In Zimbabwe, Christian World Outreach (CWO) operates a mobile orphan ministry called "Our Kids," which is derived from the African concept that views every child in a community as belonging to everyone in the community.
It focuses on the importance of the community at large and that being an orphan should not mean being disconnected or shunned from a community.
The community is responsible for the welfare of vulnerable children.
The abbreviation "OK" was selected to instill a sense of hope in the child that even though they have lost their parents they are still "OK."
The program places children who are between the ages of 1-18 years who have been orphaned or are children acting as the head of a household, with a family in the community.
This program allows children to stay in the communities in which they have been born instead of being institutionalized.
This approach is of great importance because it does not uproot the children from their communities.
It also allows the children to stay in school, complete their education and remain close to their friends and familiar faces.
In addition to providing home care, food and scholarships, children in the Our Kids program receive on-going counseling, AIDS education, skills development, and opportunities for micro-income generating projects and weekend life skills camps. Currently over 350 children are being supported through the Our Kids program. At the cost of $25 a month CWO is able to cover school fees, school uniforms, writing books, textbooks, medical care, and food kits for the children.
