Meet Tsylavina, a social worker at the heart of child protection
Being on the front line during humanitarian crises such as floods, social workers focus on protecting children and supporting families, providing counselling and care to their community.
Razafinatolojanahary Mirana Tsylavina is a dedicated social worker from the Urban Municipality of Antananarivo. The mother of three boys and with 17 years of experience, she works tirelessly to improve the living conditions of children and families experiencing hardship. Her mission becomes even more crucial in times of crisis.
For over a week now, around 200 families have found shelter at the temporary accommodation site in Ampefiloha: they were forced to leave their homes after the incessant rains brought on by the height of the cyclone season caused flooding.
Tsylavina goes there daily to offer support and attend to their most urgent needs. She carries out various essential activities such as psychosocial emergency care for children and families in distress, raising awareness about the procedure for reporting abuse and the services available in support of families, as well as informing them about the hygiene and cleanliness measures to be observed in the accommodation sites.
“In times of crisis, it is essential to inform families about the means available to protect their children from violence, as the close proximity of several displaced families in the same accommodation centre increases the risk of violence, particularly violence against children”, explains Tsylavina.
A coordinated response
To address the situation, UNICEF and its partners are supporting social workers like Tsylavina so that they can provide essential child protection services. At the same time, other interventions are put in place to guarantee continuous access to drinking water and to adequate sanitary conditions. School supplies have also been distributed to enable students to quickly resume their education.
Recognizing the significant role she plays, Tsylavina strives to maintain good working relationships with various local stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of interventions. Her commitment goes beyond simple day-to-day efforts: it is based on a deep-seated belief that every child deserves to grow up in a safe and caring environment.
“Protecting children from violence requires patience and a positive mindset. Social work is above all about offering lots of love, but that is my mission. I am fully committed to protecting them and supporting the other members of my community”, she says.
“My hope is that children and adults can live free from violence.”
