NEW! (03/17/08) - Pictures of the BEC delivery to the Okalongo project site!

The Okalongo BEC was delivered in partnership with Catholic AIDS Action (CAA), one of Namibia's most important community-based organizations tackling HIV/AIDS. Their aim is to provide quality home-based care for clients and families affected by HIV/AIDS through a network of volunteers. CAA has 14 offices throughout the country.

The Oshikuku office in northern Namibia was opened in 1998 and now has 285 trained home based care volunteers in 17 groups. These groups are currently serving 1,017 clients and 2,700 orphans and vulnerable children. CAA Oshikuku has a very important role networking with rural churches and communities. One of their groups, based in the village of Okalongo, has implemented a BEC that will benefit all the other groups. There are 17 volunteers - all of them women - involved in planning activities.

With a BEC, these women have been able to improve the effectiveness of home-based care work enabling volunteers to make more frequent visits. It has also helped empower the female volunteers who, despite being community leaders and some of the most knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, generally have little income and struggle to provide for their families. The Okalongo BEC was opened in March 2008.

B4H supporting chapter/B4H partner: Rotary Club of Bramhall and Woodford, UK