SOS Social Centre
Family
Strengthening in Action in
SOS
Social Centre Maputo has embraced our strategy of helping Aids Orphans via
their widen community. With a catchment area
comprising a poor peri-urban community, there are
plenty of ways in which community led interventions can pave the way to not
only preventing the abandonment of children, but empowering families to improve
their own situation.
Take,
for example, the Chitamba* family, who first came to
the attention of the SOS Social Centre Maputo during the initial baseline
study.
The
family were known to the local leader well, as, traditionally, in times of
trouble in Mozambican culture, it is typical for communities and extended
families to help out where possible.
It
is unfortunate that in recent times, as much as this
traditional support structure might want to help, they too are also finding
themselves vulnerable and are often unable to take on extra responsibilities.
The
mother is in her late twenties and the father in his mid thirties. They have
five children ranging in age from a baby of nine months to an eleven-year-old
girl.
When
the field officer from SOS Social Centre Maputo first met the family, none of
the children were in school as the family had no way of raising
the school fees, let alone provide 'extras' such as a school uniform or school
books.
They
live in a single room, with only access to a shared outside tap for water. The
room is used for living, sleeping and sometimes even cooking (with an open
fire) in.
The
toilet facility is simple a 'long drop', shielded by two grass walls in the
yard.
The
father would occasionally be invited to assist a friend in his rudimentary
carpentry workshop for a few days, but this was infrequent and he was hardly
recompensed for his work.
"I
was in total desperation before I heard about the family strengthening
programme," said the mother. "There were days when we did not eat.
The little one could hardly get milk to breast feed. This is just a miracle hat
this has happened to us. I can feel that the SOS Social Centre will help us to
help ourselves in the long run as my husband is being trained on how to run a
business and he will be able to raise money for our survival."
The
"miracle" that the mother talks about, will indeed be long term, but
the SOS Social Centre Maputo field officers also feel that in the short term
the family need to improve their food security. So, in consultation with the family,
the family strengthening programme is providing the family with a monthly food
pack consisting of basics such as dried beans, rice and cooking oil. The family
are able to supplement this with meagre portions of fish and vegetables.
The
two middle children have been enrolled at a local kindergarten, called Escolinha Estrela 'Star school',
where the social centre has paid the majority of their school fees and provided
material for school uniforms. At the kindergarten, the fees cover breakfast and
lunch, so they are assured of two meals a day.
The
two older children will soon be assisted with enrolment at a primary school
nearby.
The
father, who is quite a good carpenter, has been able to make a few products,
such as cooking spoons and small cupboards and he is being instructed by the
field officer on how to price the products and then sell them informally.
His
friend has agreed to take him on for three month in his workshop for some
'hands on' training. When this time is up, the social centre will assist him to
purchase a few basic tools and a little start-up capital, which he will pay
back as he sells products.
The
SOS Social Centre Maputo has discovered that many of the families being
assisted in the family strengthening programme live in extremely poor
conditions and it will soon be introducing a property development programme
where community members with skills or time will assist one another to improve
their accommodation.
The Chitamba family will be included in this, and Mr Chitamba will no doubt obtain some work through this
programme, as well as some all important dignity from being a knowledgeable
member of the team.
* For privacy reasons, we have
changed the name of the family.