Child Protection Kenya Project #31400

Shine A Light on Child Abuse in Kenya

by Childline Kenya

Project Report | Oct 11, 2023
Childline Kenya: Unlocking Hope for every child

By Martha Sunda | Executive Director, Childline Kenya

Introduction:

In a world where the cycle of pain can often be passed from one generation to the next, we face a profound challenge - hurt people hurting children. Child abuse is a harsh reality, leaving countless young lives scarred and in need of help. This report shines a light on the superheroes behind this darkness: child helplines. It emphasizes the pivotal role child helplines play in rescuing affected children and the absolute importance of every donation in making these stories of survival possible.

Case Study: Bob's Story

Picture this: a small Kenyan town where a 12-year-old boy named Bob is caught in a heart-wrenching cycle of abuse that's spanned generations. His parents, who had once been innocent children themselves, have carried the emotional baggage of their own traumatic childhoods. Unknowingly, they handed down this legacy of suffering to Bob, making his life a nightmare of physical and emotional torment.

The Role of the Child Helpline in Kenya:

Now, here's where hope steps in! Bob’s lifeline was the local child helpline, an invisible but very present hero for children like him. The child helpline offered Bob a safe, confidential space from his living nightmare. Here's what the child helpline in Kenya offers:

A listening ear: A sanctuary for children to pour out their hearts without fear.
Immediate Assistance: Trained counselors and social work superheroes are at the ready 24/7 for crisis intervention and expert guidance.
Referral Services: Linking children with various needs to local services and authorities who ensure their safety.

Bob's Journey to Healing:

Bob’s first step towards healing was a phone call, his voice trembling but brave, to the child helpline. A compassionate counselor became his rock, providing the comfort and support he desperately needed. The child helpline swung into action, ensuring Bob’s immediate safety by engaging local child protection agencies. They didn't stop there; they offered long-term support in the form of therapy and legal assistance, determined to break the generational cycle of abuse that had gripped Bob’s family. This family has since experienced marked transformation as they continue benefiting from family therapy provided by Childline Kenya. This is made possible by the thoughtful and generous contributions of our donors, including those on GlobalGiving, to carry out this vital work. Your donations are the superpower that enables Childline Kenya to:

Maintain 24/7 Availability of the helpline services from everywhere in Kenya
Equip counselors with the tools to handle complex cases with the finesse and expertise required.
Continue outreach and awareness campaigns to reach out to communities in need.
Provide access to therapy and legal assistance, guiding children like Bob toward healing and justice.

Conclusion:

Bob’s story, a tale of survival and resilience, showcases the immense impact of child helplines in the lives of abused children. The role of your donations cannot be overstated in making these life-changing interventions possible for children and their hurting families. Each contribution is a piece of the puzzle, breaking the cycle of abuse, and offering children like Bob a chance to heal, grow, and dream of a brighter future.

Thank you for being a part of this crucial mission.

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Jun 15, 2023
Better Together

By Martha Sunda | Executive Director, Childline Kenya

As we approach mid-year 2023, so far, cases of more than 1,330 children who have been abused have been reported to Childline Kenya to provide therapy to the affected children and their families. Further support includes linkage to allied services including legal services, rescue and placement in temporary rescue centres and access to medical assistance. We listen to all voices connected to children, including voices of parents on behalf of their children. One such voice is this one:

“Hello…is that the child helpline?” (said a hesitating female voice)…after the counselor responded in the affirmative, the shaky voice said “I want to admit my son to the rehabilitation school …how much will it cost me? I am tired of him!” she said this as her voice trailed off. The counselor could sense the frustration of this mother. She had no more strength and had resigned herself to let go of her son albeit for a bit of peace in the home. The 14-year-old boy in question had terrorized his family for a while. He was involved in petty theft in their home and neighbourhood, was a pathological liar and was also truant. He had run away from home severally including the very recent incident when he disappeared from home for 3 days after stealing some money from his mother. He had shown up three days later without a clear indication of where he had been, in the three days he had been away. His mother desperately needed reassurance that she had not failed in her parenting but that she needed support for improved skillful parenting and consideration of access to counseling for her son who was causing her great anguish.

In a world with dwindling resources and ever changing priorities, mental health concerns are affecting whole families on an ongoing basis. Childline Kenya chooses to continue to work with partners to respond to these concerns one child at a time, one household at a time and one day at a time. With your continued support and that of other philanthropists through the GlobalGiving platform and also state & non-state actors we remain available for children and make a decision every day to provide an ear to children in distress and their families.

We appreciate all our partners for participating in ensuring positive outcomes for child survivors of abuse in Kenya continuously. We remain committed to respond to all child survivors of abuse every day.

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Feb 14, 2023
Give warmth to each child...or at least do no harm

By Martha Sunda | Executive Director, Childline Kenya

This is the month of love. Lots of love is expressed and shared and experienced...but is it so for children as well? Like every living being, children need genuine love and affection within the environments they exist. This allows them to thrive in their childhood and to blossom into responsible adults...but is the needed genuine love available to them? Mercy (not her real name) who is a 15 year old girl, went about her business online checking out different content and chatting with friends. While online, she got a friend request from a person who presented himself as a famous musical artist whose music was the talk of town. Mercy was elated! She accepted the friend request and continued engaging with the celebrity online. The messages between each other were friendly, with each of them sharing details about themselves in detail and getting to know each other better. She felt appreciated and listened to and valued. She had truly gotten a friend. That he was a celebrity made it even more interesting and she felt extra special. After a while, her online friend invited her to join him during a live performance concert outside the country. He promised to take care of all the trip expenses. All she need to do is raise USD300 for visa facilitation. This, he said, was urgent as it was the first step before he could make other logistical arrangements. Mercy started going round asking for money from her friends and relatives, in desperation but with no clear reason why she urgently needed the cash. It was until one of her counsins promised her the full amount in exchange for the truth, that Mercy spilt the beans. The case was reported to Childline Kenya urgently for attention. In close collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations the true identity of Mercy's "celebrity" was revealed and the fraudulent scheme aborted. Mercy was shocked to know who the true person behind the "celebrity" image was. She was gently psychoeducated on how to keep herself and others safe while on the online space as she continued attending therapy sessions to deal with the resultant trauma. Mercy, like other children her age, enjoyed the sense of belonging and appreciation and therefore fell prey easily to the tricks of her "celebrity" online friend. Childline Kenya works with partners to promote child safety from online sexual exploitation and abuse. The specific activities target four (4) domains as follows:

SOCIAL- CULTURAL DOMAIN-Children are active and able to report concerns/cases; parents are active and monitor children online; and communities acknowledge children's agency and hold duty bearers accountable
FORMAL INSTITUTIONS DOMAIN - Local and national governments address the gaps in the online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) legislation, and are responsive to children and community needs in combating OCSE and victim care and are held accountable by regional and international bodies.
LAW ENFORCEMENT DOMAIN - Law enforcement agencies nationally operate in a coordinated manner, are better equipped with appropriate forensic tools and resources to effectively investigate OCSE
PRIVATE SECTOR DOMAIN-Banks and financial institutions, Social media and tech companies and Internet service providers in the travel and Tourism sector are active participants in preventing OCSE.

More partners are invited to join this worthy cause to support children like Mercy who may be taken advantage of on the online space, despite the incredible benefits found on the online space as well. We appreciate all current and past partnerships for the wellbeing of children and look forward to even more partnerships and support. Let us Shine A Light on Child Abuse in Kenya and may we all commit to give warmth to every child around us...or at least to not harm them.

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