Development Knowledge Link Africa (DEVLINK)

Development Knowledge Link Africa’s (DEVLINK’s) is human rights nonprofit and non-governmental organization working for grassroots women and children with the focus on health, education and livelihoods. Our entry point and niche in programming is through sustainable women economic empowerment interventions as a lever to access quality healthcare, education and livelihoods in the communities using innovation and rights based approach to development. Since its inception, DEVLINK has invested heavily in several frontline human rights initiatives with a strong niche working in the fishing community including the hard to reach Islands with the most vulnerable and most at risk population. Our strategic priorities are triple pronged and delivered as below; Strategic Priority 1: Women economic empowerment is through inclusive sustainable economic growth and higher levels of productivity through technological innovations, with a strategic objective to strengthen and sustain livelihoods among underserved households. The mode of delivery of this priority area include; • Financial literacy, village savings and loans Associations (VSLA) delivered through Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs). • Cash transfers inform of grants to poor households/ care givers. • Skills training through tailoring and dressmaking, beadwork, pottery, jewelry, paper recycling, carving, soap making etc. • Farmer Field and Business School on agri-preneurship skills. Strategic Priority 2: Is enhanced healthy society through healthy lifestyle promotion, reduced health risks and implementation of innovative solutions to respond to underlying determinants for health with an objective to promote prevention of communicable conditions, care, and support for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs). The mode of delivery of this priority area include,; • Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) for adherence and viral load suppression; • Support in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and case conferencing; • Joint household visits with Ministry of Health staff to monitor ART adherence; • Monitoring HIV Exposed Infants (HEI) and pregnant mothers. and • Conducting Quality Improvement (QI) for high viral load and Pregnant Mother to Child Care and Treatment (PMTCT) as a measure to contribute towards curbing pediatric prevalence. • Provide psychosocial support to women and girls survivors of gender based violence. • Create awareness on Reproductive Sexual Health among adolescents and youth including linkages with service providers. Strategic Priority 3: Is increased access to affordable quality education, retention, progression and transition at all levels of education through advocacy, with strategic objective to contribute to affordable quality education through promotion of 100% retention and progressive transition at all levels of education. The mode of delivery of this priority area include; provision of school fees, uniforms, solar lumps, sanitary towels and other scholastic materials.