On September 3, 2014, the Gede team visited Kabussa Community (15 kilometers from Abuja City) to meet with the beneficiaries of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Programme that was started in 2011 in partnership with Addax & Oryx Foundation. Gede Foundation shared information on the significant role of mental health in coping with the challenges of orphanhood.

Twenty nine (29) orphans out of the total 405 beneficiaries shared their experiences on stigma and depression as a result of losing their parents to AIDS and other causes. Some of them have become heads of their households and are being trained for income-generating skills; others are enrolled in regular secondary school.

AIDS orphans are more likely to suffer emotional stress, depression, and stigma from circumstances surrounding their parents’ death. Gede Foundation strives to build their ability to live productive lives through education , counseling, and learning of life skills. More sessions on mental health will be held in other project-supported communities.

For more information on the OVC Programme, contact Godwin Etim (godwin@gedefoundation.org)