DoC HIV Interventions in Tigray The HIV prevalence in urban and rural Tigray for year 2010 were estimated to be 10.9 % and 0.9 % respectively while the average prevalence for the region( urban and rural) is 3.1 %.To contribute to the reduction of the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Tigray region, Daughters of Charity has been implementing various HIV/AIDS activities including behaviour change communication, care and support to orphans (who lose their parents due to HIV/AIDS) and People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and voluntary counselling and testing. DOC is well aware that HIV/AIDS is a problem and a major threat to all of the other programs of DOC, as its impacts are far-reaching. To this end, HIV/AIDS has been prioritized as the number one critical issue that DOC needs to consider in the five years strategic period. Based on the lessons learned from previous interventions, DoC  identified the following strategies and directions:
-	Empower community based associations, structures and families to take forward prevention, care and support initiatives   
-	Strengthen marketable and cost-effective income generating schemes to sustainably support orphans, PLWHAs and affected families
-	Improve the quality of life of PLWHAs, OVCs, and affected families through providing  holistic psychosocial, spiritual, and nursing care
-	Emphasize risk reduction through comprehensive intervention on behavioral change communication with a focus on youth and young adults
-	Strengthen the expansion and integration of prevention, care and support, voluntary counseling and testing, prevention of mother to child transmission, referral, and other services
-	Mainstream Gender and HIV/AIDS at all levels and programs of DOC 
-	Develop the technical and managerial capacity of DOC and its HIV/AIDS staff, in particular, to effectively manage HIV/AIDS activities
-	Work and advocate for commendable networking and co-ordination with other civil society organizations and government institutions working on HIV/AIDS
Improved livelihood of Orphans and Vulnerable Children
46% of Tigray’s population are children under 18 years of age. According to secondary information sources from regional office of rehabilitation and social affairs, there are about 36,028 children (2005-2006 estimates) in 39 weredas of the region who are marginalized and lack basic needs. The number of street children in the region has also exceeded 12,000.The internal and external environment analysis during the strategic planning process revealed that DOC need to deepen its work considering the magnitude of the problem. The organisation has supported 
Strategies/Directions
•	Strengthen and emphasize family based support through reinforcing systems which build up on community’s skill, economic situation and attitude to take care of orphans and vulnerable children (especially street children)
•	Promote discussions and counseling services between children and their families/care takers to recuperate the children’s normal social life and bestow love and a sense of responsibility among them.
•	Improve OVCs access to education and other social services via supporting minimal but basic materials, strengthening relationships between children and their school administration, improving their school competencies through tutorial and library services, etc…
•	Promote self-help programs, vocational and skill training, and other income generating approaches
•	Empower OVCs through establishing different clubs and providing psychosocial, legal, and spiritual support
•	Advocate the strengthening of networking with other civil society organizations and seek more effective coordination
The partner has already achieved a great deal in the first 3 years of the strategic plan period and details have been captured in period reports submitted to the Joint Office which we also shared to CAFOD Head Office upon request.