“In Malawi, approximately 1 million children in a population of 14 million are orphaned or vulnerable and suffering from one or more forms of extreme deprivation."

Nkhata Bay is in northern Malawi, a country where there are approximately 1 million orphaned and vulnerable children out of a population of 14 million. The average life expectancy is 48 years and half the population live on less than 50p a day. Nkhata Bay is one of the few districts in Malawi that has no residential institutions for orphaned and vulnerable children - the children are usually looked after by the extended family or other young people. There are many agencies in Malawi assisting in the provision of clean water, food and education but Children and Families International Foundation (CFIF) is unique in offering assistance in developing services that meet the emotional and well being needs of vulnerable children and their families.

In partnership with a Malawian Child welfare advocacy organisation, Eye of the Child, (EOC), Children and Families has established a project in Nkhata Bay to:

• encourage local fostering and adoption of children by the local Community,
• promote and safeguard children’s rights including help with issues of bereavement and loss,
• provide opportunities to learn a skill to enhance employment opportunities and prevent the drift of young people to become street children in the towns and cities of Malawi.

We are working with the community and responding to needs they identify. The community believe that although some benefactors have sought to establish large institutions for the care of the children, the enhancement of care through local families would better meet their long term needs. These communities do not want their children looked after away from them; they want support to enable them to care for the children within their own communities.

The Project has two staff who have received appropriate training through Eye of the Child. The Project workers are encouraging the care of children in families, seeking to enhance their well being and avoid the difficulties associated with children being raised in large impersonal institutions where they can be cut off from remaining family members and their communities. By harnessing existing support activities (provision of food, education etc) we are helping the community in the care of orphaned children. By offering a new support service we are assisting the community to understand the emotional needs of children caused by the loss of other family members through HIV/AIDS. Through developing child advocacy and children’s rights services, we aim to support young people in keeping themselves safe from exploitation and abuse; we help them and encourage adults to recognise the rights of children and the responsibilities of parent figures. The community workers have an educative and a supportive role with children and adults; they are becoming known as guiding people in their communities; they have established a safe meeting place for children, they are establishing activities which promote healthy childhood and preparation for adulthood.