Inuka Community based OVC Project (ICOP) is a USAID-funded five-year project directly implemented by Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT) in Bondo and Rarieda Sub-counties of Siaya County.The goal of the project is to expand service coverage and improve the overall wellbeing of 11, 000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children living in 4, 150 households. During the year 2017, the project comenced its fifth and final year of implementation from the period starting July, 2017. The project is implemented with support from 22 LCHVs and 198 CHVs attached to 11 CBOs spread acrross 11 loactions in both Bondo and Rarieda sub-counties.
During the year under review, ICOP project focused more on employing strategies that catalyze OVC households’ transition and graduation, galvanizing local communities’participation for OVC ownership and progressively increasing County Government responsibility of OVC care for sustainability. These strategies include; engaging local communities more often, continuous engagement of local CHVs and 11 CBOs , Intensive engagement with Siaya county Government to increase political and financial commitment for a sustainable OVC response, engaging ‘OVC HH transition/graduation’ discussions with local communities and County Children’s office, ensure collaborations with other USG & Non -USG actors, while maintaining Rights based and Gender sensitive principles aligned with PEPFAR 3.0.To this end, ICOP has been cognizant of the fact that Local community, Local Gorvernment and civil society partnerships are critical to the project success and ongoing sustainability of OVC care services in Siaya County.