Joshi, Sandhya (Professor)Mengiste, Teshome2018-06-212023-11-042018-06-212023-11-042006-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/2706Background: This study was conducted in Addis Ababa city Administration, Lideta Sub-City, Kebele 01/18. One of the concerns in this study was to provide a relatively complete and reliable picture of the situation of OVC in kebele 01/18, focusing on the magnitude, characteristics, causes and consequences. The study was also attempted to show the impact of OVC on families, households and communities. Objective: Understand and realize the situation of OVC at household level in Kebele 01/18 and thereby improve the environment that is supportive for the care and protection needs of children and families affected by HIV/AIDS is the general objective of this study. Methods: The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative techniques to gather relevant information. Different categories of respondents, which were the units from which information was collected, had participated in this study. The total subjects of the study were 90. Data was collected using a structured, semi structured and unstructured questionnaire for different categories of respondents. Results: A total of 50 heads of OVC households and 25 OVC age 10 and above participated in the study. In the study, it was found that the majority (82%) of the heads of OVC households were female while the remaining (18 %) were male. Investigation of the living arrangement of orphans revealed that the majority of them live within the extended family system. Each adult headed households care for approximately 2 OVC while child headed households care for three children. A considerable proportion (26%) of OVC households depend on support from NGOs, begging and house rent for livelihoods. The study showed that the average income of the OVC households is Birr 157.40. The majority (58 %) of the households the members have contributed nothing to the income of the household. The study also showed that 62 percent of the OVC households have at least three meals per day irrespective of quality and quantity. However, 30 percent of the households reported that they were less likely to have access to such categories/ frequencies (breakfast, lunch and dinner) of meals. The majority, 80 % (58 and 22 %) of the respondents viewed their living standards as extremely poor and lives below average as compared with their neighbors. Most of the households surveyed had access to potable water and latrine. But, most of them do not have these services in their dwellings. Except few (12%), majority of heads of OVC households have faced problems like family trouble as a result of taking in these OVC. The health care system and provision of schools seems sufficient for a large number of the families. At present, the majority (80%) of them are reported that they are in school. However, most of the children were totally absent or missed the first period of the class, perform low and do not pay attention to their education. Respondents from each institution agreed that the magnitude of OVC in the sub-city, in the Kebele and schools is increasing though difficult to pinpoint the exact number. The institutions also identified the major gaps in the implementation of OVC program and proposed solutions. In general, they observed that families and communities are the first line of response to the epidemic concerning orphan care. Conclusion and Recommendation: Strengthening capacities of families and communities, providing counseling services to affected children and their care givers, and looking for possibilities to reunite OVC like street children with their relatives are some of the recommendation of this studyenSocial WorkThesis