Protection Services for 100 Rural Kenyan Children

In reference to our Nafasi project, we would like to share the final portion of Anne Waichinga's interview, in which she talked about social emotional learning and child protection. Anne serves as the executive director of Uhai Bora, a business that aims to enhance children’s social and emotional growth. For your reference, we have also included a link to the video of the interview.

 (continued from the previous report)

5. What role does psychosocial support play in the recovery and well being of children facing trauma or abuse?

I like the fact that you have used the term psychosocial support because it covers both the psychological aspect and the social aspect. And, we know that when a child has faced abuse, they may have a lot of needs. They could be having protection needs, basic needs, education needs, name it. So, when we have a good psychosocial support strategy, which means that we have been able to identify the key actors to work with, to comprehensively support a child, then we can be able to assess the needs of a child and use our network or the partners that we have identified to support that child. If that is not available in one organisation, then it is doable through networking and collaboration.

6. So, how can we better integrate psychosocial support into community and school-based programs?

Good question. I think the first thing I would want to say is that, yes, our children spend a lot of time at schools, at families, and even within communities. So, for us to be able to take care of the needs of our children, all the support systems of a child need to speak to one another. For example, schools need to work with other support systems for the child. Those are the child protection actors at the family level and at the community level. At the same time, the community-based child protection systems also need to integrate schools into their collaborative and networking systems, so that we have a child support system that is connected and speaking to each other. People know who is who what, what each person is doing, and they can be able to work together. We need to strengthen the child protection system and make sure that it is linked to the formal child protection system at the constituency or ward level. We also need to map out our community-based child protection actors and make sure that they are well supported by the formal child protection system and linked to the schools.

7. So, what role does fundraising play in sustaining programs that support children's welfare in Kenya?

That’s a good question because initiatives need funding for them to be well implemented. Therefore, fundraisers are partners. Partners who come on board to support implementing organisations realise the interventions that they have for children. So, it is important for us to work together: donors, the implementing organisations, communities, governments and other non-state actors because we are all actors in child protection. In that way, we can mobilise adequate resources from among us and come up with tailor made interventions that will address the child protection concerns of the children that we are targeting.

8. So, do you have any fundraising message to encourage donations toward achieving our GlobalGiving Nafasi project?

Having interacted with Mirai Future for Kenya, I know that they are a grassroots organization that really seeks out underserved children. The current program that they have is very timely because they are identifying vulnerable children and creating a safe space which will be protective while at the same time empower children with the much-needed social emotional competencies as well as safeguarding tips. And, we know in the areas that they are working, that these children are exposed to various child protection concerns that may not only harm them, but also affect them in the long term in terms of accessing education and also achieving their life goals. I have read their reports and they target children who have been abused and also those in conflict with the law. These children are vulnerable and in need of care and protection. This space will support the children by safeguarding them from risks in the community. It will also empower children with life skills and values education, and refer them accordingly so that all their needs can be addressed comprehensibly. So, if you are out there and you are donor, this is the right project to fund because we are reaching out to the most vulnerable children and children who are hard to reach.

Links:

• Anne's Interview Video Link