Mental Health Interventions for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children

Orphans and vulnerable children (also known as OVC) are subjected to multiple ongoing stressful and traumatic life events such as abuse, neglect, parental loss, sexual abuse among others.  This is even more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, where political violence, extreme poverty and communicable diseases such as AIDS have orphaned and traumatized millions of children.

The official definition of an orphan is a child aged zero to 17 years whose mother, father, or both have died. "Social orphans” may have parents who are living but are unable to perform parental duties because of illness, acute poverty or other issues. Vulnerability is viewed as "a high probability of a negative outcome”, or an expected welfare loss above a socially accepted norm.

Kuda Vana’s staff psychologist shares a snuggle with a toddler in the nursery. Developing healthy attachment is a priority.

Kuda Vana has 50 OVC children on our campus, and an additional 20 in our Youth Transition Program. Children in this category, especially those orphaned by AIDS, are more likely to have experienced physical and emotional neglect, discrimination, withdrawal from school, abuse and trauma. In 2012, it was estimated that 74% of orphans in Zimbabwe were orphaned as a results of AIDS, a percentage higher than any other country in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Kuda Vana Partnership is not your typical orphanage, in that we believe we must address the holistic needs of OVC to ensure they not just survive, but thrive. In 2019 we hired a part-time psychologist, now full-time, to address the mental health needs and build the resilience of the children in our care. Ms. Vambire provides weekly one-on-one counseling and play therapy sessions in a comfortable therapy room painted in soothing colors.

Issues addressed include anger management, attachment, depression, basic hygiene and sexual misconduct. Many of the children in Kuda Vana’s care were sexually abused prior to coming to us, and need to learn appropriate sexual behavior and body boundaries. Ms. Vambire also conducts ongoing assessments of teens showing signs of depression, and monitors any necessary prescriptions for such cases.

Ongoing therapy also includes group counseling, where a sub-group such as teen girls or a group home that may be having issues of bullying is brought together to discuss issues and come to healthy resolutions.

Ms. Vambire also counsels caregivers - both in methods for dealing with traumatized children, and any depression or bereavement they themselves might be feeling given the difficult circumstances of living in Zimbabwe.

Redirecting children experiencing depression or anxiety towards healthy and productive activities, such as gardening, is a strategy working well at Kuda Vana.

Kuda Vana is thankful to our supporters whose gifts make it possible to provide vital mental health services to a population which so desperately needs it. The children at Kuda Vana were already incredibly resilient - now they will be even more equipped to care for themselves and their families one day.

*The statistics and factual information in this article are derived from an article titled “Mental Health Situation and Resilience Among Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa” written by Given Hapunda, University of Zambia, Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. You can view the original article HERE.