Care Department

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Background

The department is composed of 4 units; the Boarding, Day-care, Holland home and Tailoring.

Boarding

The unit currently has 51 children, (27 boys and 24 girls) and these are under the care of 4 Care-givers. One child among these has come from the Day-care department for counselling. A decision for permanent residence will be made after observation on behaviour change.

The average age for the children in the houses is 12. Most of these children have lost both parents making their vulnerability rate very high. Out of these 18% are HIV positive and they receive counselling and drug therapy every month these are also on special diet.  These children all stay in the four houses on campus and attend school within the compound.

Day-care

The total number of children is 253. Eight care-givers are assigned to these children.

The unit has embarked on a program to empower the guardians in the provision of staple food diet. It has been discovered that from the month of September to March families within our catchment area suffer from hunger due to food shortages. The department has distributed 1600 bundles of sweet potato slips to 160 Day-care families.  The assumed coverage of the sweet potato slips per family is300 metres. This was done after theory and practical lessons from an agricultural extension officer.  A monitoring exercise (on going) followed up a week after the slips were given to check on areas covered by the slips and whether they followed the right planting procedure. Most families are so far doing well.

Holland Home Clinic

The unit is responsible for taking care of the children (Day and Boarding care) health and medical wellbeing and the surrounding communities. It is also responsible for facilitating the testing for various sickness and facilitating for referral to higher medical institutions if need be. So far most cases have been well managed at the clinic save for one referral case which is still being managed at Queens Hospital. The children who attend teen club started going to Chileka Health Centre after having the program on campus for more than 2 years. A need to socialise more with teenagers from others centres made partners reach this decision.

Malaria and cholera awareness campaigns are underway with the care givers and children in our program. Mental health issues are being handled through counselling (group and individual).

Tailoring

This unit is responsible for making uniforms and mending clothes for the children who are in our department. The tailors are currently making boys’ shorts.

Challenge

Our budget lines are still being affected by the inconsistent rise of basic items due to inflation and devaluation; for some goods (like food items) we have tried to improvise or look for supplements but for other items like medicines and drugs we just have to go with the flow.

Despite the mentioned challenges mentioned above, the department is doing well with the support of all stakeholders. We continuously appreciate this support and we that our good Lord for His sufficient grace.