Mozambique - ICDP

ICDP developments started in 2002 and are ongoing. The team of 27 national trainers each year forms approximately 200 new facilitators and through their work about 1000 families and 6000 children are reached.

Early developments:
In 2002, upon the invitation from the Ministry of Social Affairs (MSA), ICDP started establishing itself in Mozambique, with a competence-building project in the field of psychosocial care for AIDS affected orphans and abused children. For this purpose during 2003 contact was made with networks of child-oriented NGOs operating all over the country. There were two investigative visits to Mozambique and a pre-project was carried out with the training of a group of local facilitators who came from NGOs and MSA. A 5 year project plan was prepared in order to seek support from the Norwegian Development Agency, NORAD.

2004: Training seminars started to take place in Maputo, with the aim of establishing a core group of local trainers who can spread the ICDP program to others in the country. After the seminar the trainees implemented ICDP in practice in first field work. Investigations were carried out in the local communities in the outskirts of Maputo, in order to map the needs and establish where and with which organizations the field work should take place. A contract of cooperation was established with the university of Edouard Mondlane and it was agreed to organize, in 2005, a conference on the topic of “Care of children in the context of the AIDs pandemic” with ICDP colleagues as key lectures. In addition, ICDP is preparing an educational package for implementation through universities in both Mozambique and Angola, and possibly in cooperation with the University of Natal in South Africa.
2005: ICDP Mozambique has established protocols of cooperation with the local NGOs “Rebuilding Hope” as its main partner and with district departments from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the University. The training of a local team for wide scale implementation of ICDP continued throughout the Spring. During the same period there were several field visits to the very poorest areas where AIDS represents a serious problem, and some of these areas were appointed for ICDP intervention which started to take place in the second half of the year. Selected were District 4 of Maputo where cooperation with local NGOs has led to community based interventions. In the North of the country, in Nampula province, ICDP Mozambique operates in cooperation with a national NGO, CFD (Community, Family and Development). In addition, a special small project was set up in the Kindergarten (orphanage) 1st of May, in Maputo, which received financial help from SDI.
2006: The training in the ICDP program is facilitated in units that include practical seminars, field follow up, institutional mentoring and evaluation. Two hundred facilitators/promoters and 532 caregivers were trained in 2006, potentially reaching 11,993 children. ICDP Mozambique extended its program beyond Maputo and Nampula to new provinces, Gaza, Manica and Sofala.
The ICDP work in Maputo was centred in the extremely poor District 4, with a high prevalence of HIV, and with Reencontro as the main cooperating partner. Also in Maputo, the intervention in the orphanage “1st of May” continued to develop during 2006 and relevant changes in caregivers’ relations to children were registered. ICDP also cooperated with the Ministry for Social Action in a project which offered training to staff in state institutions and with the Ministry of Education in a project that implemented ICDP with teachers. Two projects were developed with the aim of improving the educational conditions of vulnerable children. In Marracuene, a small town 40 km north of Maputo, 70 teachers from 2 primary schools received training. The project had considerable impact sensitizing teachers about children’s rights and enhancing their daily interactions with pupils. The second project is in the Educational Centre of the national organization called “Kanimambo” and it involves training of teachers, vocational trainers, educational instructors, activists and parents.
During 2006 ICDP Mozambique established working agreements with two major regional networks: REPSSI, as key operational partner, and HACI (Hope for African Children Initiative). ICDP assumed the responsibility of providing knowledge and practical training in the psychosocial field to organizations belonging to these two networks. This led to a widening of the outreach programme and of the number of organizations whose staff was trained. ICDP staff participated in a number of events that brought together institutions working in the area of child protection and development of the civil society. One of these events was organized by the Norwegian Embassy discussed decentralization of finance and the Rattso report, which analyses the work of the Norwegian NGOs and NORAD’s general development strategy. The Mozambican team consists of 3 men and 3 women supported by the International team: Karsten Hundeide, Pedro Mendes, Irina Mendes and Satntana Momade.
2007: The main objectives were to continue training national institutions, NGOs and CBOs, and to raise public awareness. ICDP operated mainly in Maputo town and province, and in partnership with a regional network, called REPSSI, ICDP work reached south to Gaza and north to Zambézia provinces. Twenty one training workshops in the ICDP programme were held for 331 staff linked to 34 institutions. In addition, assistance was offered to two institutions, Khanimambo and ADSC, to help improve their organizational procedures and to give coherence and structure to their training plans. Two members of ICDP Moz participated in a seminar in Tanzania through partnership with REPSSI. In July ICDP International concluded a training course for countries in the region, attended by 13 people from South Africa and Zimbabwe. An evaluation was carried out by Professor Lorraine Sherr, from University College, London, showing the relevance and impact of the ICDP programme and making important suggestions to enhance the work of ICDP Moz. One example of relevant achievements was to find out, through an interview with children in an education centre, that the relationship between adults and children had greatly improved and that physical punishment as an ‘educational’ tool had dropped dramatically. Interpersonal communication changed for the better among adults too, generating more team work than before and the overall atmosphere in the centre was found to be much better.
2008: The main focus was on the training, monitoring, field follow-up and supervision of promoters working in the Maputo districts 4 and 5, where poverty and HIV have a strong incidence. In addition, ICDP trained several organizations and partner networks which led to spreading of the ICDP program into other provinces, namely Gaza, Inhambane and Zambézia. “Centro Boa Esperança”, ADSC, Kanimambo Association, Mozambican Women’s Organization, Ministry for Women and Social Affairs, Education authorities (ZIP) are some of the organizations ICDP cooperates with. More than 10.000 children were potentially reached by training 306 promoters and caregivers. The Second regional seminar held in Maputo, gathered 13 people from neighbouring countries and this event also marked the creation of the ICDP Africa network.
2009: The ICDP team put special emphasis on quality and sustainability. Internal workshops for staff to become “trainers of trainers” were carried out by the senior members of the Mozambique team. ICDP work involved 12 institutions. 267 caregivers and promoters were trained, reaching 2142 children. ICDP activities are grouped as A and B projects:A – Focused projects:
1. ICDP work in District 4 of Maputo, in Mavalane and Laulane community, together with the local women’s network, Organização da Mulher Moçambicana (OMM);
2. Cooperation with the Maputo Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (DMAS) where ICDP training is given to staff in 4 Child Centres;
3. Preparing to upgrade orphanages in the region with an ICDP competence building project;
4. Cooperation with the new Pedagogical University where ICDP is part of a master thesis program. Partnership was established with UEM (E. Mondlane University) and two geography students received sensitization in the ICDP programme and afterwards participated in field training by joining the ICDP team.
B – ICDP services and training provided according to request: 1. ICDP training requested for teachers in the Maputo area; 2. Continuous ICDP support given to CBOs: ADSC and to “Rebuilding Hope”.; 3. Continued support is also given to 1st of May Orphanages; 4. ICDP Mozambique signed a ‘Memorandum of understanding’ with the Red Cross and in the first phase ICDP training will be for staff at a Day Care Centre for 150 children at high risk.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN NETWORK MEETING:
Professionals from several African countries travelled to Maputo to share their experiences at the network meeting. There were 18 participants from six different countries: South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ethiopia – participants from Lesotho were unable to participate. There were also representatives from Portugal, from Norway, including from the Norwegian Embassy. Perhaps the most rewarding part of the meeting were the informal contacts and the friendly atmosphere that developed among all present – exchanging experiences, sharing meals, going out together and being inspired by the ICDP projects that were developed in different countries. Thank you letters sent by participants after the meeting expressed great appreciation and motivation to work on further expansion of ICDP.
2010: An evaluation study of ICDP in Mozambique, led by Professor Lorraine Sherr from London, showed that the ICDP intervention had a positive impact on adult-child relationships, resulting in less negative and violent behaviour. The evaluation also showed that the effects of the intervention have been sustained in parents who had received ICDP two years previously. Highlights: ICDP spread to Gaza and Inhambane provinces; work continued with the National women’s network, in Maputo district 4 & 5; cooperation continued with the provincial Directorate for Women and Social Affairs (DMAS); several workshops with competence building for staff in institutions; ICDP participated in seminar organized by UNICEF; a seminar was organized for Red Cross staff; training and support was given to several local NGOs; there was continuous support to 1st of May Child Care Centre; ICDP is inserted in the curriculum for students at two universities in Maputo, UEM and UP; caregivers from different organizations from the “Rede Criança” network attended an ICDP sensitization seminar held in Maputo; there was an introductory sensitization seminar for senior staff from the Directorate of Education and Culture for the Maputo Province.
2011 – 2012: The project is reaching critical areas of the country; in the Maputo province and expanding gradually to other provinces. Objective: to improve the quality of care of vulnerable children, by strengthening the role of caregivers and enabling them to fulfill their care and educational responsibilities. Competence building of civil society, organizations and networks took place, in order to promote healthy development and protection for children. The ICDP training programs are delivered to: Staff from CS partners and DMAS; Staff from NGO’s, CBOs and networks of social workers, namely OMM; ICDP cooperates with the Pedagogic University in Maputo, with the aim of inserting the ICDP program as part of the psychology/education curricula (at Master level), thus providing more institutional anchorage and sustainability. ICDP Mozambique is a technical partner and member of the Psychosocial Group coordinated by the Government and belong also to the Intersectoral Group for OVC, which plays an important role in influencing children policies.
ICDP AND UNICEFCooperation with UNICEF is ongoing on a project to improve the psychosocial care of vulnerable and disabled children and families in alternative and institutional care, in 7 provinces of the country.ICDP activities in 9 Centers for children include learning about nutrition:1. Raising caregivers awareness about the role of nutrition in children’s development2. Development of a valid methodology for children’s nutritional vigilance3. Improving children’s nutritional condition within a holistic vision of children development articulated with the ICDP psychosocial programme
ICDP AND NUTRITIONIn six centres for children, ICDP activities included learning about nutrition: 1. raising caregivers’ awareness about the role of nutrition in children’s development; 2. development of a valid methodology for children’s nutritional vigilance; 3. improving children’s nutritional condition within a holistic vision of children development
ICDP IN RADIO PROGRAMMESICDP participated in several radio programmes, including the main evening news on the Nelson Mandela Day (RTP Africa).
2013:A group of 25 professional ministry staff received training in ICDP.30 teachers received training in ICDP ICDP provides counseling once a week to students at School in Maputo 40 students/parents received ICDP sensitization