Chisomo Childrens Club
Chisomo Children’s Club aims to bring about long term change in the lives of girls and boys aged 14 and under who are living or begging on the streets. It enables the children to have a hope and a future, helping them and their families to escape dependency. We promotes justice, helping the children to access their rights and understand their responsibilities.
Chisomo was set up in 1998 with and for children on the streets of Malawi. It aims to help them develop to their full potential and escape dependency, promoting justice and enabling them to access their rights. It also strengthens the children's families, resolving the root problems and enabling them to build good relationships. It helps them to generate enough food/income to meet their basic needs.
At Chisomo they value:
First Call For Children: Holisitic development of the child as their first priority.
Long term change; building the dignity, confidence and responsibility of the child in escaping dependency.
Justice; Fair and just treatment for all the children, protecting them from abuse and enabling their voices to be heard
Trust; Openness and accountability in relationships to and from children, staff board, donors and others. In finances, information and ideas.
Acceptance and love; shown through perseverance, flexibility, forgiveness, non-discrimination, and
gender sensitivity.
Chisomo’s Programmes are based on the children's own identified needs and priorities:
Relationship building: Identifying new-comers on the streets, counselling them, and building close relationships of trust as a basis for all activities.
Family reintegration: strengthening relationships between children and their families, family counselling, and helping children to return home.
Education: enabling children to develop their potential through life-skills classes, and by registering and supporting them in government schools.
Income generation: business counselling and small loans to families for their basic needs; helping children in income generation, training and apprenticeships
Health: HIV/AIDS awareness, health education, first-aid and helping children use local health services.
Advocacy: protecting the children from abuse and helping them to access justice; and giving them a voice in laws, practices and decisions which affect their lives.
Check out our Gallery of pictures taken at Chisomo, or watch the film made in May 2009. Or learn more at the homesite for the project: http://www.chisomo.org/
