| The Bogambero Children Reception Centre project (BCRC) aims at setting up a reception centre for the children who are living in the Bogambero Primary School area. (750 children)
This community is located in a highly HIV virus infected area. Female Genital Mutilations (FGM), girls' education and early marriages are also serious issues.
Due to the location (country), the rate of registered children is very low. 99% of the children are not registered. The rate of HIV infected people is very high in Nyanza Province: 15% of the population suffers from this disease. The beneficiary community is especially affected.
The lack of information and the importance of local belief on Aids make children
a particularly high-risk population, even more young teenage girls who must also deal with FGM and early marriages.
These children are even more vulnerable due to the fact that some of them are not registered, i.e. they do not exist officially and therefore their rights are not recognized. Bogambero's Community reflects this situation. This project targets three main actions:
- Health care
- Rights of the child
- Educational leisure and Arts
HEALTH CARE
Hygiene Educational Programme
Educate children since young childhood to basic hygiene in view of reducing illnesses related to this problem.
HIV/Aids Programme
Facilitate access to condoms and information
- Free condoms
- Public awareness
- Incentive to volunteer Aids test
- Class discussion, Questions and Answers, Educational activities
- Discussions with families and children: danger of some of their cultural customs (FGM, early marriages etc).
- Work in partnership with the health centre
Medical service
This service, in partnership with the nearest health Centre, aims at making health care more accessible, particularly for those who cannot easily walk to the health centre: pregnant women, children and the elderly. A regular medical service will be put in place.
RIGHTS OF THE CHILD PROGRAMME
Girl child education
Every child has the right to go to school. This rule does not allow any exceptions. Nonetheless, girls are still suffering from discrimination. Comparing with boys, girls have less chance to be educated.
- Sensitization actions: Posters, statistics, educational activities and discussions with families.
- Award grants for girls whose schooling is at risk. These grants are awarded according to some criteria delimited by the teachers. The grants will not be given to the family but used to pay directly the costs of the school year. This prevents family from misusing them.
The ultimate goal is that families send their girls to school because they become conscious of the importance of girl child education and not because of the grant or because we would have forced them.
Children Registration
A non-registered child is a child who does not exist; he or she has no rights.
Ensure that each and every child is registered
- Create registration files and provide birth certificates
- Work in partnership with local authorities
- Sensitization actions on the importance of registering newborn babies. (Work in partnership with the authorities for the procedure)
The Rights of the Child
The Rights of the Child
are guaranteed and protected by international conventions as well as by Kenyan legislation. Nonetheless, these children live in an area where the protection of their rights is not an obvious topic.
- Sensitization actions and class discussions, educational activities
- Discussions with the families – meeting on relevant topics, questions and answers
- Poster campaigns
- In case of children's special requests, open files for abuses and provide to each child the possibility to be defended (through specialized NGOs)
ARTS & EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT
- Writing of short stories or dramas by the children
- Writing of « educational » songs
|
|
In Kenya, many tribes still practice Circumcision. The period between end of November and all of December is usually the « Circumcision time » for boys and girls. FGM (Feminine Genital Mutilation) is banned by the Kenyan legislation. However a few tribes still practice them.
Many programmes are undertaken in order to eradicate this custom.
Boys between 10 and 14 years old watching a football game 2 days after being circumcised.
The population of this area in Nyanza are Kurians, an ethnic group who still practice FGM. Nonetheless, part of the inhabitants, mostly the parents, denounce this custom. In order to support these reactions and promote the end of FGM, Enfants de Mabera brought its support to different local football teams who decided to come together and organize a tournament and circulate a message anti-FGM.
The teams put a lot of themselves in the tournament and in the discussion with the youngsters about FGM. Its meant to be an annual event.
As it was the first year, there was not a big change in the behaviours, however something was different. Parents wanted the few volunteers who were there supporting the tournament to chat with their girls in order to make them change their mind and not be circumcised.
This tournament gave the opportunity to have discussions with parents, teachers, boys and girls. They all agree on the fact that they wanted to see a programme against FGM in their community in order to stop this custom « coming from another time ».
NEW EVENTS
INTERNATIONAL WORKCAMP IN BOGAMBERO COMMUNITY
From 6th to 28th July 2009
You want to volunteer? Come and participate in the BCRC project with Enfants de Mabera and Youth Volunteer for Change!
Do not hesitate to get more information! more info...
MORE EVENTS TO COME... |
