Our approach

Meeting Street Children

Our educators in collaboration with local leaders meet street children who have been identified by the local leaders and take time to prepare and wait for children to freely choose CECYDAR ; we respect children’s right to freedom. They get all the necessary information about the rehabilitation program. A time of 1-2 weeks or more is given to make a choice to go through the rehabilitation program with CECYDAR. Local leaders make lists and children are screened before making their final list for the rehabilitation program.

Welcoming Session

The first session with street children and the educators at the rehabilitation venue is the beginning of the rehabilitation process. Children have to consent on their rehabilitation and get participative. When the child feels loved and individually respected and welcomed, he is less tempted to leave the program. This welcoming session starts with staff introduction, general hygiene, songs, and other activities that help them build trust with the educators.

Rehabilitation Process

The child has spent much or less period wandering in the street : they have lost all their points of reference. Rehabilitation will concern all aspects of their life : physical, psychological, intellectual, social and spiritual through games, sports, psychoeducation, catch-up school program, individual and group therapies, etc.
Throughout the rehabilitation process, we also train children to do home chores like cleaning and basic hygiene to make sure they fit in the society as they go back home. They are also taught how they can make small income generating activities that can benefit them in the future as they complete their studies.

Family Tracing

The family has to remain the child’s natural living environment. The first step of tracing is to find parents or family members of the child. This is done through phone calls if children remembers the contact of their parents or through local authorities. We also use all possible channels to reach families. If we don’t manage to find his/her family, we collaborate with local authorities to help us find a foster family or guardians.

Parents’ sessions

Parents go through a program of four sessions : awareness and responsibility , healing and resilience building, family and parenting skills, problem-solving skills and capacity building (IGAs). Parents come at CECYDAR for sessions where they get psycho rehabilitation, share their life experiences with other parents and learning from others. This is a very crucial time because parents-child relationship gets rebuilt slowly and the child starts getting reconnected to the family. This facilitates the child’s reintegration.

Reintegration of the child in the family and at school

At the end of approximately three to six six months rehabilitation journey with CECYDAR, the child is ready to be reintegrated in the community and to go back to school. On that day, the child receives new clothes, shoes, school bags and school materials. Parents are requested to take children back to school and find a belonging group (scouts, choirs, traditional dance groups) in their community for the child to better be reintegrated and experience new friendships.

Family Strengthening

In order to prevent the child from returning to the streets after reintegration,
for the child not to be tempted to return to the street after the reintegration, we try to improve his/her family’s standards of living. CECYDAR offers two different types of aids : an emergency aid intended for securing the immediate needs of the family and implementation of a sustainable economic project. When parents cover all the sessions’ program, they are grouped in associations where they start savings and credit. These associations serve as a follow up chain for children but also a source of strength for parents who are struggling with their children’s education and behaviors. The day they meet, they first discuss about how their children are doing at home and in school and address some arising issues. They create bank accounts where they save money, CECYDAR provides funds and association members use it as a small loan after the verification of their small income generating projects.

Follow-up

In the long run, the center ensures individual and group follow-up of the children
and families.

• After the completion of parents’ sessions, they are invited to join parents’ associations in their communities if they exist or create them if they don’t.
• Parents and children are encouraged to keep the team updated on the child’s situation and inform us if the child leaves home again, if there is any serious problem in the family and always ask for help if needed. The center becomes another home and source of support for the family.
• Schools and local authorities serve as collaborators and inform us once the child has a problem, in his/her a family, at school or any other.
• For difficult cases with severe psychosocial problems, a regular follow- up of the family is done at the center by a psychologist.
• Once a year, we hold a ceremony of awarding ceremony to those who performed well at school. It is an opportunity to come back at the center, recognize their efforts and appreciation which serves as motivation for other children
• Physical school visit is done at least twice a year.