The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),  with four major stake holders including the Centre for Infectious Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) to mitigate the impact of HIV and improve the health and wellbeing of Vulnerable Children and Adolescents (VCAs).

The MoU is aimed at seeing CIDRZ, the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) and Project Concern Zambia (PCZ) join forces with GRZ on the USAID Empowered children and Adolescent Program (ECAP), through the delivery of high-impact, evidence-based and age-appropriate interventions using a child focused and family centred approach.

And ACHIEVE Zambia Project Director Ms. Nang’andu Joan Kamwale, expressed happiness on the significant milestone attained on the ongoing collaboration on strengthening social welfare systems to improve health and well-being of vulnerable children, adolescents, and their families.

Ms. Kamwale said the public health and social challenges caused by HIV and AIDS as well as now the irreversible impact of COVID-19 are interlinked and can only be tackled through multisectoral approaches that reach out across the health, social protection systems and other sectors such as education, housing and nutrition.

Funded by PEPFAR, Adolescents and Children, HIV Incidence-reduction, Empowerment, and Virus Elimination (ACHIEVE) is USAID’s flagship initiative to address the needs of children, young people and their families affected by HIV. This includes supporting local organizations in serving these populations and ultimately building their capability to receive direct funding from U.S. government for VCA programs.

Ms Kamwale said the projects which provides technical assistance to MCDSS supports GRZ to strengthen Zambia’s social services at the national and targeted decentralized levels in 26 high HIV burden districts across Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Lusaka, North-western and Southern provinces which are served through the ECAP projects, but also extending to 10 other districts.

“The project aims at attaining 4 key objectives which include Strengthening the capacity of the MCDSS and local community structures to manage and deliver high quality services to Vulnerable Children and Adolescents; Supporting MCDSS to develop a VCA data management system and database; Strengthening the capacity of the MCDSS to improve fiscal accountability and to manage USAID Government to Government (G2G) fund; and Strengthening inter-sectoral integration and coordination between MCDSS including other GRZ Ministries such as Health, General Education and other stakeholders to build a supportive multi-sectoral environment for Vulnerable Children and Adolescents at national, provincial, district and community levels.” Said Ms Kamwale.

Meanwhile the project utilised the same event to officially hand over to MCDSS ICT equipment including 100 tablets for VCA data management, 52 desktop and 10 laptop computers to be used for the implementation of Microsoft Dynamic Nav integrated accounting system, electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) and IFMIS systems at National, Provincial and District levels.

And MCDSS Permanent Secretary, Mrs Pamela Chibonga Kabamba thanked USAID for the continued cordial relationship with the ministry and for initiating the ACHIEVE and ECAP projects and their contributions of the social protection of vulnerable children, adolescents and young adults in empowering low-capacity households and helping everyone to love a decent life.

Mrs Kabamba explained that in the recent past the projects support had seen the development of a case management system that utilizes community structures to track VCA and ensure that they received all the social protection services that they were eligible for.

“We are excited with the partnership as it shall minimise risks and vulnerabilities such as poverty, gender inequality and lack of access to education, factors that predisposes them to HIV and other harm. We indeed look forward to the positive outcome of our partnership and a greater impact on the lives children and adolescents and their families in our nation.” Said Mrs Kabamba   The MOU has been signed for the purposes of mitigating the impact of HIV and improve the health and wellbeing of Vulnerable Children and Adolescents (VCAs) through the delivery of high-impact, evidence-based and age-appropriate interventions using a child focused and family centred approach.