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Namibia

National leadership:

Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare

Contact persons:

Lucy Steinitz, FHI, Lucy@fhi.org.na; Dee Dee Yates, FHI, dyates@mweb.com.na.

Background

Over an 18-month period, culminating in late FY07, Namibia’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and 23 local NGO and FBO partners undertook a detailed and highly participatory process to develop standards of care for OVCs in seven service areas. This process was part of a larger continent-wide initiative looking at standards-based quality improvement of services to these children within PEPFAR partners.

Achievements

• A two-day children’s participation workshop, where young service-beneficiaries could influence the development of national standards
• Draft standards compiled in a small manual, “Standards-based Quality Improvement: A process report from organisations working with orphans and vulnerable children in Namibia (September 2007)
• Multiple implementing partners working together in a collaborative to improve OVC care, e.g., in after school programs

Current Focus

Our current plan is to disseminate the standards nationally and encourage local NGOs and FBOs to develop and refine activities that promote quality service delivery, i.e., using collaboratives, job aids (such as checklists), training, and supportive supervision in order to ultimately mainstream QA/QI into all activities.

Challenges & Lessons

Operationalising the standards is our biggest challenge: We recognise that we cannot simply define standards of quality, but must help organisations implement them and then improve their services accordingly. How to not overburden staff and create burn out.

Last updated June 2008

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