Started in 2023 – continuing through 2026 – Sabelo Sensha project offers robust health support for vulnerable children and adolescents, in addition to DREAMS services for adolescent girls and young women (AGYM).
Our Goal: Prevent new HIV infections in children and youth, and improve treatment outcomes for children and adolescents living with HIV.
This project is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Sabelo Sensha project provides comprehensive, countrywide services and support at many levels.
This project builds and expands on our Phila Unotse project. It increases the scope of access to sustainable comprehensive HIV prevention and impact mitigation services, and strengthens resilience in vulnerable children, adolescents, and youth.
Vulnerable Children and Adolescents Support
Health
- Referrals to clinical services provided by DREAMS on Wheels mobile outreach units and health facilities
- Treatment adherence for children, adolescents, and caregivers living with HIV in households; and referrals to teen clubs and caregiver support groups at facilities
- Support and follow up on HIV-exposed infants through 18-24 months
- Early childhood development support, immunization follow ups, and early infant stimulation
- Basic nutritional assessment of children up to age 5 and referrals for clinical support
Safety
- Child protection services includes gender-based violence (GBV) prevention education and post-abuse care services; access to national documents including birth certificates and national IDs; counseling for the survivor and family
- Referrals to clinical services, police, and legal services; court preparation for survivors of violence
- Unconditional cash grants
- Positive parenting skills for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) caregivers
- Education support for survivors who have been moved from their primary homes and schools due to exposure to violence, based on needs (for school fees, school uniforms, shoes and education materials for the school year)
Schooling: Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation of OVC
- Education support subsidies for vulnerable children and adolescents, based on needs (for school fees, exam fees and material support)
- Re-enrollment of school dropouts
Economic Stability for Caregivers: Resilience in OVC households
- Through savings and lending groups
- Through small business development
AGYW Support
HIV/GBV Prevention Education
- Social asset building
- HIV and GBV education sessions in groups and individual sessions
- One-on-one mentorship towards meeting health and life goals
- Referrals to clinical services provided by DREAMS on Wheels mobile outreach clinic and static adolescent friendly clinics
- Referrals for post GBV services
- Enrollment, retention, and progression in school
Socio-economic
- Entrepreneurship and wage employability skills building
- Mentoring and coaching
- Financial literacy skills development
- Referral to vocational skills training
- Startup capital to launch income-generating enterprises
- Referrals to employment and paid internships
- Training and establishment of savings groups
Community Leadership Engagement
- For community leaders, faith leaders, men on gender norms, GBV, and teenage pregnancy
- For caregivers on parenting to improve access to health services
