Some great initiatives are coming soon!

 

A few weeks ago, key leaders from each of the VOH Centres met to plan the next 3 years and dream together. The focus was to think through new and creative initiatives that would meet needs and keep up with the changing times. It was exciting! We talked about implementing "School in a Box" where the children could get after school tutoring with everything we need in a portable box. We had a presentation from Child's Play International, an NGO that uses pop-up classrooms and storytelling to foster creativity, self-expression and healing from trauma. And we had lots of interactive activities as a team too!

On the 3rd day, we visited our VOH Centre in Chongwe, Zambia to see some of the innovative initiatives they are doing, specifically the new Sacred Space and the Art Therapy Room.  The Sacred Space is a space specifically designed for the children to spend time with God. The children presented to us the 4 stages they go through: Calming station (using tactical tools to calm down and get ready to meet with God) Thinking station (where they have tools to reflect on God the Creator, remember how faithful He has been in the past, giving them confidence He will help with their needs now) Talking station (where they talk to God, share their needs) Listening station (where they pause to see what He may be saying to them)  You can tell talking to God has become real to them and they are learning how spend time with God.

The Art Therapy Room is an another unique space we visited. It's a place for the children to use art to help express their feelings and heal from trauma. Our executive director led the children and us through a wonderful exercise where we could freely express ourselves. The children loved it ... and the directors did too! (and I loved the cloud ceiling in both the rooms)!

It was an amazing 3 days! I'm excited to see what God will unfold in the months and years ahead! Perhaps one of my favourite moments was catching up with Mrs. Zowa. She is the child welfare leader at VOH Zimbabwe. Not sure if you remember my story of Nasha, a little girl who was left at the "Chicken Inn" fast food resturant. She captured my heart. Someone had taken her to the police who brought her to VOH to care for her... well, I got an update report from Mrs. Zowa about Nasha ...

Nasha - 2 years ago

An update on where Nasha is now

A Report about Nasha It's stories like Nasha that keep us going. We know her circumstances were not easy, but God is looking out for her. It spurs us on to be there for more children in need.

I close with a special event, organized by VOH Tanzania and Under the Same Sun, that happened just a couple of weeks before our leadership meeting. The Nithamini monument promotes dignity for persons with albinism and calls for the eradication of dangerous superstitions. It is about 1/2 hr drive from our VOH centre in Mwanza, and is the first monument of its kind in the world.The event rededicated the monument to God and to people with albinism. The names of 63 people killed, 46 survivors and 26 exhumed graves are inscribed at the site reminding us all of the human cost of belief driven violence. The event sent a clear message to both the local community and abroad that the lives, rights and humanity of people with albinism must be protected and valued. The rededication of the memorial aimed to reaffirm its role as a global and national symbol of remembrance, unity and advocacy. (Click to read more: https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/national/activists-renew-call-to-end-albinism-related-violence-ahead-of-polls-5138388)

Nitamini Monument Remembering the past & promoting dignity for people with albinism

Thanks for standing with me and VOH as we continue to advocate for children's rights, and plan for the bright future ahead!