What is VSO? What is the VSO approach? Who are VSO volunteers? Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is an international development charity that works through volunteer development workers who share their professional skills and experience with people across Africa and Asia. Our vision is a world without poverty in which people work together to fulfil their potential. VSO promotes volunteering to fight global poverty and disadvantage. We bring people together to share skills, creativity and learning to build a fairer world. Ours is a very individual people to people approach to development. Instead of sending food or money, we send women and men from a wide range of professions who want the chance to make a real difference in the fight against poverty. These volunteers work in partnership with colleagues and communities to share skills and learning and jointly achieve change. VSO volunteers, aged between 20 and 75, are recruited from the European Union, Canada, the USA, the Philippines, Kenya, Uganda and India to work in Africa and Asia. Our recruitment bases in the Philippines, Kenya, Uganda and India promote South-to-South volunteering. Due to the training that I received from the VSO volunteer, I am able to train others about HIV & AIDS. Maxie M. Minnaar, Personnel Officer, Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture Karas region, Namibia
What is VSO doing in Namibia? VSO assists disadvantaged people in Namibia to gain opportunities and develop their capacity to fully participate in society by exercising their fundamental human rights. VSO believes that people working together can achieve positive and lasting change. International Volunteering is at the heart of VSO s contribution to development in Namibia. Our strength is in working with our partner organisations to bring together people from different cultures and backgrounds, enabling them to share skills and learning. VSO works throughout all of Namibia, but the majority of interventions are implemented in the four most disadvantaged and poorest regions in the country: Caprivi, Kavango, Ohangwena and Omusati. In these regions HIV infection rates are amongst the highest nationally. Support is also given to national organisations based in Windhoek and to San communities in Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions. The focus of the Disability Programme is the Kunene and Otjozondjupa regions. Our Country Strategic Plan outlines four key areas for the current VSO Namibia programme, with interventions in: HIV & AIDS, disability, education and secure livelihoods.
HIV & AIDS HIV & AIDS is the main development issue in Namibia. Namibia is one of the five countries in southern Africa most affected by HIV & AIDS, with more than 20% of people in the age group 15-49 being infected. This means that at this infection rate a 15-year-old Namibian has a 50% chance of ultimately dying of AIDS. VSO works in the HIV & AIDS sector to contribute to a reduction in the impact of HIV & AIDS on Namibian society. VSO has developed considerable expertise within the sector and is also linked to other organisations in southern Africa through our RAISA programme. VSO has developed key partnerships with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and AIDS focused NGOs and will build on its achievements and continue to strengthen its work in HIV & AIDS in Namibia. Disability Disability is an area often overlooked by development planners and implementers. UNDP has estimated that there are as many as 150,000 people with disabilities in Namibia, the majority of whom have less access to health and education facilities, have less opportunities to gain employment, and who are more vulnerable to contracting HIV & AIDS than most people in Namibia. VSO contributes to the eradication of stigma and misconception surrounding disability and to fight marginalisation of people with disabilities in Namibian society by supporting organisations of people with disabilities, service organisations and the government in strengthening their programme. Supported by the European Community, VSO Namibia s disability programme is one of the key development partners working towards the improvement of standards of living and of empowering people with disabilities in the country.
Education Since independence, Namibia has made huge progress in improving the access to primary and secondary education for all young Namibians, resulting in high primary school enrolment rates and a high adult literacy rate. More women than men are enrolled in secondary school. However, quality education remains a challenge with one-quarter of all teachers being under-qualified. The education sector is also severely weakened by the impact of HIV & AIDS. VSO supports the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture in key subject areas of English, maths and science through the provision of teachers, teacher trainers and advisory teachers. VSO also assists in strengthening the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture response to mitigate the impact of HIV & AIDS on the sector. Secure livelihoods It is vital for all people in Namibia to gain a secure livelihood in order to provide enough food, afford education and health services, and to play an active part in society. For some groups, such as people affected and infected by HIV & AIDS and people with disabilities, gaining a secure livelihood is a serious challenge. VSO Namibia supports government and non-governmental organisations to improve opportunities for disadvantaged people to gain a secure livelihood. VSO builds on its past experience in skills development, technical training and organisational development in assisting a variety of partners in the livelihoods sector.
RAISA After the HIV & AIDS awareness week that we organised in our school, I was listening to my learners discuss their feelings about HIV & AIDS and counselling their peers. They talked about the deaths around them and they demonstrated practical ways that could protect themselves from the virus. I have merely given them the space to air views and share information and they have blossomed. Jessica Wrenn, VSO volunteer, teacher in Ondangwa, Namibia VSO Namibia is part of a regional AIDS programme called RAISA (the Regional AIDS Initiative of Southern Africa), which covers Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. VSO-RAISA aims to strengthen the response of government institutions and civil society organisations to the HIV & AIDS pandemic in southern Africa. As part of RAISA, VSO volunteers in all skill areas work with Namibian organisations and institutions to fight AIDS. They work in HIV & AIDS prevention and care services, such as clinical and counselling work. They also help to build the capacity of HIV & AIDS organisations to enable them to deliver services more effectively. VSO Namibia is encouraging all volunteers to help increase HIV & AIDS awareness within their respective placements. We provide in-country training and teaching resources to enable each volunteer to carry out this work to a level they feel comfortable with. www.vso.org.uk/raisa
VSO s partners in Namibia In Namibia, VSO cooperates alongside government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including: - Government: Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture Ministry of Health and Social Services Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation - Non-governmental organisations: CAA Catholic AIDS Action Cheshire Homes Namibia CLaSH Association for Children with Speech, Language and Hearing Impairments IRDNC Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation KWID Khomas Women in Development Lifeline/Childline Lironga Eparu NFPDN National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia Omaheke San Trust TKMOAMS Tate Kalungu Mweneka Omukithi wo AIDS Moshilongo Shetu Our Mighty Father Protect Our Nation From The Deadly Disease AIDS
If your organisation would benefit from working with a VSO volunteer, or you would like to discuss a request for a volunteer, contact VSO. You can talk to one of our programme officers about your work, and then complete the application procedures. For more information about VSO Namibia or VSO-RAISA please call us or view our website: VSO Namibia Programme office 8 Mont Blanc Street, Windhoek PO Box 11339, Windhoek, Namibia Tel 061 237 513 Fax 061 237 515 Email vsonam@vsoint.org www.vso.org.uk VSO is a registered UK Charity No. 313757 Photo credits: VSO Jon Spaull, Yvonne Da Silva, Lisa Davidson, Orna Otto & Hans van der Windt Graphic design: Ellen Papciak-Rose Printed on recycled paper