By Andrew Jackson | Operations Manager
With a new year comes new hope and the promise for more than 200 children to get access to birth registration. In the coming months we will be rolling out a range of new activities designed to drastically change the landscape of birth registration not only in the areas where we work but nation-wide. One activity we’re happy to talk about is Community Dialogues and the Community Action Plans which come from them. These forums are a great way to get the key people in an area together with the general population, to identify complex local issues and address them directly. Whilst we work for national change this part of the programme recognises that one size does not fit all.
Now for a CASE STUDY – Michaela’s Story
For unregistered children like Michaela advancing through life can bring with it a series of challenges. Her story is very common yet through your support ZET can help children like Michaela overcome these challenges and go on to live rich and independent lives. Here is Michaela’s story.
When she was young, Michaela’s mother left her and because her parents had not registered her birth she had no birth certificate. She was unable to access her grade 7 exam results, prematurely ending her education and leaving her at risk of poverty.
Through careful negotiation, ZET was able to liaise between educational partners to release her exam results and get her into secondary school. In addition ZET was pleased to secure the release of her birth confirmation certificate from the clinic where Michaela was born and subsequently worked with her relatives over great distance to secure her an official birth certificate. This work is complex and time-consuming, often navigating administrative blockages, neglect and misunderstandings to reach the family members Michaela needed to sign her documentation. Through your generosity Michaela, aged 18, is now in a non-fee paying school and says:
“Even in the darkest of moments, I knew that hope was never lost. My journey has taught me that no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, there is always a way forward. I will never forget the kindness and support that I received. ZET helped me find my way to my own identity and I will always strive to help others. With determination and courage, we can all achieve our dreams, no matter what challenges we face."
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone out the in the world of GlobalGiving. You are great!
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
