Schools Association of Malawi (ISAMA) and is currently providing secondary education to over 100 girls and boys.


New prize programme for girls

We have recently established a new prize programme for all girls attending Greenfield Academy. The programme is designed to encourage and reward achievement in academic studies, sports, extra-curricular activities and community engagement.


New Library and Science Laboratory

We are also pleased to announce that we have recently set up a new library and science laboratory at Greenfield Academy and are currently fundraising to enable us to expand our collection of books and scientific equipment.


Girls' Accommodation

We are also in the early stages of raising funds to build new, dedicated accommodation facilities for girls studying at Greenfield Academy. This will be a vital resource for young people currently unable to or struggling to study at the academy due to the long distances they have to travel.


To support us in our fundraising efforts please visit our 'SUPPORT US' page.



Further reading:

Greenfield Academy Values [PDF]


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Community Self Help Groups (SHG)



In 2013 Consol Homes formed a partnership with local representatives of German NGO, Kinder Not Hilfe (KNH), to support the development of self help groups for vulnerable women in our communities.


The aim of the groups has been to enable community members, with the support of trained community facilitators, to access information and advice on formation and management of savings and lending structures, as well as business and personal finance management skills.


The groups have also, through small regular savings contributions made by all members, come together to create community-owned funds (of up to several million kwacha) available to lend to any member in need of financial support. To date, we have supported the formation of 102 self help groups benefiting over 1,700 women and 3,500 children in rural Lilongwe.


In this transformative approach, leadership works on rotational basis so that every member has the opportunity to take responsibility for leading group processes and to develop new skills and experience.


In addition to supporting saving, lending and development of local businesses, the groups also meet regularly to hold discussions on issues affecting their families (including those of gender-based violence and child abuse) and their broader communities (including development of roads, boreholes, early learning facilities and schools).



Youth Self Help Groups


Building on the success of the women’s self help groups, Consol Homes, with support from UNESCO, has recently developed a new vulnerable youth Entrepreneurship programme – ‘Transition From Vulnerable Childhood to Self Sustaining Adults’.


In addition to the self help groups, the programme has also supported the development of a self help group manual and delivery of capacity building workshops for youth group members.



Building stronger communities


Operating on a very small budget, since their formation in 2013 we’ve seen the women’s and youth self help groups have a huge impact on building the skills and confidence of SHG members young and old.


We’ve also seen the increased access to information and advice and greater financial stability made possible by the SHG lending funds result in:


  • an increasing number of parents now being able to pay their children’s school fees from funds raised through the development of small businesses​
  • SHG members starting to become more involved in the development and management of community-based early childhood development facilities
  • a growing number of families who reported at the beginning of the project having only 1 meal or none at all a day, now having 2 or 3 meals a day; increasing their small livestock ownership from 1 or no chickens at all to several chickens, goats, pigs etc; and replacing existing mud houses with brick structures.
  • CLAs, in partnership with local business people, farmers, members of parliament initiating significant community development activities, including building bridges and sanitation facilities at boreholes.
  • CLAs’ increased awareness and empowerment on key child protection issues, which, among other outcomes, has resulted in the successful prosecution of a child abuser.
  • CLAs, with support from the same project now managing Community Based Trainings (CBT) in various community-relevant vocational skills for vulnerable youths' economic upliftment. Over 100 youths have benefited already.

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Consol Homes Orphan Care



Philip Chapomba
Executive Guardian
P O Box 162, Namitete
MALAWI


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