In a significant stride towards fostering a safer environment for children, the Dhibiti Project recently organised a successful Child Protection Sensitization Training for Tingángá DREAMS facilitators, mentors, and change agents. The event marked a crucial step in equipping frontline workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the well-being of children within their communities.
In collaboration with expert trainers, we developed a comprehensive curriculum covering various aspects of child protection, encompassing the identification of abuse, preventive strategies, and the legal framework surrounding child rights.
The training sought to empower facilitators, mentors, and change agents with the requisite tools to establish safe spaces for children.
During the training, participants delved into the challenges encountered by children in their communities, gaining a deeper understanding during the training sessions. The sessions fostered open dialogue, allowing participants to exchange lived experiences, insights, and best practices in handling child protection issues. This heightened awareness is expected to lead to the establishment of more empathetic and responsive support systems for children.
Additionally, the training served as a catalyst for building a robust network of advocates dedicated to child protection. Emerging from the training, facilitators, mentors, and change agents shared a commitment to championing children’s rights and serving as proactive agents of change within their communities.
The training equipped participants with practical strategies for implementing child protection measures across diverse community settings. Through role-playing exercises and scenario-based discussions, participants honed their skills to address and prevent instances of child abuse.
Visible Results
Following the training, Tingángá DREAMS facilitators, mentors, and change agents have embraced their roles as community leaders. They now spearhead engagement initiatives, dispelling childhood protection myths and mobilising the community to safeguard every child’s well-being.
Rachael Karanja, a Child Protection Officer in Kiambu County, emphasised the importance of children’s voices, stating, “Children deserve to be heard because they can express their emotions too.” She exemplified the diverse roles that Children Protection Volunteers (CPVs) play in protecting and upholding children’s rights. Over 50 individuals were trained and sensitised on child protection strategies and laws.
The success story of the Child Protection Sensitization Training underscores LVCT Health’s steadfast commitment to nurturing empowered and resilient communities. As facilitators, mentors, and change agents continue to fulfil their roles as guardians, the Tingángá community experiences positive transformations, ensuring a brighter and safer future for its children.
Through the Determined Resilient Empowered AIDS-free Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) program, LVCT Health’s Dhibiti project works to create enabling environments for AGYW to reach their fullest potential. DREAMS layers multiple interventions critical to keep them safe from HIV and teenage pregnancy, among other health and socio-economic risks.