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OUR THEORY OF CHANGE

Our theory of change articulates the key strategies of community level action that we believe contribute to the improved well-being of vulnerable children.

These three strategies are:

meeting the basic material needs of children and families;
providing them care, support, and protection; and
facilitating their access to government-provided services.

Over the next five years, we will test, revise, and refine this theory of change both to improve our own programming as well as that of our grantees, and to use what we learn to leverage greater resources for communities.

Click here for enlarged diagram (PDF)

COMMUNITY ACTION

The Community Response

Communities:

Identify the problem
Prioritize the unmet needs of children and families
Tap into community solidarity to mobilize an informal support network and local resources
Formalize efforts by creating community-based organizations to strengthen the community response

The CBO Response

Community-based Organizations (CBOs):

Raise awareness of the needs and rights of children
Provide direct support to vulnerable children and families
Build and strengthen community structures, including volunteer and caregiver networks to sustain the response
Tap into external resources
Advocate for improved government policies and greater access to services.

The Need

Heavy toll of HIV/AIDS and poverty on children, families, and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Community Support System

CBOs assemble and deploy resources, and strengthen the community support system by focusing their efforts on the following three areas:

Meeting Basic Material Needs
- Material Assistance
- Food/Nutrition/Agriculture
- Economic Strengthening
Providing Care, Support, & Protection
- Psychosocial Support
- Children’s Rights
Facilitating Access To Government-Provided Services
- Education
- Healthcare/HIV

FIRELIGHT INTERVENTIONS

The Community Need

Too few resources reach the vulnerable communities that need them the most.

The Firelight Response

Firelight:

Provides direct funding to community-based organizations (CBOs)
Helps build CBO capacity to reach more vulnerable children and families
Leverages organizational learning efforts to:
- Improve CBO programming
- Fuel advocacy efforts that increase resource flows to communities

IMPACT

The Increased Well-being of Children

Children have:

Loving, caring relationships
Regular, nutritious meals
Warm, safe homes
Regular school attendance
Emotional and social development

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