Roles of Civil Socie~ Organizations in Nurturing the Social Psychological Makeup of AIDS Orphans
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Date
2007-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
JY,is sludy is concerned wilh Ihe roles of civil sociely organizalions (CSOs) in nurluring the social
psychological makeup of AiDS orphaned children. Two CSO groups, representing secular NGOs and Failh
Based Organizations (FBOs) thaI are implemenling orphans-jocused programs in Asella, Adama, and Awassa
towns were involved. Two main inslruments, namely, a queslionnaire and Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
gUiding keys and discussion issues that were believed to generale the required data were conslructed and
ulilized. The oblained data were analyzed by employing descriplive!qualitalive and quantitative procedures.
This study disclosed that the responding CSOs recognized the need to play key roles related to foste ring
the social psychological wellbeing oj' AiDS orphaned children. The study also revealed that not all of the
targeted CSOs have actively undertaken Ihe required roles through their orphans-jocused programs to
optimize the wellbeing of children orphaned due to AiDS
In relation to the organizational role taking initiatives of the responding CSOs towards cultivating the
essential social psychological attributes (aspects of personality development, issues of promoting good sense
of identity, isslles of orphans socialization, and issues of fostering orphans interpersonal needs), the stucO'
mapped out three scenarios oj' organizational competencies. The jirst scenario presents roles that the
responding CSOs have undertaken at great organizational competencies in c7dtivating these essential
attributes, which entails positive qualities in the role taking initiatives of a small number of targeted CSOs.
towards./ostering the social psychological makeup of AIDS orphaned children.
Likewise, the second scenario introduces roles that have been undertaken by the targeted CSOs at
mediocre organizational competencies in enhanCing the aforementioned allributes, presenting promising
qualities, but insuffiCient, in the role tak, ing initiatives of greater proportion of the targeted CSOs towards
fostering the wellbeing of AiDS orphaned children. However, the third scenario illustrates roles that the
responding CSOs have undertaken at scarcity organizational competencies in cultivating the four essential
social psychological attributes, revealing awfitllfh,strating situations in the role taking iniliatives o./Iew oj'the
targeted CSOs in their responses 10 curb the long standing devaslating situations of the HIV/AiDS pandemiC,
which kept on shalfering the lives of miilions of Ethiopian children (our jillure), as long as the velY existence
afour society and nation is concerned.
The study found that such important HIV/AiDS intervention policy issues as slrategic & operational
planning, community mobilization/participation, and advocacy/popularization of orphans support and
protection that are believed to gUide some practical actions towards promoting the psychosocial wellbeing of
olphaned children remained the concern of only about half of the responding CSOs. Conversely. it depicted
unexpected setback among some of the targeted CSOs in reconCiling observable gaps in their HIV/AIDS
interventions policy and strategic issues that seem to be insuffiCient for stipulating eminent constituents to
'/ostering the social and psychological wellbeing CilAiDS orphaned children.
1'l,e study also disclosed the yearnings for in-built, strong & unifYing system through which ta build
collaborative relationship/partnership among CSOs operating in the three study sites. The existence of
unifying system is believed to enhance the capacities 0/ these institutions in exponding comprehensive
psychosocial services to transform the status of long standing crises and adversities of the HIV/AIDSpandemic
that the ever increasing numbers of AIDS orphaned children suffer.
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Keywords
concerned wilh Ihe roles, of civil sociely organizalions (CSOs)