This document represents part of a SAfAIDS project implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Services (MoLSS), which documents Good Practices in OVC programming in Zimbabwe.

Community-based organizations (CBOs) are an important model for the care of orphans and other vulnerable children whose life and development are threatened by human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and poverty.

Only one in every eight households containing orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in African countries received any support from an external source (UNICEF, 2008).

Initiatives from the local community have been a major part of what has been provided towards the needs of vulnerable children.

While it does not cost a great deal to make a difference in the life of a child living in poverty, that does not mean that they are cheap to care for. To avoid confusion there is a need to distinguish between expenditures on care, marginal costs of care and total cost of care.

Vulnerable children in Africa have traditionally been absorbed and supported by their communities. However, in the context of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and poverty, communities are increasingly stretched, compromising the quality of care available to children affected by AIDS.

Approaching 20 years after the first studies drew attention to the issues faced by children and families affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), evaluation data from programs addressing their circumstances remains limited and clustered, especially when considered in relation to the magnit

Worldwide, millions of children are affected and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. Despite continued treatmentand prevention efforts, the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) worldwide will likely increase, emphasizing theimportance of understanding the costs of OVC interventions.

The USAID Health Policy Initiative, Task Order 1, conducted this comprehensive desk review, followed by a pilot country study (Pfleiderer and O. Kantai, 2010), to better understand the extent of OVC inclusion in GFATM processes.

The USAID Health Policy Initiative, Task Order 1, conducted a comprehensive desk review to better understand the nature and extent of OVC in Global Fund HIV/AIDS grants and the processes involved.