Global Journal of Health Science; Vol. 12, No. 4; 2020 ISSN 1916-9736 E-ISSN 1916-9744 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 20 Perceptions of Parents/Guardians About the Effectiveness of Future Families Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programme in Olievenhoutbosch, South Africa Eale E. Kris 1 & Mphuthi David 1 1 Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa Correspondence: Kris Eale, Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, PO Box 392, Unisa 0003, South Africa. E-mail: esscris@gmail.com; 45387036@mylife.unisa.ac.za Received: December 14, 2019 Accepted: January 16, 2020 Online Published: March 5, 2020 doi:10.5539/gjhs.v12n4p20 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v12n4p20 Abstract The people with the greatest stake in Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) interventions are the children and their parents/guardians. Unfortunately, most OVC programmes are predesigned and implemented without considering beneficiaries’ perceptions when developing solutions (ALI 2007:15). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of orphans and vulnerable children’s parents/guardians about the effectiveness of Future Families’ children programme in Olievenhoutbosch as a way to explore how much they are involved in the process of designing the programme activities and if they perceive the programme as effective in responding to their family needs.. This study used a qualitative, explorative and descriptive design. Thirteen (13) parents/guardians of children registered with the Future Families were interviewed on the effectiveness of the Future Families programme using a semi-structure interview guide. The study results suggested that parents/guardians were happy with Future Families’ services and believed the programme is effective in responding to their families’ needs. However, the researcher questioned the meaning of that happiness and established that beneficiaries were not involved in the program key planning activities including programme resource management and could not appreciate the value of the service that is provided to them against the funding value. The researcher also established that beneficiaries perceived the programme interventions as if it was a favour from the implementing organisation. That perception conditioned beneficiaries’ attitude to be thankful to the programme instead of having open criticism toward the program. Keywords: effectiveness, Future Families, guardian, Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC), parent, perception, service delivery 1. Introduction and Background to the Research Problem The Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) crisis linked to HIV/AIDS pandemic started alarming the world in late 90s and early 2000s. According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (2006:IV-3) and UNAIDS (2002:133), at the end of 2001, an estimated 14 million children worldwide had lost their mother or both parents to AIDS or related causes. Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region, accounting for more than 80% of those orphaned because of AIDS. It should be noted that the reported number does not include children orphaned by other conditions such as other diseases not related to HIV/AIDS, war or other political conflicts. UNICEF, UNAIDS and USAID (2006: IV-3) reported that approximately 12 million children between the ages 0– 17 have lost one or both parents to AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, the total number of children orphaned from all causes in sub-Saharan Africa expanded and reached 48.3 million at the end of 2005. UNICEF, UNAIDS and USAID pointed out during that period without the care of parents or an appointed caregiver, children were likely to face extraordinary risks of malnutrition, poor health, inadequate schooling, migration, homelessness, and abuse. Therefore, strengthening existing family and community capacity to assist orphans in Africa should be the first priority. The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) guide and strategic manual for OVC