Safe houses
Due to cases of abuse, rape, neglect and abandonment of Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s (OVC ‘s) in the community we serve. We operate Safe Houses for both boys and girls within our communities. The houses are rental apartments, accommodating a small family size, of OVC’s with a social worker. Safe House attendant residing with them/parenting them while they attend the community schools.
How the Safe house is beneficial for the children
- It is helping them overcome the trauma they have been exposed to, by abused, raped and neglected by their families.
- The children’s Health is really improved i.e. those who were admitted when they were malnourished (lack of proper feeding) are healthy.
- The Safe Houses are providing proper housing with facilities that the children didn’t have before. That is i.e. proper toilet facilities, beddings and clothing.
- The children are able to concentrate on their studies since their subjected to conductive environment, where they can study well. Since its establishment, the performances of most of the children have greatly improved.
- The children now get three meals a day i.e. breakfast, lunch and supper. Unlike at home where they were served one meal or no meal at all.
- Orphans and abused children have managed to get parental love and proper parenting.
- The children get proper clothing i.e. the school uniform, shoes and clothes they wear in the Safe Houses.
The attendant social workers duties
The attendant social worker is the one who is living with the kids. They have different duties to fulfill.
- Ensuring that the children are safe i.e. health wise.
- Ensure that the safe house is clean, and the beds are properly made.
- Washing the clothes for the children. Clean the dishes. The children can only help during the free time.
- The attendant should ensure that the children are clean whether in school or not. For children under age the attendant should follow-up or do the cleaning.
- At the last week of the month the attendant make a forward budget fore the next month.
- Pick up the monthly shopping, of daily food, from the main office.
- Ensuring that the children attend church every Sunday and also participate in described activities in the Safe House activity list. This is morning prayers and bedtime prayers, entertainment, counseling and games.
- During home visits the Safe House attendant and the social worker should accompany the children to their various homes.
- Insure that the children follow their personal time tables and follow up on how the children are doing their homework and coach them during extra studies.
- The Safe House attendant should accompany the social worker during fieldwork to evaluate the situation of the guardians and the families back at home.
- The Safe House attendant should report every week to the social worker to address any uprising issues in the Safe House.
- Take the children to the hospital in case of sickness and to follow-up on the child’s medication.
- Give parental care and ensure disciplinary actions where necessary.
Time table for the Safe House children
Time/ Day | 05:00am 06:16am | 06:15am 11:00am | 11:00pm 01.00pm | 01:00pm 01:50pm | 02:00pm 06:00pm | 06.00pm 07.00pm | 07:00pm 09.00pm | 09:00pm 09:30pm | 09:30pm 10:30pm | 10:30pm 05:00pm |
Monday | Wake up & breakfast | School | School | School & lunch in school | School | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time |
Tuesday | Wake up & breakfast | School | School | School & lunch | School | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time |
Wednesday | Wake up & breakfast | School | School | School & lunch in school | School | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time |
Thursday | Wake up & breakfast | School | School | School & lunch in school | School | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time |
Friday | Wake up & breakfast | School | School | School & lunch in school | School | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time |
Saturday | Wake up & breakfast | School Tuition | Lunch at Safe House | School tuition / games | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time | |
Sunday | Wake up & breakfast | Church | Lunch at Safe House | Games | House chores & bathing | Home work | Super | Study time & revision | Sleeping time |