With your support, a Socialization Center was setup for vulnerable children and adolescents and has been successful in providing much-needed psychosocial support (counseling, social education, life skills, health and hygienic knowledge, social knowledge, etc.) and educational services (such as basic literacy, and life skill-based education). The center has already reached 300 children and adolescents during the reporting period.

One challenge was that some of the guardians, especially some of the fathers, were reluctant to allow their daughters to partake in the center’s services. In response, ACD did family counseling in those households.

Girls also played a crucial role by explaining the importance of these programs of ACD to their mothers. Moreover, ACD communicated with the head of the community leader. The community leader promised to help ACD’s efforts and informed spoke out publicly to decry that no one should disturb or get in the way of the girls attending the center or other activities supported by ACD.

Entrenched patriarchy continues to hinder women and girl children’s rights and access to resources. It takes cooperation at the family and community level and advocacy efforts on behalf of community leaders to change long-held attitudes towards vulnerable groups like these children and adolescents. Fortunately, with support from generous people like you, services continue to be available, reaching the most marginalized and in-need.