The future of many orphans and vulnerable children in Mozambique is increasingly the responsibility of older people. According to recent studies there are now 1.6 million orphans in Mozambique. This number is rising daily as parents succumb to AIDS.

HelpAge International works in the central region where 60% of these children live. In 2005, we carried out a household survey in eight communities in Changara district, Tete province. The survey showed that:

• 15% of children are orphans
• Of the 1,182 households caring for the orphans, 53% were headed by older people.
• Older people headed 25% of the 100 households caring for people living with HIV.

Policy makers and programme developers in Mozambique are beginning to wake up to the impact of HIV/AIDS on older people. They increasingly provide care for sick family members, grandchildren and other vulnerable children in the community.

Many older people have to meet household costs of food, medicines, education, clothing and shelter. It is estimated that 91,000 orphans are living with HIV. This further adds to the burden of responsibility for older carers.

HIV prevention and awareness programmes in Mozambique rarely target older age groups, either as carers or as an at-risk group. However, older people play a valuable role as community educators. They must be targeted to ensure that the dissemination of HIV/AIDS information is effective and to reduce stigma.

Older people increasingly need to understand how to treat opportunistic infections and to get access to anti-retroviral treatment for their sick relatives. With HIV prevalence in adolescent girls four times higher than in boys, grandmothers particularly have a role in breaking the cycle of vulnerability for young women.

Aims

By strengthening community awareness, and individual and community coping mechanisms, the project aims to improve the quality of life of people affected by HIV/AIDS in Mozambique. It also sets out to reduce the impact of the disease on children (especially those in the care of older people) and those who care for them.

Activities

In partnership with UNICEF, HelpAge International is working directly with community committees. It is also collaborating with the Provincial Farmers’ Union (UPCT) in Tete province and with Vukoxa, a local NGO in Gaza province, which is worst hit by the epidemic in the south. We work closely with communities to access the support they need to cope, in collaboration with the national government and NGOs.

Working in 52 communities in Changara, Chiuta, Moatize and Cahora Bassa districts in Tete province, and Chokwe district in Gaza province we are:

• helping orphans and their carers to get the correct documents to access the support they are entitled to from the state
• placing orphaned children in schools and providing support in terms of uniforms, materials and fees for secondary school
• running HIV/AIDS awareness-raising and prevention campaigns
• extending the existing network of para-legals currently providing support to older people, orphans and vulnerable children in rights issues
• training 60 ouvintes (counsellors and home visitors) to provide care and respond to the basic needs of older people and those they care for
• addressing hygiene issues through training and the provision of water points/latrines in schools and in the community
• ensuring access to medical-care services and medication
• providing training in nutrition and the development of appropriate agricultural farming methods
• supporting the government to collect information and coordinate responses to meet the needs of orphans.

Achievements

• Communities and local authorities have increased knowledge of HIV/AIDS, its prevention and issues faced by older carers.
• 20 farmers’ associations have been established. This has enhanced communication between the older people’s district body and local authorities on issues that affect farmers.
• More than 3,000 orphans and vulnerable children have been integrated into schools. The very poor or vulnerable are exempt from paying fees for educational materials, insurance and administration costs. Community-based monitoring in eight communities will measure the impact of this.
• More than 1,200 vulnerable children have been trained in practical skills such as basket-weaving, knitting and pottery in five schools.
• 52 community plans have been developed to provide a framework for implementing and monitoring activities at community level.
• Four publications have been produced in local languages to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. More people are now keen to know their HIV status.
• Two documentaries have been produced by a national television station, TVM. They highlight the vulnerability of OVC’s and the older women's vital role in supporting them.
• Seven boreholes have been sunk, benefiting more than 22,000 people. Availability of clean water has resulted in a reduction in diseases.
• Seven older people’s councils have successfully fundraised from the National AIDS programme to support orphans in day care centres and people living with HIV.

The future

HelpAge International Mozambique will continue to:

• Lobby the government and civil-society organisations to include older people’s issues in programmes. These include poverty-reduction strategies and other national policies such as district plans and education, health and social protection policies. We will lobby to ensure that older people are also involved in the implementation and monitoring processes.
• Strengthen communities to work directly with government agencies to ensure that older people have access to basic services, to social protection mechanisms, and that these services support local initiatives.
• Make good use of available human resources. This includes existing local community knowledge from traditional healers, churches and older people themselves in the campaign for rights and entitlements and the response to HIV/AIDS.