| PREVENTING FAMILY SEPARATION ( FAMILY STRENGTHENING PROGRAMS) |
It is in a child’s best interests to remain with the family of origin as long as the family is providing adequate care. In partnership with community organizations and governments, we work to strengthen vulnerable families in order to prevent family breakdown and separation of children from their families.
In family strengthening, we also work with kinship care, where children are supported to live with their extended family. Where necessary we partner with the state and other stakeholders to provide access to basic healthcare and quality education to support children and families to become self-reliant.
Humanitarian emergency situations invariably lead to family separation and loss of security and livelihood.
In such situations, we provide protection for unaccompanied children and young people, we actively support family reunification, and we assist families to overcome trauma and rebuild their lives. For children who cannot be reunified with their families, we work with authorities to find a suitable care placement. –SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES
SOS Children’s Villages in The Gambia with funding from SOS Children’s Villages Finland implemented a Women’s Empowerment for Change Project in The Gambia? The Project targeted ( single women-headed households) to promote the rights of women and children in 3 communities in Farafenni. The project benefited 200 women and 555 children.
Today 200 Caregivers’ understanding and application of child rights, protection, and idle parenting have improved significantly during the program period and beyond, and their levels of income for caregivers have improved.
This has made some families self-reliant to cater to the basic needs of their children (food, clothing, education, healthcare, etc.), caregivers continued to operate functional IGAs in different business entities to earn a stable income for family support.
The academic performance of children supported by the program to improve the quality of education has impacted positively on the students in the areas of improving reading skills, basic arithmetic, and pass rate – both internal and external exams as manifested in their school report cards.
Thirty (30) teachers and School Management were trained in Child Centered Teaching and learning methodologies. (19 male and 11 female) to improve the promotion of child rights and protection, teaching, learning, record keeping (Lesson and Scheme of Work), and classroom management.
Awareness on health-related issues has increased greatly within the three intervention communities leading to a reduction in child health-related cases such as malaria, communicable diseases, and malnutrition.
A significant number of caregivers developed a culture of savings and already started savings with local financial institutions after their enterprise development training program.
Perceptions of the rights of both children and women drastically changed as a result of the various community sensitizations conducted. Community members claimed to understand such rights and even started practicing the application of such rights at both household and community levels.
Three Women Cooperative groups in three intervention communities have been legally registered at attorney general chambers to facilitate their legal operation and continue to seek funding from likeminded institutions for activities implementations to support vulnerable families for community and sustainability.