ICDP first came to Angola in 1994 after an invitation from the Methodist Church to assess their social projects and train preschool teachers and other staff in the ICDP psychosocial intervention programme.
Partnership was established first with the National Institute for Children (INAC) and a one year grant was received from the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, then with NPA (Norwegian People’s Aid) receiving funding from the Norwegian Development Agency (NORAD).
REGISTRATION OF ICDP ANGOLA
After an external evaluation in 1998, ICDP was registered as an autonomous organisation and its work was sponsored by NORAD until 2004.
From 1995 to 1996, ICDP international consultants trained Angolan teams of trainers in 5 provinces (Luanda, Benguela, Huila, Huambo and Malange) and they in turn sensitized caregivers in child care institutions, schools, parents groups in poor communities, health clinics and hospitals and established groups of promoters at local level.
In March 1999, due to the war, activities were suspended in Malange and those of the team who expressed that wish transferred to Luanda. Co-operation with the local university was established and in 2000the ICDP Program was integrated in the curriculum of te psychology department.
In 2001, ICDP Angola extended its work to Kwanza-Sul province, establishing a team there. M’Banza Congo, the capital of the Zaire province was visited by a mobile team from Luanda in order to improve the human environment and condition of a particularly vulnerable group of children. ICDP also started to work in IDP camps.
During 2002, a more specialised approach to training developed, by targeting selected groups and adapting the manuals for such work. Particular attention was paid to working in schools. Basic health messages were added to the ICDP materials, especially concerning HIV awareness.
In 2003, a strategy plan was set up to prepare for future sustainability and a gradual handover of the whole project to the Angolan team. ICDP, therefore, focussed its efforts on implementing the programme in Angolan institutions. There was an increase in requests for psychosocial support for internal refugees located in so called IDP camps and resettlement areas. ICDP Angola operated in four camps supported by UNICEF and managed to establish autonomous teams that continued to implement the program.
MID TERM REVIEW
The Mid Term Review carried out by an independent consultant assigned by NORAD concluded that ICDP’s work was ‘highly relevant in the Angolan context and culturally appropriate’ and considering the dramatic human situation of the country he suggested that it should continue.
During 2004 the work continued to focus on schools and special attention was given to primary school teachers where the occurrence of inappropriate interaction was found to be prevalent.
RESEARCH OF ICDP IN SCHOOLS
A research study involving 373 teachers found that the implementation of the ICDP program improves the atmosphere in the classroom developing more positive, humane relationships between teachers, pupils and their families with positive reflexes in the pupils performance.
LARGE SCOPE OF TRAINING
ICDP trained an average of 2500 adults affecting about 40,000 children per year. Men were active agents in the implementation of the program, which is rather uncommon in traditional African culture. ICDP was implemented in highly vulnerable communities and IDP camps in six provinces with considerable and documented impact. The importance of this project is well documented in the External Evaluation Report that took place in 2003.
NORAD support ended in 2005. As a result the Angolan staff and the network of activities built steadily over 10 years had to be reduced. REPSSI and the Swedish Embassy supported specific projects and a small team continued tooperate supported by international consultants via internet and telephone.