On December 18th, our Child Abuse Prevention Project (HCMC) team went to District 8 and Binh Chanh district to organize ‘Prevention of Sexual Abuse’ workshops for adults and children alike. Our main aim was to spread knowledge about Children’s Rights and protection against child abuse to our local community, and after a whole day of workshops, activities, team exercises and games, we feel happy in the knowledge that all attendees left the workshops with increased awareness of Children’s Rights and issues. After a hard day’s work in the locality, our ‘superhero’ social workers also awarded 88 ‘special support packages’ and 96 health insurance packages to disadvantaged children.
The Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Welfare Association’s ‘Protection against and Prevention of Child Abuse Project in HCMC’ (PPACA) is a joint venture in conjunction with our long time partners, the Denmark – Vietnam Friendship Association (Dansk Vietnamesisk Forening – DVA), and we work together with the DOLISA of District 8 and Binh Chanh Districts to support disadvantaged children and families. We provide a variety of services, including nutritional and healthcare (health insurance) support, social-work services, counseling, capacity building for child care workers, workshops and life-skills classes, and at the same time we work within our local community, with child care workers and with our collaborators, to raise awareness and knowledge of Children’s Rights, social issues of disadvantaged families, and on the prevention of all forms of child abuse.
The PPACA program has three core goals: (1) Improving children’s knowledge and awareness regarding protection against and prevention of all forms of child abuse. (2) Working with parents and carers to increase knowledge of child-protection services and child support services. (3) To provide health care knowledge and support to disadvantaged children and their families.
Last Saturday’s educational journey was led by the enthusiastic Mr Tran Duy Hoa, an expert in child protection. He led the day with media content especially designed for children, where they could learn about the basic rights of all children: access to education and healthcare, protection against exploitation and abuse, access to food and shelter, and the right to have a say in their own lives. Mr Hoa’s specifically designed media kept the children interested, engaged and excited to learn.
Simultaneously our PPACA project, in conjunction with specialists from the DOLISA of District 8 and Binh Chanh, organised workshops for parents and carers about child protection, emergency services, treatment of children and the consequences, and how to deal with children who have suffered from abuse. Furthermore, our representatives shared information about the latest laws and regulations which protect children and disadvantaged families.
Our only hope is that our support will relieve some of the burdens felt by disadvantaged families, especially since their troubles have been amplified due to Covid. From everyone at the HCWA, the DVA, and the DOLISA, we would like to send our best wishes to all of those in need!
Written by Aneesa Kara.
