What would make you get up at 2 am?
For me, it was a Webinar on Child Safeguarding.
Before I tell you more.. let me share the exciting news that I've been accepted as a Global Worker with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, continuing in my role with Villages of Hope Africa. I have lots to do, and I will certainly give you a fuller update in the weeks ahead, but for today, I wanted to share about this amazing webinar I had in the middle of the night yesterday.
Although COVID response and the children's health is still top of mind in the villages, and we are working hard everyday adjusting to the changing conditions, such as some of the schools starting to re-open, we continue to press forward with foundational elements at the core of our mission.
That brings me to our 2 am webinar. I got the short end of the stick in regards to timezone. Though I was the meeting host and facilitator, we had to accomodate the timezone for 25 leaders from 10 villages from 5 countries in Africa - Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well and the executive director who is currently riding out COVID in BC. So, at 2 am, with me bright eyes and bushy tailed (not quite!), we began.
Over the last few months we have been working on a new Child Safeguarding Policy to be implemented this fall. We've had a Child Protection policy in place for many years, but Child Safeguarding is much broader. Not only does it mean we have to ensure the children are safe and protected, it means we do everything we can to create an environment that does no harm to children.
One of the participants described the difference well last night when she compared it to football - it's taking the offensive, looking ahead, predicting and being proactive, rather than a taking a defensive position where we find ourselves being reactive.
Over the next 3 hours (yep, 5 am for me)... some of the training and discussions included:
Why is Child Safeguarding so important?
What are some of the cultural practices that conflict with child safeguarding?
What are some of the greatest challenges in contextualization and how can we overcome them?
What are the responsibilities of each of us and our stakeholders?
How can we make children, staff, stakeholders aware of their responsibilites?
Julius, the director from Tanzania, spoke of the importance of ownership, when he said:
"Child Safeguarding is a responsibility not a policy. It's part of who we are as leaders in our language and lifestyle."
Although COVID response and the children's health is still top of mind in the villages, and we are working hard everyday adjusting to the changing conditions, such as some of the schools starting to re-open, we continue to press forward with foundational elements at the core of our mission.
That brings me to our 2 am webinar. I got the short end of the stick in regards to timezone. Though I was the meeting host and facilitator, we had to accomodate the timezone for 25 leaders from 10 villages from 5 countries in Africa - Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well and the executive director who is currently riding out COVID in BC. So, at 2 am, with me bright eyes and bushy tailed (not quite!), we began.
Over the last few months we have been working on a new Child Safeguarding Policy to be implemented this fall. We've had a Child Protection policy in place for many years, but Child Safeguarding is much broader. Not only does it mean we have to ensure the children are safe and protected, it means we do everything we can to create an environment that does no harm to children.
One of the participants described the difference well last night when she compared it to football - it's taking the offensive, looking ahead, predicting and being proactive, rather than a taking a defensive position where we find ourselves being reactive.
Over the next 3 hours (yep, 5 am for me)... some of the training and discussions included:
What are some of the cultural practices that conflict with child safeguarding?
What are some of the greatest challenges in contextualization and how can we overcome them?
What are the responsibilities of each of us and our stakeholders?
How can we make children, staff, stakeholders aware of their responsibilites?
Julius, the director from Tanzania, spoke of the importance of ownership, when he said:
"Child Safeguarding is a responsibility not a policy. It's part of who we are as leaders in our language and lifestyle."
Pastor Zowa, of Zimbabwe, summed it up well with 4 critical steps each leader must take:
- Affirm the positive
- Correct what needs to be corrected, in love.
- Collaborate everything we're doing for the child with the family and communities - coming alongside them
- Continue to be humble, not draw attention to ourselves, but to God the Father.
It was funny to see the gallery view and break out rooms with everyone wearing their facemasks, yet it did not deter us.
The dialogue was engaging. The passion was obvious. The commitment was high.
We ended just before 5 am, with everyone committed to next steps of putting in place what is required to implement the new policy over the upcoming few months and having it radified by their local boards by the end of the year.
As I lay my head on my pillow, at 5:10 am, I had a smile on my face knowing today we took something to the next level that will create safer environments, protect more children and lives will be saved because of this webinar... so to me, that was worth getting up for.
Blessings,
Jeanette
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| Zambia |
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| Malawi |
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| Tanzania |
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| Burundi |
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| Zimbabwe |
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