The safeguarding department continues to focus its efforts to the most marginalized and deprived in the society. It ensures that vulnerable households receive services that improve their lives. The activities carried out in the month contributed positively to the lives of the vulnerable individuals. The activities are as follows:

1. Prevention and response to abuse
2. Education, nutrition and healthcare support to vulnerable children households
3. Conducting Psychosocial support activities
4. Supporting and participating in children celebrations such as Day of the African Child
5. Enlightening children on their rights and responsibilities
6. Building the capacity of Diocesan staff and the community on safeguarding.

Objective

 
The department was able to achieve the following during 2019;

1. Education support. We ensured that vulnerable children accessed quality education. A total of 150 children were supported with scholastic materials, school uniforms and school fees to ensure there is enrolment, retention, progression and completion of education. Enrolled back four teenage mothers to school
2. A workshop was conducted at STC supported by St. Patrick Missionary Society. Priests and sisters were trained.
   1. Trocaire trained staff on safeguarding. Trocaire trained management and staff on reporting.
3. Healthcare support. Vulnerable children supported by the program had access to proper. Approximately 100 children healthcare. Most households are poor and the program facilitated their treatment.
4. Nutrition support. A total of 100 Households were provided with food items monthly. The activity is key in ensuring that children are healthy and do not go to bed on an empty stomach. The activity curbed malnutrition in children and psychological distress due to lack of food.
5. Prevention of children and vulnerable adults abuse. This was done through capacity building to different groups to enable them know what is right and wrong. The following groups were illuminated on the safeguarding policy;

• Diocesan staff during end month monthly meeting
• PMC animators
• MYM
• St. Augustine Boys Primary school staff
• St. Catherine’s Dispensary- Napetet staff
• Natural Resource Management Group (DDP program)
• Catholic Justice and Peace Committee- Napetet
• Nadirkonyen Catholic Centre.

6. Building the capacity of caregivers on positive parenting skills, child protection concerns, ART adherence and proper hygiene.
7. Enlightening children on their rights and responsibilities and where to get help when abused- Children Station Day
8. Responding to children and vulnerable adult cases. Majority of the cases being child neglect. Defilement cases are in court. One defilement case was successful. The perpetrator was jailed for 10 years. 3 cases are still in court.
9. Conducted the school holiday program that ensures that children are engaged and do not engage in harmful activities during the school holidays- conducted two
10. Conducted household visits to vulnerable children to check on their well being and referred children who were malnourished to hospital.
11. Ensured children participated in public events such as Day of the African Child.
12. Conducted school visits to check on the education progress of children and encouraged them to put more effort in their studies.
13. Initiated a Village Savings and Loaning Association to caregivers whose children are enrolled in the Vulnerable Children Program.
14. Collaborated with relevant key child protection partners to ensure that we achieved our goals.
15. Offered psychosocial support to both children and adults in need of psychosocial support.
16. Built the capacity of Natural Resource Management Groups on Safeguarding and gender sensitivity.
17. Production of IEC materials to create awareness on safeguarding-supported by Trocaire

1. To initiate a kitchen garden for caregivers whose children are enrolled in the Vulnerable Children Program
2. Provision of startup kits to caregivers. HES
3. Building the capacity of staff on safeguarding
4. Building the capacity of CJPC in each parish. Ensure that we have a safeguarding focal person in each parish
5. Resource mobilization to get more funds to support the program
6. To have an effective and efficient complaints and feedback mechanism
7. Initiate Child Rights Clubs in schools with no Child Rights Clubs in place.
8. Build the capacity of more children on their rights and responsibilities
9. Train chiefs on child protection concerns
10. Have more staff in the department