ISSUE
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VIVA’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
OUR RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY We’ve responded quickly and effectively to the needs of children and families throughout the COVID-19 crisis. This is because we have an established model of working with local, grassroots organisations and churches. The World Food Programme predicts there will be a doubling of acute hunger as a result of the pandemic.
Our partner networks in Asia and globally are already seeing this reality and most, if not all, are responding with food relief in their communities. As lockdowns increased, many networks obtained government permissions to distribute food. For example, our partner network in Patna, India, has partnered with Oxfam to distribute food to 2,300 families.
12,892 families reached 200 orphaned children impacted in Myanmar 27 partner networks in 19 countries
FOOD RELIEF FROM APRIL-AUGUST 2020
18,000 children impacted 6,000 families reached 650 mentors trained 25 partner networks in 17 countries
PHONE MENTORING FOR CHILDREN 2020
Viva is passionate about changing more children’s lives more effectively so they can fulfil their God-given potential. We impact over four million children in 28 countries through our 39 partner networks, which comprise more than 5,000 local churches and community organisations. Room TA07, 6/F, Woon Lee Commercial Building, 7-9 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui +852 6119 2350 | hk@viva.org | www.viva.org Registered charity number: 1657942
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Photo credits: Willow Creek (p1, 3 & 5), Carlos Lindner (p7), CRANE (p8)
We are also acutely aware of increased reports of domestic abuse and violence, mental health challenges and learning delays. Led by our Children in Emergencies Specialist, our global team has developed a new phone call family mentoring programme, to directly address these concerns. Through this programme, Viva is supporting more than 18,000 children and their families in 17 countries to cope with the challenges presented by COVID-19. The calls cover six themes including talking about COVID-19, building strong families, mental health and resilience, staying safe at home, and learning together. Where families have limited internet access, and churches and organisations
struggled to stay in touch with at-risk families during lockdown, this programme is essential in providing meaningful support during this crisis. Through both promoting positive parenting skills and building children’s own resilience, families will be demonstrably stronger, ready to support one another and able to thrive during this pandemic and beyond. We are particularly excited that this programme has caught the attention of other international NGOs who would like to use it with their own partners in many more countries. By Anna Barker, Viva’s Network Development Manager
Could these materials help your church come alongside struggling families? Go to childreninemergencies.org/mentoring
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A
SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY
Matt Coulson, Viva’s Asia Director, introduces us to XQuib, a man with a big heart from Cambodia Our partner network co-ordinators around the world are such an inspiration! These amazing people have gone above and beyond to support children and their families who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During this time, XQuib has had his own struggles. His funding was cut and he has been trying to provide for his family, while still supporting the network. Even though he has had nothing himself, his desire is to help others.
XQuib is our country lead in Cambodia, and responsible for working and co-ordinating the partner network’s response to at-risk children in Siem Reap. First and foremost, he is a fantastic father to two beautiful girls and a wonderful husband to his wife.
He has organised posters to share accurate information about the virus. He worked with local government, and co-ordinated churches in Siem Reap to provide food for children who are orphaned or living with families who have lost everything with the economic downturn. He visited friends and businesses asking them to donate goods. He and the churches he brings together have been able to give food parcels to 200 local families. Hope School, a network member, has joined with a church to provide relief packages to 50 families.
XQuib’s calling is to protect those most vulnerable. Those with the least. When he is out on a visit to children being served by the network, they call him Papa.
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We know that the current crisis has only just begun. The UN predicts 265 million people will be classified as having food insecurity in six months’ time – so the time to match XQuib’s sacrificial generosity is now. Could you support those in need? Children in Asia and around the world really need your support. Please give at vivahk.give.asia
REDEFINING PRIORITIES Central America faces two pandemics: COVID-19 and hunger. We cannot speak about the impact of the pandemic on the economy without mentioning the structural problems that people face.
Several issues include high levels of unemployment, increased violence towards children and women, and limited access to health, education and protection services due to high levels of corruption. These factors have made the impact of the pandemic on the economy an unmanageable crisis causing social destabilisation at all levels. The coronavirus has exposed inequalities and inequity in Central America. Millions of people are confined to their homes in lockdown. For many, this is a death sentence, because they are unable to go out every day to look for food or work in informal trade activities.
COVID-19 has made us redefine our priorities both personally and societally. We have challenges ahead that we must face together. In Guatemala, a country where Viva has a partner network, we see heartbreaking situations for children each day. These include: • More than 20 boys and girls sleeping in cemetery graves as they have nowhere to live. • A nine-year-old boy taking care of his three little brothers working on the street because his parents left him in charge as they look for a better future. Families in Latin America and worldwide are waiting for a helping hand; could you be that answer? Please give at vivahk.give.asia By Carmen Alvarez, Viva’s Latin America Director
Experts say the pandemic in Latin America will leave 37.7 million people unemployed and 16 million people in extreme poverty. Population below the poverty line: • El Salvador 32.4% • Guatemala 59.3% • Honduras 68.9% In these same three countries, 35% of households live in overcrowded houses. In Nicaragua that figure reaches 60%.
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SOMEONE TO
TALK WITH
To support vulnerable families and children during the COVID-19 pandemic, Viva India is distributing food relief to daily wage earners and migrant workers in five cities. Those receiving relief have lost their jobs, and are fearful of the present situation and uncertain about their future. Their children’s development is being adversely affected due to schools’ closures and restrictions in playing in common areas. Our Viva staff have been concerned that, in this unprecedented situation, violence against children and abuse may increase at home. In these highly challenging times, Viva is addressing the psychosocial anxiety among families and children by rolling out the COVID-19 phone call family mentoring programme. This programme is an amalgamation of materials and guidelines from WHO and UNICEF.
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Find out more about this programme at www.viva-india.org
Trained mentors use online resources and phone calls to speak with adults and children about their wellbeing and safety. We aim to make 4,000 mentoring phone calls over the next three months. As a result of the calls, one family has agreed to share each other’s feelings not only to help manage anger but also to motivate, encourage and strengthen one another. Other parents told us they will use more positive discipline to boost their son’s self-esteem in these stressful times. One of our biggest challenges is technology. Several mentors don’t have computers in good enough condition to view training material and go through audio-visual presentations. They are using their mobile phones, which have their limitations. Therefore, we are looking to source computers. Can you support the phone mentoring programme in India and in other parts of the world this autumn? Please give at vivahk.give.asia By Gary Kamaal, Viva’s India Director
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Watch Friday Refresh sessions at bit.ly/ DoorstepsFridayRefreshPlaylist
One unexpected silver lining of moving our UK-based youth work online has been the greater contact we’ve had with parents (who have had to fill out parental consent forms and help children access our Zoom groups safely). Pre-lockdown, much of Doorsteps’ youth work took place via schools in Oxford. We were well placed to notice when there was a real slump in parents’ morale as lockdown continued. In response, we started a new Doorsteps initiative called Friday Refresh: weekly Zoom sessions to look at practical ways of supporting children, young people and parents’ mental health and wellbeing. Listening to parents at Friday Refresh highlighted a gap in local provision. Schools are now starting to support families more, but there isn’t much for parents with toddlers. We convened a ‘roundtable’ virtual meeting of 12 under-fives partners to pool ideas of how toddler groups can still operate/offer support, despite social distancing.
Having heard parents of under-fives share so honestly during a Friday Refresh, we invited young people in our TBK (To Be Known) Christianity exploration group to pray for them. Using a platform called Menti, they created an uplifting Word Cloud of prayers that we shared with under-fives’ parents. They, in turn, replied with messages about how encouraging they found it, which we then passed onto the young people (all anonymously). People were encouraged, felt connected, and knew they had made a difference. The full version of TBK is: ‘To Be Known, and accepted as you are, to know that glorious purpose for which you were made, and the God who made you’. That’s the philosophy of Doorsteps Youth, Friday Refresh and all those wonderful church-run toddler groups. They know people, accept people, and support them onwards. By Charlotte Pearson-Miles, Partnerships Manager for Doorsteps – Viva’s partner network in Oxford, UK 7
CHILD-FRIENDLY JUSTICE
Whilst responding to the coronavirus crisis is a major focus for our global partner networks, the pre-existing, strategic work must continue. Here is one example of an ongoing programme from CRANE, our partner network in Uganda.
A partnership with the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution has allowed CRANE to train more than 400 public prosecutors in childfriendly justice. Each of them was so impacted by the training that they are now setting up child-friendly counselling and holding rooms in every regional centre. Children can also appear in court via video link, or behind a screen when technology is not available. In August 2019, Samali Wakooli, the Head of the Gender and Sexual Offences Department of the Public Prosecution Office, phoned CRANE desperate for some help to buy some anatomical dolls.
Prosecutors’ carefully prepared cases to defend victims of child rape were failing too often because the child did not have the courage to speak in court. With those dolls distributed to High Courts across Uganda, conviction rates increased overnight from under 50 to 70%. On the International Day of the African Child in June 2020, a virtual meeting was held between Samali, Mondo Kyateka Francis (the Assistant Commissioner for Children and Youth), plus 93 children. Children read out their poems, letters and concerns - and Samali and Mondo told them that, if they ever find a problem, they would be welcome to come to the office for help. That same day, 28 communities listened on community radios, and millions more caught the talk shows on national radio and TV. During this challenging time, we must not give up on creating opportunities for children to talk to parents, leaders, and the gatekeepers to power. By Mim Friday, Viva’s Africa Director
Watch a video about this work at youtu.be/d_3Z97JjmO4