PREVIEW

A Costing Analysis of a Household Economic Strengthening (HES) Program for Households Caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC): A Case Study of Christian Aid’s Community-Based Care for OVC (CBCO) Program

September 1, 2010
Authors: Dr. Bruce Larson
Organization: Boston University

This study examines the cost of implementing Christian Aid’s Community-Based Care for OVC program. This household economic strengthening (HES) program develops and support savings and lending groups for OVC caregivers in Kenyan villages. The author analyzes the costs of program implementation from the perspectives of the two local partnering organizations. The study takes into account non-HES activities such as school, medical, and nutrition support that also contribute to strengthening families’ wealth. The study finds the financial cost of the program to be $49-$57 per savings and lending group member and $21-$25 per OVC per year. This cost does not include the imputed cost of volunteer time; when included, program costs increase to approximately $98-$101 per household. The author recommends that OVC programs restructure financial reports to convey the allocation of costs to key input categories to gain a better understanding of program structure.