Empowering parental involvement in caring vulnerable children.

Objectives/Background

In the rural and urban community there are many children who are faced with difficulties for their whole lives. Children in orphaned residents face many difficulties including poverty, poor physical health, attachment disorders, inadequate social skills, and mental health difficulties. Orphans and vulnerable children are subjected to multiple ongoing stressful and traumatic life events such as abuse, neglect, parental loss, lack of care and affection, adequate shelter, nutrition, education, psychological support, and sexual abuse, among others ar

The Government of Tanzania has since then adopted several initiatives to combat violence against children. Some of these includes signing and ratification of the Convention on the Quality life of the Child (CRC), 1989; enactment of the Law of the Child Act, 2009; Inclusion of Law of the Child as one of the courses/topic taught in educational institutions; adoption of campaigns like the 16 days against Violence; Violence against children awareness sessions; and the statements of high Level leaders which aims at combating Violence against children. According to the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2016-2022, one in three girls and one out of seven boys experience some form of sexual violence. Despite these initiatives, violence against vulnerable children persists.

Therefore, our objective is to empower parents by creating awareness about childcare for a better long life and to fit in society.

Context/Target Group

Direct beneficiaries are 53 parents (mothers or guardians) of our beneficiaries who are vulnerable children, and 3,250 children from the community.

The project will be conducted in the Rukwa region, based in Kalambo district, involving five villages named Msanzi, Kisumba, Kasanga, Sopa, and Matai

Implementation Approach

Assessment & Planning: Conducting baseline surveys, participatory rural appraisals (PRA), and stakeholder analysis.

Organizing workshops for community members and staff on topics like child development and care.

Service Delivery & Implementation: Establishing parental clinics and shelter homes, providing school materials to vulnerable children (Beneficiaries).

Monitoring & Evaluation: Regular field monitoring, data collection, and impact evaluations to ensure project success.

Activities to be carried out are categorized under two programs as presented below,

1. Compelling and care support (CCS) programs.

i) Providing counseling to continue stabilizing children, psychologically and socially.

ii) Caring and looking after vulnerable and orphans' children and ensuring that they are physically secure.

iii) Minding and feeding children with a balanced diet to promote their growth and ensure that children's cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor skills are well developed.

1. Economic and fundraising (EFR) program;

i) Organizing charity events and fundraising activities.

ii) Operating income-generating activities such as poultry husbandry, horticulture, shop services, and domesticating of animals.

Partnerships & Areas for Strengthening

Specific areas of the project that we are looking to strengthen through partnerships.

i. The area of transport and communication costs by enabling several outreaches for the home visit programmes.

ii. Administrative expenses, including staff members' expenses during outreaches.

iii. Holding seminars, conferences, and children's entertainment events expenses.