WOMEN TO CHILDREN FOUNDATION

WOCHFO charity are in:

1. Care and support of OCV&MVC for food shelter and schooling
WOCHFO is working with the community by assessing and reaching disadvantaged children who are orphans and most vulnerable in the community by supporting them food, shelter and schooling (uniform, fees and learning materials) so as to ensure they attain their dreams regardless of their family status. In other household, children are being raised by grandmothers who are older with no income sources therefore we also helping them to establish small income generating activities like keeping livestock ( poultry and cattle) and horticulture farming around their home.

2. Care and support of disabled groups
We are reaching and supporting people with disabilities by providing different facilities to help them easier their economic activities. Training them entrepreneurial skills and linking them with financial institutions for financial assistance. Helping them to organize and register small groups which they use for establishing group projects like beekeeping project. We are training them on market access and financial saving skills.

3. Care and support disadvantaged Widowed/Female Headed Household.
Training entrepreneurial skills to widowed with most difficult life to raise their children. Provide seed capital and generate income. Work for technical assistance to establish small business around their area, access local markets for their products, and promote health care. Providing counseling like psycho-social services, referrals and linkages with other social services they are needed. Taking follow ups in all referrals and linkages conducted.

4. HIV/AID awareness, testing, prevention, care and treatment.
This is one of the core intervention in our organization and brought high recognition from the community and the Government for our contribution in Ending HIV epidemic in Tanzania
WOCHFO is doing the following to end HIV in Tanzania;
i. HIV/AIDS Awareness and Education
Awareness campaigns are designed to change social norms, reduce stigma, and inform the public about transmission risks and prevention methods. Targeted Education: Focus on high-risk populations, including youth and adolescent girls in high-burden settings.
Stigma Reduction: Combating stigma is critical to ensuring people feel safe seeking testing and care. Communication Campaigns: Utilizing multimedia, community, and religious leaders to disseminate information.

ii. Testing and Diagnosis
Early diagnosis is the first step in the "diagnose-treat-prevent" cascade. Diversified Testing Strategies: Moving beyond traditional clinics to include community-based, mobile, and home-based self-testing kits. Index Testing: A high-impact strategy where the sexual or needle-sharing partners of a person newly diagnosed with HIV are offered testing. Routine Screening: Implementing "opt-out" testing in healthcare settings (emergency departments, STI clinics). Social Network Testing: Using peer networks to identify and reach people at high risk.

iii. Prevention Methods
Ending the epidemic relies on "combination prevention"—a mix of biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): HIV-negative individuals take antiretroviral medication daily or via long-acting injection to prevent infection. New tools include injectable cabotegravir (every 8 weeks) and lenacapavir (every 6 months). Treatment as Prevention (U=U): Ensuring that people living with HIV on ART achieve an undetectable viral load, meaning they cannot transmit the virus to partners ("Undetectable = Untransmittable"). Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP): Antiretroviral medication taken within 72 hours of potential exposure to prevent infection. Harm Reduction: Needle-syringe programs and opioid substitution therapy for people who inject drugs. Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC): Scaled up in high-burden countries to reduce the risk of female-to-male transmission.

iv. Care and Treatment
Rapid, lifelong treatment is essential to suppress the virus and keep people healthy. Rapid ART Initiation: Starting antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible, ideally within 7 days of diagnosis. Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD): Tailoring care to the needs of the individual, such as multi-month dispensing of medication (3+ months) to reduce clinic visits. Community-Led Care: Involving community health workers and peer supporters to improve adherence, retention, and psycho-social support. Viral Load Monitoring: Regularly testing viral loads to confirm the success of treatment.
All these are being conducted by WOCHFO in collaboration with the community, Government and stakeholders around the community.

5. Food safety and security. WOCHFO is implementing this intervention through different approaches as described below;

i. Strengthening Local Food Production and Availability
Promote Diverse Agriculture & Kitchen Gardens: Encourage the growth of diverse, nutrient-dense, and drought-resistant crops to improve dietary variety. Family and school gardens are effective ways to increase access to fresh produce, especially in food deserts. Support Smallholder Farmers: Provide training on sustainable practices, such as agroecology, and ensure access to quality seeds and tools. Enhance Protein Sources: Support livestock rearing and fish farming at the community level to provide essential protein and micro-nutrients.

ii. Ensuring Food Safety (Safe Food Preparation)
Using the WHO "Five Keys to Safer Food": Educate the community on these core principles to prevent food borne illness: (1) keep clean, (2) separate raw and cooked, (3) cook thoroughly, (4) keep food at safe temperatures, and (5) use safe water and raw materials. Improve Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Address malnutrition by ensuring access to clean water to prevent diarrhea diseases, which contribute significantly to nutrient loss.
Post-Harvest Management: Reduce food losses by providing proper storage technology, such as hermetically sealed grain bags or solar-powered cold storage, particularly for perishable foods.

iii. Improving Food Security (Access and Affordability)
Social Protection Programs: Implement and strengthen social safety nets, such as cash transfers, food vouchers, and school feeding programs, to help families purchase nutritious food, especially during crises. Strengthen Local Markets: Support local food supply chains, such as farmers' markets and community-based food banks, to make nutritious food more accessible and affordable. Fortification of Staple Foods: Support the fortification of widely consumed foods with essential vitamins and minerals to address "hidden hunger".

iv. Community Education and Capacity Building
Nutrition and Health Education: Train local community members to identify signs of malnutrition and promote proper infant and child feeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. Community Mobilization: Involve local leaders and stakeholders in identifying the causes of malnutrition and creating community-based action plans. Empowering Women: Given their critical role in food preparation and farming, support women through targeted training, financial access, and decision-making roles.

v. Institutional and Policy Support.
Policy and Regulatory Reforms: Advocate for policies that promote the production and trade of diverse, healthy foods and reduce barriers for smallholder farmers. Leverage Technology: Utilize digital tools for early warning systems (climate, food prices) and to connect farmers directly with markets to improve efficiency. Integrated "One Health" Approach: Manage risks by addressing the interlinked health of humans, animals, and the environment.

6. Human and legal rights protections

i. Establish Structural and Legal Safeguards
Formalize Policies: Develop and implement clear, written policies on human rights, including anti-discrimination, harassment, and protection for vulnerable groups (women, children, indigenous peoples). Legal Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to local, national, and international laws, including tax laws, labor laws, and data privacy regulations. Establish Grievance Redress Mechanisms: Create safe, confidential channels for beneficiaries, staff, and partners to report violations, ensuring these mechanisms are accessible and culturally appropriate. Governance and Accountability: Strengthen board oversight to ensure the organization adheres to its mission and legal duties, encouraging regular, independent audits.

ii. Integrate a Rights-Based Approach (RBA)
Adopt a Human Rights Policy: Formally adopt a statement committing the NGO to respect international human rights standards (such as the International Bill of Human Rights). Participatory Approach: Engage affected communities in the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects, recognizing them as active rights-holders rather than passive beneficiaries. Accountability in Partnerships: Ensure that partners, contractors, and staff abide by the same human rights standards, often through signed codes of conduct.

iii. Capacity Building and Training
Staff and Volunteer Training: Train all employees and volunteers on basic human rights principles and the specific rights relevant to their field work. Specific Skills Development: Provide training in legal advocacy, monitoring, and documentation for staff involved in direct assistance. Safety and Protection Protocols: Develop protocols for staff safety, especially for those working in hostile environments, and include training in de-escalation tactics.

iv. Operationalization and Monitoring
Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIA): Conduct HRIAs as part of project design to identify potential risks and prevent violations before they occur. Fact-Finding and Documentation: Systematically document violations by gathering, verifying, and preserving evidence of abuses. Ethical Fundraising: Ensure that fundraising practices are transparent and respectful of donor privacy.