FOR THE FURTHER IMPLEMENTATION OF AN HIV and AIDS  SUPPORT PROGRAM IN OKAHANDJA

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Constitution:

THE CONSTITUTION

of

OKAHANDJA HOME – BASED CAREGIVERS

C.B.O

·         CONTACT PERSONS:                 Susan De Beer (Supervisor) -           0811288667

             George Kachibonma (Leader) - 0812038207

             Margreth Hange (Secretary) -      0813034432

             Zelda Snyders (Treasurer) –          0812972278

·        OFFICE ADDRESS:                       P.O.BOX 557
                                                        Okahandja
                                                        Namibia
                                                        9000

·        PHYSICAL ADDRESS:                   Joel Humba Street

               Nau-Aib

                                                               Okahandja

                                                               Namibia

·        OFFICE CONTACT NUMBERS:   Fax: 062-501079

   E-mail: webmaster@hivaidsokahandja.org
 

·        BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS:        BANK WINDHOEK

                                                               OKAHANDJA BRANCH CODE : 482-773

                                                               ACCOUNT NR. 2000128385

2. a. MISSION STATEMENT

         “OKAHANDJA HOME-BASED CAREGIVERS” WERE ESTABLISHED TO      
          CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS CARE, EDUCATION, RESTORING HOPE AND
          IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR  PEOPLE LIVING WITH H.I.V/AIDS
          IN OUR COMMUNITY.

       b. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

      WE ARE COMMITTED TO:

·        Restore hope and improve quality of life for people affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic through Home-Based Care; Education about HIV/AIDS and Training.

·        Sensitize the general public and promote positive attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS and their families to reduce stigma of HIV/AIDS, by providing correct information about HIV/AIDS and positive speaking in the community.

·        Encourage people living with HIV/AIDS to join our Self-Help Programmers (vegetable garden, needle work/upholstery group, Tuck Shop, Charity Shop) and to give on-site training

·        Promote our self-help programmers in the community by word-of-mouth, proposals and the media

·        To minimize suffering caused by HIV/AIDS through material support (Our Soup Kitchen) to clients and their families

·        To support other C.B.O initiatives, that respond to the AIDS pandemic, through advice and collaboration in order to reduce the transmission of HIV

·        To improve the ability of people with HIV/AIDS to cope with responsibilities; empower them to make informed decisions about their lives; encourage them to live positively and die with dignity, by means of counseling services 

·        To dispel the fears of the family members about contracting HIV through casual contact; facilitate care of infected and affected people and prepare and support the family during bereavement by means of group counseling

·        To assist people who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to find access to the necessary services, by referring them to organizations and services, where they can get additional help  

3. FUNCTIONS:

A.     i )  The Home-Based Care Programme is the main activity of
      the organization. Referrals from the local STD-Clinic and
      Self-Referrals are the main source for introducing new clients.
      Basic physical care and counseling are provided either at clients'
      homes or at the office. 

      ii ) Our Food-Production Team is manning the soup kitchen
           (U.S.Embassy Donated equipment) to provide malnutrition
           HIV+ Clients with food once a day, on weekdays. The team
           and clients are tilling a vegetable garden on our premises to,
           in future, provide the soup kitchen with fresh produce

      iii ) The Share Group gathers once a month for spiritual and
            emotional support for all active Home-Based Caregivers

B.  We are currently occupying the previouse old age home's building
      on Joel Humba Street in Nau-Aib's center - exactly where help is needed
      most. Thanks to NAMDEB's support and the help of so many volunteers, we
      renovated these buildings.

C.     We do Fundraising through:

i ) Proposal-Submission to National and International donor
    agencies. We promote our aims, objectives and action plans
    And actively encourage their assistance.

ii ) Income-Generating Projects by means of our charity shop, Catering form our kitchen and rental fees
     (Doctors and two tenants)

iii ) Fundraisers such as Gala-Dinners, Bazaars, Street Market and Fun Days

iv)  Private Donations and support

D. We render other social services

i ) Literacy training for illiterate Home-Based Caregivers and members of the community through the National
     Literacy Trust  
ii ) A “Coffee Bar” for teenagers in cooperation with a local spiritual organization
iii) A small play park for neighborhood's children 
iv) Providing a Practice Site for our local youth choir, consisting of 30 members. 

E.     We also provide:

i ) An H.I.V/AIDS Information Office that we man three times
     a week from 8h00 to 17h00. We provide information/education
     on any aspect of HIV/AIDS and pamphlets are distributed.
     Awareness campaigns take place in cooperation with 5 other
     organizations in the community. 

      ii) Training Sessions, targeting at new volunteers to be
           trained as Home-Based Caregivers and further training
           for already active Home-Based Caregivers, through the
           Ministry of Health, The Red Cross, Catholic AIDS Action and
           Youth For Christ.

      iii) A free space for a “NEW START” office to re-instate their voluntary
           counseling and testing centre and work in close cooperation with them.
           New Start stopped their activities in Okahanjda in October 2005,
           because of current registration problems.  

      iv) The two privat Doctors of "Okahandja Medical Practice" provide
           the necessary basic care to patients at minimal fees three afternoons
           a week.

4. AREA OF OPERATION:

         Our Area of operation shall be the district of Okahandja:
         North - Up and including the Hochfeld area
         East - Up and including the Ovitoto area
         South - Up and including Teufelsbach
         West - Up and including Gross Barmen
 

5. MEMBERSHIP:

        5.1. Membership are open to any individual, who are inerested
               in promoting the objectives of the organization, provided that
               such members are trained (full members) or are trained (Full members)
               or are intending to be trained (half members) as Home-Based
               Caregivers, by authorized organizations or consultants

        5.2. A membership register are kept and updated regularly.

        5.3. Registration of a member must be submitted to the committee in writing.

        5.4. Membership is terminated:

a)      When a member has submitted his/her resignation in writing.
b)      When a member's behavior is not according to our code of conduct or the behavior is detrimental to the interest
       of the organization. The member will be notified in writing of the committee's decision.
c)      On the death of a member 
d)      If the member becomes unsound of mind
e)      If a member fails to attend two general meetings without submitting a suitable written excuse.

6. MEETINGS:

        6.1. ANNUAL MEETING:

        6.1.1. When:

                  The organization shall hold an annual meeting the last week of June each year

        6.1.2. NOTICE OF MEETINGS:

                  Six weeks notice in writing on such annual meeting shall be given to all members
                  (Full and Half members) and invited guests. The notice shall specify the venue,
                  Date and time of the meeting and include a copy of the proposed agenda. This
                  notice will be followed up three weeks before the meeting via posters at four
                  prominent sites - the hospital, clinic, our building and the private doctor's practice.

        6.1.3. QUORUM:

                  The quorum of an annual meeting shall be at least 40% of the full members enlisted on the
                  specified time of a meeting. If there is no quorum at the annual meeting, the meeting shall
                  stand adjourned for seven days and the members attending such adjourned meeting,
                  shall constitute the quorum.

        6.1.4. VOTING:

                  At an annual meeting the voting powers will be held by all full members of the organization.
                  At such meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting, shall be decided by voting letters.
                  Each member shall be entitled to one vote only on the particular matter in question. The
                  chairperson of the meeting shall be entitled to a casting vote.

6.1.5.      CHAIRPERSON:

The leader of the committee shall preside as chairperson at every annual meeting, but if the chairperson is absent, the Deputy leader will conduct the meeting. If the latter is not present, the members present shall choose a chairperson from the committee members present. If none of the committee members are present, the members shall choose a chairperson from any of the full members present.

6.1.6.      BUSINESS AT ANNUAL MEETING:

                         a) To read and approve the minutes of the previous annual meeting.

                         b) To receive and adopt a report for the leader or
                  to read the written report in the absence of the leader.
                  This written report shall be handed to the committee
                  one week in advance, whether the leader will be
                  present or not. 

                         c) To receive and adopt a report from the treasurer or to
                 read the written report in the absence of the treasurer. This
                 written report shall be handed to the committee one week
                 in advance, weather the treasurer will be present or not.

                         d) To, every second year, elect a new committee and appoint
                  auditor for the organization every year.

                   e) To tend to such other business as may be decided,
                  provided that any member wishing to bring forward
                  any particular business for discussion or to
                  forward any proposal for the consideration of the
                  meeting, shall give notice to his/her intention to do
                  so in writing to the secretary at least seven days
                  before the meeting, to enable such business or
                  proposal to be included in the final agenda. 

6.1.7.      KEEPING MINUTES:

Minutes shall be kept of all meetings and all members who attend shall sign as attendance register.

       6.2. COMMITTEE MEETINGS:

             a)   The committee shall hold meetings monthly or if leader deems it necessary more often.

b)      Three weeks notice of meetings shall be advised via posters at four prominent sites - the Hospital, Clinic, our building and at the Private Practice

c)      The quorum for meeting of the committee shall be half plus one of the committee members.

d)      Voting at general meetings shall be by voting letters for important/sensitive matters and by show of hands for general decisions. Each member shall be entitled to one vote only, on the particular matter in question. In the case of an equality of votes the leader shall have a casting vote.

e)      Members of the committee will be deemed to resign if they fail to attend Three consecutive meetings without having
submitted in writing, suitable reason for failing to attend meetings.

f)       In the event of the Resignation of a committee member before the expiry of his/her term of office or in the event of his/her leaving, the committee shall appoint another member of the organization to hold office until the next election of officers and such committee member shall be subject to the same rules and conditions as his/her predecessor.

g)     The committee shall have the power to appoint a person, which is an expert on a subjection the committee. Such a person will have no voting power.

h)      Minutes of all meetings shall be noted and kept by the secretary and signed by the leader and secretary after approval and adoption

i)        Attendance Lists shall be kept at every meeting

j)        The committees shall have the power to appoint from the time such Subcommittees as may be required. All subcommittees shall report to the committee and shall be subject to its control on account of expert knowledge any person can be appointed on a subcommittee.

   6.3 GENERAL MEETINGS:

            a)   General meetings shall be held every three months

            b)   Three weeks notice of meetings shall be advised
                   via posters at four prominent sites - the Hospital, Clinic,
                   our building and at the Private Practice

                  c)    The Quorum for general meetings shall be 40%
             of all members

                  d)   Voting at general meetings shall be by voting letters
             for important/sensitive matters and by show of
             hands for general decisions. Each member shall be
             entitled to one vote only, on the particular matter in
             question. In the case of an equality of votes the leader
             shall have a casting vote.  

e)      All members will be demanded to resign if they fail to
attend Three consecutive meetings without having
submitted in writing, suitable reason for failing to
attend meetings. 

f)        Minutes of all meetings shall be noted and kept by the secretary and signed
by the leader and secretary after approval and as option

g)      Attendance lists shall be kept at every meeting

h)      A date for the next meeting shall be decided upon at the end of every meeting

7.MANAGEMENT:

7.1   The committee shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall hold office for
 two years after their election and can be reelected for a next term.

7.2   The committee shall consist of a minimum of seven and a maximum of twelve
 members. The committee shall have the following:

·        Leader

·        Vice-Leader

·        Treasurer

·        Vice-Treasurer

·        Secretary

·        Vice-Secretary

·        Additional members

7.3  A committee member's Term Of Office shall cease:

·        Upon written resignation

·        His/Her actions are beyond the realm of his/her duty and injurious to
the interests, objectives and principals of the organization.

·        Upon death of the member

·        If he/she becomes of sound mind

·        If membership of the organization ceases

8.FINANCIAL:

          8.1   The Financial Year of the organization will be closed on the
                     last day of Feburary each year.

8.2      The organization derives its Funds by means of any Lawful action.

8.3      The committee shall keep Proper Books of accounts with respect to:

i)              All sums of money recieved and expended by the organization
      and matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditures
      take place 

ii)                  All sales and purchases or goods by the organization

iii)                The assets and liabilities of the organization

8.4      The books of account shall be kept in safety at the office of the
Organization or at such other place, as the committee shall fit.
It shall always be open to inspection to the members of the organization.

8.5      Requisition Forms must be signed and approved upon request of any funds
to be withdrawn from the bank and confermation must be handed in to
Treasurer / Vise-Treasurer along with all recipts

8.6      All donations, bequests, involve and other money shall within
48 hours after receipt thereof be paid into a Registered Bank
determined by the committee. The committee shall keep a
general account and the treasurer may also direct what other
account should be kept for specific purposes
 

8.7   The committee as Signatories shall appoint three committee
members and two of the three signatories would be required
to withdraw funds from the organization's account

8.8   The accounts of the organization shall be audited annually
        and submitted to all applicable organisations.

8.9   An Auditor shall be appointed once a year at the annual meeting.
        If an auditor dies or resigns, the committee may appoint a suitable
        person to hold office until the following annual meeting.

9.AMENDMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION:     

The constitution may be amended by two thirds majority votes at a general meeting, provided that fourteen days written notice to all members of such proposed amendments shall be given. The proposed amendments must be described in the notice.

10.DISSOLUTION:  

The organization may be dissolved by resolution of a special general meeting or and annual general meeting.

A simple majority shall be required of all committee members or members of the organization.

          

If, after organizations dissolution, any assets remain, once all debts have been settled and obligations met, such assets shall not be paid over or divided among the members, but shall be donated to such other registered welfare organization, preferably one with similar objectives, as the members may decide upon.
 

		Namibia Network of AIDS  Service Organization