OneVillage Partners training helps CRC & Mercy staff serve the community
In early May, staff of the Child Rescue Centre and Mercy Hospital participated in trainings held by OneVillage Partners to learn community mapping and other concepts for effective community development. The trainings will help the CRC and Mercy connect with members of the community, religious leaders, and government officials, so they can more effectively identify and support the most vulnerable members of the community.
OVP is a Sierra Leone-based organization that helps rural communities train, empower, and mobilize leaders to address their community’s most pressing, self-identified problems.
OVP trainers Musa Gangha and Muje Josephine Lansana taught the CRC staff critical communication skills like focus group facilitation and appreciative inquiry (how to interview without leading the subject); and taught Mercy staff power-wise ranking (how villages can vote for their own priorities), as well as social and resource mapping.
“We found the OVP training very important as it directly relates to our present job,” observed Victor Kanu, Child Support Program assistant coordinator. “The training has changed my perception about community development."
Mercy Hospital’s Data Statistician Ismael Vandi agreed: “Bringing the community people on board and making them really involved means that it will be easier to understand the community. Participation by community members is key. They know best what they want and need in their community.”
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OVP trainers Muje and Musa address the Mercy staff.
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The staff learned skills to develop and include voices which are often more difficult to hear, especially those of women and children.
OVP’s central concept is the “sharpening stone” (
watch video here
). When a person tries to farm with a dull machete, they cannot do the work well - they need a sharpening stone to make the machete effective. The sharpening stone of community empowerment is the teamwork involved in community mapping.
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Baby Betty, above, may graduate from the nutrition program soon. Baby Mamie, below, has also made significant improvements.
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BABY UPDATE - Baby Betty and Baby Mamie making great progress in nutrition program
Baby Betty was rescued from severe malnutrition by the Mercy outreach staff, and her story was shared in the
April 2017 newsletter
. A year later, and Betty is out of danger. Last month was Betty’s 12th visit to the nutrition program (her mother has been one of the most consistent participants). It was also the first time she was in the “green” range of the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference measurement (MUAC, an important indicator for growth) and she may be eligible to graduate from the program this month.
Last year we shared stories about Baby Mamie, a severely malnourished infant first encountered by the Mercy outreach team in Tikonko village. A year later, and Mamie has made significant improvement; although still small, she is a healthy, active toddler. Mamie is on her 6th visit to the nutritional clinic, and she is “yellow” on the MUAC scale, moving towards green.
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Sponsor Team 2018 - meet your Child Rescue Centre student!
"The most powerful experience I had in Sierra Leone was meeting my sponsored child and her family, seeing how she lives and the impact of our family's sponsorship."
Imagine how exciting it would be to meet the Child Rescue Centre student you sponsor! We are planning a Sponsor Team to Sierra Leone, especially focused on Sponsor A Child activities, tentatively scheduled for October 2nd - 11th, 2018.
Join us for an interest meeting on
June 2nd at 10 AM
at the Helping Children Worldwide office, 14101 Parke Long CT, STE T, Chantilly, VA or by teleconference.
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Imagine meeting your sponsored child!
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Manny Ordonez and his buddy Red invite you to "A Day of Fun for a Lifetime of Hope."
Watch the video to learn why you should join us on Monday, September 10 at the
1757 Golf Club
in Dulles, Virginia for the 17th Annual Helping Children Worldwide Benefit Golf Tournament. For more information, click the link below or email
meghan@helpingchildrenworldwide.org.
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Join us for the Quarterly Partnership Meeting, Sunday June 10th
Please come to the Quarterly Partnership Meeting on Sunday June 10 from 2PM -4PM EST at the
Helping Children Worldwide office
and online via Zoom.
If you are unable to join us in person, you can attend online via Zoom at 2 PM (Zoom instructions are below). Looking forward to seeing you all June 10th!
ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS:
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/885303148
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16468769923,,885303148# or +16699006833,,885303148#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 885 303 148
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Sharing the loaves and fishes,
You gave us an image of solidarity with the hungry, O Lord.
Sharing yourself in the bread and wine
You called all to the table, O Lord.
Give me the hunger to be a part of the feeding
And the healing of this world.
Nourish me with your Grace
So I may work with joy to serve your children.
Open my eyes and my heart
To recognize those in poverty
And increase my awareness
of the structures and systems
that need to be changed
So we may all break bread together.
In your name we pray for the end of hunger.
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