Outreach Programme
Objectives
- To support families in the broader Bishopstowe Community in their care of orphaned and vulnerable children.
- To empower families and care-givers of orphaned and vulnerable children to take better care of the children in their care.
- To share the resources Kenosis has with the broader community.
The History
Over the first months of 2005 Kenosis spent a lot of time reflecting on the way forward and future responsibilities of our organisation. It was decided to not expand the Foster Care Project on sight, as, together with many other voices, we agree that the best place for a child is its community of origin. However, Kenosis also thought that it did not want to stay an island and only 'look after itself' but wanted to reach out into the community. It was then that we decided to become a support base to those families caring for orphaned and vulnerable children. The project officially started in July 2005.
Who benefits from the project?
- Families caring for orphaned children.
- Mothers who themselves are HIV+ and concerned about their children.
- Child-headed house holds.
- Children who have been sexually abused by family / community members.
How are the families identified?
In the beginning the families have came to Kenosis and asked for help and support, or they were brought to our attention by either a member of the community, the police or the local school. Since a few months now (October 2006) we have started working with a group of 8 volunteers in Maqongqo. These volunteers identify the families, as they know the community and are often neighbours to them.
How many families benefit the project?
When we started the project we thought we would work with about 16 families, as we wanted to offer 'quality support', rather than 'quantity support'. However it soon proved that this number was unrealistic, as the need, was simply much greater than 16. It was then that we started thinking about working with volunteers from the community, and with the help of them we have now identified about 50 families and through this reach about 200 children (This figure is not static and changes from month to month).
Are the volunteers equipped?
The volunteers are (and will continue to be) trained in various areas of work in order to be better equipped to support the families they are assisting. The training includes topics such as basics in HIV / AIDS, counselling skills, bereavement counselling for children, nutrition, ARV's, TB and more. Besides the training they meet every second week with Sr Happiness to discuss difficult cases, to reflect on their experience and to be guided in what they are doing. Sr Happiness herself also visits families and helps in counselling, applying for grants and is a general support base for both the volunteers as well as the families we are working with.
What does the 'support' entail?
Kenosis supports the families in three ways:
- Psychological and emotional support through counselling during home visits by the volunteers.
- Assistance in accessing grants and vital birth documents by liaising between the care-giver and the social workers.
- Offering practical help in the home as well as emergency food relief when needed.
The Future
Kenosis hopes that in future these families will be better equipped to care for vulnerable and orphaned children, as well have accessed vital documents and state grants to assist them in this care. In the long term we hope to have contributed to the empowerment of the broader community in its day to day struggles when faced with the AIDS pandemic.
