Helping children reclaim their rights and their dreams

After spending two years out of school because of his family’s financial difficulties, 16-year-old Charles has returned to the classroom and is once again dreaming big. His story highlights the role of community-based child protection mechanisms, strengthened by Terre des hommes with support from Barrie Landry through UNICEF.

At 16, Charles had already faced a major setback in his education. The fifth child in a family of eight, he had to leave school for two years when his family could no longer afford the costs of his education. To help support his household, he worked in the fields and looked after livestock, putting his education on hold.

“I would watch other children go to school while I went to work. It made me very sad,” he recalls.

Yet Charles had never given up on his dream of continuing his education. A new opportunity emerged when members of his community’s Child Protection Committee (CPC) identified him following an awareness campaign on children’s rights and the consequences of child labor.

Through discussions with his family, the committee helped facilitate his return to school and reinforced the importance of his right to education.

When Charles learned that he could go back to school, he felt hopeful again. “I was so happy. I told myself, ‘God has given me a second chance.” Today, he is back in the classroom, determined to catch up on the learning he missed during his two-year absence.

“When I sit in the classroom, I feel free. I feel that my future is in my hands,” he says.

His dream is now to become President of the Republic. “I want to show that a child from a poor family can succeed. If I achieve my dream, I will work to ensure that all children are protected from child labor, can go to school and can fulfil their dreams.

Tailored support for every child

Charles’s story highlights the importance of community-based child protection mechanisms in identifying vulnerable children and helping them reclaim their rights. In Kirundo, Didier-Aristide KORINEZA works to strengthen these mechanisms as a team supervisor with the NGO Terre des hommes.

This conviction guides his work with children and families. With financial support from Barrie Landry through UNICEF, Didier-Aristide supports teams of para-professional social workers who identify vulnerable children in schools and communities, assess their needs and provide appropriate follow-up. “If every child is protected, the future is secure,” he says.

Working alongside social workers and other relevant stakeholders, each child receives support tailored to their individual circumstances. This may include psychosocial support, legal assistance and material assistance, such as school supplies or clothing.

For Didier-Aristide, the work goes beyond identifying problems. It means understanding each child’s story and working with their family and relevant stakeholders to find lasting solutions.

During his work in child protection, he also benefited from training in child protection case management organized by UNICEF with financial support from Barrie Landry. Following this training, he was able to support a Congolese family at the Busuma refugee site whose children had become separated from their parents. Through search efforts coordinated with his team, the parents were found and the family was reunited.

“It was a wonderful moment to see a family reunited thanks to our efforts. These are the moments that give real meaning to my work,” he says.

Such experiences remind him that behind every situation of vulnerability is a child who needs to be heard, protected and supported.

This conviction guides his work with children and families. With financial support from Barrie Landry through UNICEF, Didier-Aristide supports teams of para-professional social workers who identify vulnerable children in schools and communities, assess their needs and provide appropriate follow-up. “If every child is protected, the future is secure,” he says.

Working alongside social workers and other relevant stakeholders, each child receives support tailored to their individual circumstances. This may include psychosocial support, legal assistance and material assistance, such as school supplies or clothing.

For Didier-Aristide, the work goes beyond identifying problems. It means understanding each child’s story and working with their family and relevant stakeholders to find lasting solutions.

During his work in child protection, he also benefited from training in child protection case management organized by UNICEF with financial support from Barrie Landry. Following this training, he was able to support a Congolese family at the Busuma refugee site whose children had become separated from their parents. Through search efforts coordinated with his team, the parents were found and the family was reunited.

“It was a wonderful moment to see a family reunited thanks to our efforts. These are the moments that give real meaning to my work,” he says.

Such experiences remind him that behind every situation of vulnerability is a child who needs to be heard, protected and supported.