17 December 2008
The Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme gives cash to impoverished households across Kenya where there are children in need. In return just three things are asked – that the children go to school, they attend health clinics and that they are registered for identity papers.
The beauty of the scheme is its simplicity – unlike some aid programmes it demands little expert (and expensive) input from analysts and managers. It doesn’t involve much set-up or infrastructure.
So, every two months, each targeted household gets 3000 Kenyan shillings (about £25). This money is not enough to cater for all a household's needs, but it makes a big difference. And for the recipients, it can be a sign of hope. For more detailed information about the impact of the cash transfer programme, read our feature on Christmas in KorogochoWe asked children in Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, what they would like for Christmas. Here's how they responded (all images by Caroline Irby - see more on our Flickr gallery).
"Food for my family and some story books" (Margaret, 13)
Margaret, 13, is an AIDS orphan from Korogocho. Both her parents are dead. With her elder sister Wahu, she helps to look after seven other children also orphaned by AIDS. Watch Margaret and Wahu's story (YouTube).
They live with brother, Steven, 15 and younger sister Teresia, 9. Their oldest sister, Beatrice, 21, died of AIDS on 14th November 2008, leaving three young children: Ibrahim, 3, Anita, 5 and Leon, a baby girl.
"A mobile phone" (Massi, 4)
Massi would like one of these toy mobile phones for Christmas. The phones are on sale in Korogocho and – along with hundreds of old remote controls, used toilet brushes, mobile phones, plastic containers etc – are retrieved from Dandora, Nairobi’s principal dumping site, which borders Korogocha.
Many of Korogocha’s inhabitants make money by sifting through the dump for items such as these that they can sell on.
Some new clothes – “really new ones, not second hand”. (Cliff, aged 9)
Cliff Otieno, 9 (middle), is an AIDS orphan and lives with his two brothers Ronald, 15, and Alvin, 13. Ronaldo, 15 has run the household since their mother left. The life of these three small boys is almost unimaginably hard. More about the Otieno brothers
His brothers also have gift ideas: “the gift I really want is sponsorship so I can go to secondary school” says Ronaldo (right), 15. Alvin (left), aged 13, wants “an Action Man soldier and some new corrugated iron sheets to cover the holes in our roof, so the rain stops coming in.”
"Some red shoes". (Beatrice, 10)
Beatrice, 10, lives in Korogocho with her grandmother. Beatrice goes to Damascus Assembly Church school, where attendance is free.
Beatrice, left, managed to find some red shoes, which she is saving for special occasions and plans to wear on Christmas day.
She is an AIDS orphans and HIV+; the family is a beneficiary of DFID’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme and, like other beneficiaries, receives 3,000 Kenyan Shillings (£25.00) every other month.
"Some good safari boots" (Kelvin, 13)
Kelvin, 13 (wearing the white, striped shirt at back of the bike) would like a red bicycle for Christmas, or a pair of Safari boots.
Kelvin is an HIV+ AIDS orphan and lives with his sister, Beatrice, who is also HIV+, in the care of their grandmother, another Beatrice, in Korogocho.
"Plastic flowers to decorate the house" (Griffins, 6)
Griffins lives in Korogocho with his mother, grandmother and two HIV+ cousins who have been orphaned by AIDS.
Griffins, is 6, healthy and his mother lives in the house but does not work Griffins, like his cousin Beatrice, goes to Damascus Assembly Church school
For Christmas he would like some plastic flowers to decorate their house.
