Physical Health South Africa Project #13396

Covering Children's Rights

by CHoiCe Trust

Project Report | Sep 24, 2013
CHoiCe hands out blankets!

By Nicola Stuart-Thompson | Director

Staff pose with the blanket with its key message.

Did you know that you personally made a difference in the life of a child in rural Limpopo during August? Your donation to the 'Covering Children's Rights' project, enabled CHoiCe Trust to purchase and distribute 160 blankets to children in Mavele and Nkambako villages. This project was designed to achieve 2 objectives: (a) to provide children with something warm and something that is theirs; and (b) to raise awareness of the rights of children. This was achieved through the design and distribution of beautiful blankets to children, with a focus on reaching children who were infected or affected by HIV and AIDS as these children are most vulnerable and in need of care and support. (The photograph of the children attached here was taken to hide their identities due to this fact that there must be confidentiality with regards to health status of the children and their family members.)

The messages on our blankets, which were designed by children themselves during dialogues with the children, were: "Children have the right to an education, to clothes, to healthy food and water, and a clean house". These rights were most important to the children as these are things which affect them each day. The blankets were amazing - they were very large (which meant that the children could use them for many things), and they were very soft and comforting.

The CHoiCe Trust social worker and auxiliary social worker took them out and handed them out to children through schools in the 2 rural villages. The children were so excited about receiving these gifts. This project even touched the hearts of the teachers at the school who were motivated by the reactions of the children. The gift reminded the children that they were special and that they deserve something beautiful, just for themselves. CHoiCe Trust staff continue to work with these children in Support Groups and in raising awareness of health issues amongst the children and their families. This allows us to make sure that the messages on the blankets are respected by everyone who comes into contact with the child.

Thank you to all our donors who made this project possible. The laughter and happiness that accompanied the distribution of these blankets to the children were so special and should continue to motivate us all to support the children of today for a brighter tomorrow.

Children (ID hidden) pose with their blankets.

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Jun 27, 2013
Blankets for Children

By Nicola Stuart-Thompson | Director

(a) Introduction:

With the help of you, our donor, we managed to purchase 150 blankets for children who are living in Mavele and Nkambako villages in rural Limpopo province, South Africa. This project focused on children who are most vulnerable - those infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. South Africa faces one of the most serious burdens of disease, which includes the HIV and AIDS pandemic as well as the highest co-infection rate of HIV and Tuberculosis. Children, as always, bear the brunt of this burden and many have lost parents and other family members to illness. Non-government organisations play an important role in providing additional support to these children who live in situations of extreme poverty - sharing small living spaces and possessions with others and often going to bed hungry at the end of a hard day.

(b) The Project:

The blanket project would provide 150 children with blankets. These children have been identified by the CHoiCe Trust social worker who works in the 2 rural villages due to their extreme vulnerability. The blankets were therefore not only intended to give the child something to keep them warm in winter, but they were also a symbol of support and care for the child, who was given something beautiful to own for themselves. In order to further maximise on the impact of the blanket, CHoiCe Trust identified the need to embroider key child rights messages on the blankets so that it would itself provide a platform to promote rights of children. These rights must be the rights that are most important to children.

The children in the project with CHoiCe Trust were engaged in a process of rights identification through a series of facilitated dialogues during the last few months. The children were asked to illustrate which rights they felt were most important to them. This provided a space for the children to creatively share about their own needs. Through this process, the children identified the following 4 rights:

- Children have the right to an education

- Children have the right to clothes

- Children have the right to healthy food and water

- Children have the right to a clean house

Pictures of the submissions by the children have been attached here.

Currently, the blankets have been purchased and are being printed with the above rights. The distribution of the blankets will take place during the next few weeks as it is currently school holiday and our social worker will be able to travel to the home of each child for individual distribution.

(d) Conclusion:

The children in the project are extremely excited to receive their blankets! They have loved the process of creatively identifying the key rights which they feel should be represented on the blankets, and the process of giving a voice to the actual needs of the children has been an additional benefit of this distribution process.

On behalf of the children, CHoiCe wishes to thank all donors who made this process possible. We look forward to sharing more about the distribution of the blankets to these children.

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