Children’s Place International
Children’s Place International is a non-profit making organisation in Chicago, Illinois in USA. Children’s Place International mission is to improve the present and secure the future of children, youth and families infected, affected, or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. They provide comprehensive services to children affected by HIV and AIDS in USA. CPI also uses family care model approach to support children who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS and their families in Haiti. The family care model is a different approach from the institutional care. The family care model is the approach that attracted Marang to CPI and the experience they have in working with OVC and their families.
The partnership between Marang and CPI started in 2010 through the American International Health Alliance Twinning Project. The initial step was the introduction of the two organisations by the Twinning Coordinator for Southern Africa Ms Janna Smith. There was an exchange of correspondence between the management of the same. Marang was very much interested in twinning with CPI because of their vast experience with HIV and AIDS issues and the approaches they use to provide services to their clientele.
In July 2010, CEO- Ms Cathy Krieger and Director, International Programs- Mr John Sweeney came to Botswana to have an insight of the organisation which was interested in twinning with them. During their visit we found that our common goal is to see children living in a nurturing environment and their parents/caregivers being able to provide the necessary essentials for child development. Marang staff took their visitors on a tour to visit three of their member organisations being Mochudi Resource Centre in Mochudi who provide services to children who are visually impaired; Forum for Evened Out Control of HIV/AIDS in Molepolole who runs a pre-school and HIV/AIDS services for youth and Gamodubu Orphans Trust – they do outreach services for children whose parents/caregivers are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS and also have a feeding centre for OVC.
The excitement was no longer for Marang alone. Though Marang does not deal with beneficiaries directly, their uniqueness inspired CPI because the knowledge and skills they have could benefit the civil society working with OVC.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two organisations in September 2010 and the goal for MOU is to increase the capacity of MCCNT to fulfil its mission to the orphans and vulnerable children of Botswana.