Bana Ba Ditlou
Children of the Elephants
OVC
Orphaned & Vulnerable Children
OVC - Orphaned & Vulnerable Children is a project of the Catholic Church in Botswana - especially in the Catholic Vicariate of Francistown. It is funded by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) from the USA. The project is present in several towns and villages, among them Francistown, Sebina, Tutume, Gumare, Ghanzi, Maun and Kasane.
Although run by the Catholic Church the project caters for the general population and children in need are the special focus of the project. The OVC project employs several coordinators and volunteers to manage the enormous task.
Thousands of children are being helped in various ways already, but there is a great need to improve the service, to make it more creative and effective for children and to provide a more holistic approach.

As a mater of principle the OVC project is always an integral part of the local Catholic Community, answerable to the Parish Pastoral Council of the Community and monitored by this council.
Bana Ba Ditlou project is one of the trials to help as many orphaned, neglected, sick abused and vulnerable children as possible in a joint effort of the Catholic Community and the OVC staff in Kasane. The OVC will provide the very important psychosocial component of the BaBaDi project.
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This tiny girl on the left is two years old but her weight was until recently less than that of a newborn child (about 2 kg) - severe malnutrition.
Horrific wounds with extensive infection on the legs of a small neglected boy.
OVC and Bana Ba Ditlou are trying to help in such cases as well.
End of March 2011, the OVC project was officially closed in Kasane.
We are grateful for the social work done in Kasane and in other villages of Chobe.
The coordinator of the OVC became now the coordinator of the Bana Ba Ditlou project.
March 2012 - the OVC project is back in Kasane and a new coordinator employed.
Staff of OVC project in Kasane:
Gaone
OVC Kasane project coordinator
Ellah
Assistant