[Press Kit]

usually weekly, home visits to see
how orphans are faring and what
needs they have; and organize
income-generating activities. A
CHIN Coordinator, based at the
Chikankata Salvation Army Hospital,
supervises the committees.
Data collection
The process of registering orphans is
invaluable in helping communities not
only to assess the scale of their orphan
problem and ensure that benefits
reach the correct children, but also in
building community awareness and
support for initiatives designed to help
orphans. Although communities began
by looking at the needs of orphans,
they soon reformulated their criteria
to include other vulnerable children,

namely those who are extremely poor.
Communities are now formulating
their own criteria for vulnerability,
which differ from one community to
the next. Chikankata communities are
continuously counting orphans to
assist with planning.
Life skills training
The training of orphans in life skills
was introduced this past year. Done
mostly through school peer education
groups, or the counselling and psychosocial support offered by the local
CHIN committee members, the training is designed to teach orphans to
make informed decisions about their
lives. The hospital is currently looking
for a partner to train the orphans in
practical skills.

In rural areas of Zambia,
64 per cent of orphans are
not enrolled in formal school,
compared with 48 per cent
of non-orphans. Children
attend an outdoor class at a
community school in Lusaka,
the capital.