Leading on Child Protection
Published Tue, Sep 27, 2022
Written by Sarah Pietryga
EduNations believes that every child has the right to live and learn in a safe environment as a critical supported element of education and psychosocial development. Because of its work with them, EduNations is recognized by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs as a leading Child Protection organization in Sierra Leone. Child Protection is defined within law as the safeguarding of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect in line with Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Sierra Leone’s Child Rights Act of 2007
To promote a safe learning environment, EduNations’ Psychosocial Coordinator, Fatu Koroma, engages Boarding Home House Parents in training on issues of Child Protection. Detailed training covered prohibition of child labor, corporal punishment, psychological mistreatment, and sexual abuse. But more than just outlining what is not allowed, the training presented “safeguarding tools” within the framework of the Five P’s of “Prevention, Protection, Partnership, Parental Responsibility, & Priority” as means to promote a positive learning environment. Basic communication and counseling skills were also reviewed as means for House Parents to help students increase self-awareness, clarify issues, explore options, and develop healthy strategies.
This kind of training is just another way EduNations lives out our commitment to comprehensive student development and to “ignite hope” in under-resourced communities in Sierra Leone.
