Making a difference for children affected by AIDS: Baseline findings from operations research in Uganda

Many organizations and programs have begun to provide services and support to AIDS-orphaned children in East and southern Africa. Typical program components include the provision of school fees and supplies, supplementary feeding, home-visiting programs in which community members visit and assist affected children, and vocational training. However, few of these programs have been formally evaluated for impact. This paper reports on baseline findings from a study of two programs for AIDS-affected children and their families implemented by PLAN International in the Luwero and Tororo districts of Uganda. One program, referred to as orphan support, provides educational, health, and nutritional assistance as well as other services to orphans. The second program, known as succession planning, reaches AIDS-affected children earlier, by helping HIV-positive parents prepare for their children’s future through counseling, will writing, appointing guardians, and other measures.