Global Updates
1. Phone Mentoring
Viva’s new Phone Mentoring programme is being set up in 25 of our partner networks. This phone mentoring programme is designed to ensure people have trustworthy information on COVID-19, reduce domestic violence, improve family relationships and improve home learning. It is useful in lockdown and also in supporting children and families through the transition from lockdown. In many places where schools remain closed, the programme can be used to help schools and churches to keep in contact with struggling families.
• 12 partner networks in 7 countries have started the mentoring and are recording calls with over 1,445 families and over 5,000 calls logged. This includes people from 4 countries linked to EMBRACE also logging calls.
• 13 more partner networks are gearing up to run the programme in 10 countries
• We expect to train 650 mentors and mentor 6,800 families (1 adult and 1 child directly) benefitting over 17,000 children
• Raised $13,000 to support the programme
• 181 families have completed all 8 calls
• We have developed a tool to analyse impact and will be looking into this in the coming weeks
2. Food Relief
You will read below that many of our partner networks are responding to community needs for food and other basic necessities. They are doing all they can with the resources they have, but all could be supporting more families if they had greater resources. Viva is seeking funding and donations so that we can financially support our partner networks to buy more food and necessities, so that more children and families will benefit from this vital support.
The partner network in Patna have completed their food relief. We have now found funding for food relief in Paraguay, Myanmar and in Nepal. Other partner networks continue to distribute food to people using resources they have sourced.
Updates from the UK
• Praise God for a positive ‘end of term’ for all 5 online youth groups and for the Find Your Fire Summer Social. Praise God for the depth of relationship and mutual support all 5 groups have developed over lockdown.
• Running Doorsteps Instagram ‘Summer Scrapbook’ Festival at the end of August, that young people can be encouraged to celebrate their ‘holidays at home’.
• Recruiting for next Find Your Fire cohort
• Praise God for the momentum and favour there is among members of the Oxfordshire Children & Young People’s Forum and Oxon Lieutenancy to find ways of meeting the Early Years gap in provision/support. Please pray for creative collaborative and effective solutions to come out of our meeting on 18th August.
• Praise God for the many church-run toddler groups who are reaching out to the families who used to come to their weekday stay & plays, but please also pray for all those toddler group leaders who have been too overwhelmed themselves to have any spare capacity to reach out to the families on their books.
• Praise God for good connections with Christian family support organisations such as Kids Matter, Fegans, Mum2Mum etc, and for several recent out-of-the-blue conversations with people with a real heart for offering family support to vulnerable struggling families in Oxford’s areas of need. Praise God for the churches already at work in these areas and pray that they would have the resources to meet the needs.
Prayer: Pray for all the young people and their families to have a summer that feels like a break and recharges them for the autumn, particularly those who have really struggled with lockdown and home schooling.
Please pray for wisdom for the team as we seek to gather information and work out what the shape of youth work provision we should offer going forward is – Covid-19 regulations will impact what we can do but the need for solid, positive youth work support will be great.
Updates from Asia
Philippines – Plan to train over 8,000 children and families through the phone mentoring programme, translation has now been completed. Using numerous different church groups to increase reach.
Prayer: This week, specifically Friday, we start the phone mentors training for Tagalog speaking mentors. Please pray with us that we will have an orderly training and effective teams who will be reaching out to families.
The Capital region has again gone into lockdown for 2 weeks– we ask for wisdom on how to navigate the restrictions in mobility both in NCR and in Iligan which require face to face relief operations. Please pray for our teams’ protection from infection, who are exposed in the communities delivering services.
One of our BOT, Chairperson Fr. Lendehl Sallidao is hospitalised due to COVID. We ask for complete and speedy recovery.
Nepal – The partner network has been continuing to provide food parcels to 50 families who have been classified at risk by the Nepali government. It has also switched to relief packages in the province. Praise God we were able to get travel passes for the partner network which means that its relief work can continue in the province. The partner network is launching the phone mentoring programme with 300 + families. Pray for more funding to come in to meet the needs of families that are facing food scarcity.
Prayer: Kindly remember us in your prayer. As the covid 19 cases are increasing in Kathmandu. Many places are strictly shutdown.
– Vehicles are allowed as per odd and even number of Nepali date.
– At Nuwakot where they run a Child Learning centre there is curfew so no movement.
– Government offices are partially providing services, only important works are considered.
– Pray for staff and children for safety
Myanmar – Good news, our in country director Ni Sat is now out of quarantine with very few ill effects from Covid. The partner network is still engaging in food relief for refugees from Rakhine state and also supporting the orphans who are most vulnerable during this time. We will be starting a major relief work for the orphanages who are suffering from food scarcity.
Prayer: Pray for the Lord’s protection and good heath for all children homes including caretakers under this Covid situation. If anyone becomes Covid infected, everyone would be sent to quarantine centres for at least 21 to 30 days (many centres do not provide food or daily essential items). This is rainy season so the risk of malaria and dengue is high. Yesterday one partner shared children in his area are infected by Diphtheria. Every child is staying indoors afraid to go out. These children will need vaccinations.
Pray for children who had spent their holiday break with their relatives from other States and who wish to return to the children’s homes. How to provide a safe place for their quarantine period is an issue – especially for children with special needs. Pray for wisdom for everyone involved including the Social Welfare Ministry. The country is still under Covid 19 restrictions on gathering, social distancing, visa, travel bans on international flights. These are seriously affecting our Viva trainings and joint activities.
Continue to uplift the financial situation of our partner network members. Our members are so grateful for the timely food items support from VIVA. Many are struggling after months of lockdown and a ban from Social Welfare of outsiders to visit children homes.
Pray for this week’s purchase of food items, packing and delivery to partner network members’ homes. For good suppliers, good prices, weather (raining every day), and a fruitful time of fellowship. To support children’s homes, we have met for meetings and training, but not actual visits to their homes.
Cambodia – The partner network have begun the phone calls as part of the mentoring programme. They also continue to provide food relief and are completing a situational mapping analysis of the situation in order to know best ways to respond to emerging needs of children. Also pray that more funding would come in to ensure that we can meet the needs of those facing food scarcity.
Prayer: Pray for Siem Reap as most of its work has ceased because of a lack of tourism. This has led to spikes in violence in the home and a very real increased risk of trafficking of children. Pray for favour as the partner network is meeting with key stakeholders in government to discuss the situation children are facing.
Hong Kong – The focus of June was to keep reaching out to potential partners and secure partnerships. It was confirmed that Viva HK is going to provide child safeguarding workshop to staff of CEDAR Fund, and students of Victoria Shanghai Academy. A meeting to explore partnership with Kowloon International Baptist Church will take place in early July and we have another opportunity to work with RTC, a church reaching out to children in Sham Shui Po. As we have also now gone back into lockdown to curb the third wave of COVID, please pray for good opportunities to share the work with key supporters, and for them to answer the call to help continue to fund the work around the world. Pray also for our annual dinner, it is currently scheduled for October, but we are unsure whether any gathering will be able to take place. Pray we can think innovatively about ways to reach our supporters in spite of the challenges.
For child protection, the focus of the month was to prepare for workshops for CEDAR Fund and The Vine. However, the workshops were postponed due to the third wave of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Revised the workshop materials based on the “Protecting Children from Maltreatment – Procedural Guide for Multi-disciplinary Co-operation” updated by the Social Welfare Department recently.
Prayer: Pray for God’s grace as we seek to find ways to support organisations who are dealing with increased levels of stress in young people as this is a mentally draining situation to be in.
Updates from India
Viva Delhi Partner Network
Phone mentoring program now covers 85 families.
After the Child Protection training to 117 people, the partner network is now conducting online Child Protection Policy Writing Workshops.
Prayer: Pray for Parents of Pritti Masih, Partner network Staff member, as both her parents are multiple medical conditions.
Shine Partner Network Hyderabad
Hyderabad partner network is doing phone mentoring Program.
Collaborating with local organizations and churches, Hyderabad partner network coordination team is trying to provide help to needy people.
Viva Shillong Partner Network
Shillong Partner Network is conducting phone mentoring Program for 41 families. They are doing it in partnership with Reach Shillong Ministry and the local Government. The partner network is trying to add more mentors to the team.
Prayer: Pray for the improvement of the Covid Situation in Shillong.
Viva Children at Risk Partner Network, Patna
Dry ration distribution for 2033 marginalized and poor families has been completed.
Phone mentoring to 122 families is underway. 8 new mentors have been added who will do mentoring to 80 more families.
Prayer: Please pray for the state of Bihar, where Corona cases are increasing at a very high pace. Please pray for the flood situation in Bihar which has affected the entire north part of the state. Pray for the healing and protection of Mukund, the partner network Coordinator as she is down with fever and breathing difficulties.
Asha Forum, Bangalore
Phone mentoring Program is going on. They are presently mentoring 60 families.
Flourish Program for girls is also being done at the partner network.
Prayer: Pray for health of Santa and her husband as they are facing health challenges.
Johar Children at Risk Partner Network, Ranchi
Ranchi partner network is running phone mentoring program 164 families. They have added four new mentors to their team.
Prayer: Pray for the city of Ranchi because Covid cases are on the rise.
Pray for the wife of Mr. Premchand, who is awaiting gall bladder surgery which is being delayed due to the pandemic.
Updates from Africa
CRANE – Uganda
- 50 radio lessons recorded in partnership with National Curriculum Development Centre to facilitate children’s learning while they are at home
- 30 videos recorded in partnership with National Curriculum Development Centre to facilitate children’s learning while they are at home
- Phone mentoring program ongoing
- 19 community radio programs covering 106 villages. Creating awareness around child labour and encouraging parents to support the girls with home schooling.
- 40 schools and 7 Creative Learning Centres received educational resources to aid in the preparation of World Book day and World Maths day that was initially scheduled for March but moved forward following the lockdown.
- Teaching team at the secretariat undertook a teacher training course which they will in turn pass on to the rest of the teachers i.e. Learning support teachers and CLC teachers
Prayer: Pray for our members to be vigilant in preventing the spread of COVID-19, as many people are relaxed but cases are rising.
Continue to pray for children not to lose hope on returning to school.
Pray for financial breakthrough for most parents and caregivers as the economy continues to dwindle due to Covid. Please pray for them to get money to rebuild their businesses and care for their families.
MCAN – Tanzania
- Translation of 3rd and 4th topics of viva mentoring program was completed
- Met with mentors doing the phone mentoring to evaluate how the program is doing so far
- 40 families reached through the phone mentoring program
- 3 members visited and reviewed their child protection policies
- Took part in the QIS webinar on Child wellbeing
Prayer: Pray for protection and safety of all children as they attend school, homes for those on the streets and for churches that as they continue to meet and fellowship together standard operating procedures will be followed.
Prayer for unity and solidarity in our partner network working groups and for God to refresh our energy towards serving the lives of our children.
Pray that God raises people who will give support to the partner network business through local fundraising.
VNZ – Zimbabwe
- Designed 2 posters on Child Protection and the partner network is in process of developing the child protection directory of services.
- 35 birth certificates collected continuing access to justice program. In addition, the partner network in partnership with the Department of Labour and Social Services intends to run child protection messages on radio and billboards.
- 5 learning centres received resources to enable children to continue learning even as they remain at home during this time; i.e. 4 learning centres received a printer, stationery and a cell phone and all 5 learning centres are printing children’s work each week for children to collect. Parents are being guided on how to support their children over the phone.
- Phone mentoring program still in progress. 10 mentors are working with 100 children
Prayer: Pray for the water situation as people are being forced to find water from shallow wells and a few boreholes, where they queue for a waiting period of at least 2 hours. Children make up the majority of people who fetch the water this exposing them to abuse as well as infection by Covid. Pray for a working solution as well as the protection of children.
CONNECT – South Africa
- Michelle Kempster is taking Connect Partner Network through QIS Child Protection and safeguarding Module
- ‘Reduce Abuse’ Campaign ongoing aimed at safeguarding Children and women during the lockdown
- Partner network coordinators and boards being engaged with NTC
Prayer: South Africa has the highest cases of Covid-19 in Africa. Please pray for the safety of children and families during this time.
Pray for leadership discernment for the right strategic direction.
Zambia – SCAR
- 36 families received food packs and published information on COVID 19 as well as child protection.
- Radio program focusing on child protection under Covid 19
Prayer: Pray for Zambia as COVID-19, cases keep increasing daily and more deaths are being recorded.
Pray for SCAR partner network team as we engage with SCAR platform leaders to undertake a situation analysis in the new normal. Pray that the new methods of engagement that have been devised will be effective.
Continue praying for the well-being of all children in Zambia especially now with new protection risks caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Already, there are reports of increased child marriages in the country.
Pray for governments to be sensitive to child protection risks as they plan for COVID-19 to avoid the current situation turning into a child’s right crisis.
Updates from Latin America:
Mexico
- Beginning to launch the phone mentoring programme with 53 children
- Distribution of food relief and sanitation supplies
Prayer: Pray for safety for the team as many are struggling with the effects of covid-19
Thank God for the timing of this phone mentoring programme, helping to meet the needs of children and families in a new way.
El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala
- They are starting to implement the “Central America Relief” project. They are in coordination meetings for the purchase and distribution of supplies. Planning logistics and distribution methods, identification of families according to criteria and control of what is distributed to families.
- Food distribution is currently planned to be delivered to 154 families per country on a monthly basis.
- The visibility of the project, Viva and the partner networks is another strategic aspect that is being done together. This includes the making of banners, shirts, kepis and stickers. In addition to the development of a guide for photographs and audiovisual materials.
Prayer: Let us pray that we can achieve clear and effective coordination, communication and logistics in each country, which complies with all the necessary means of verification.
That we can have enough clarity and creativity to produce good audiovisual materials and photographs with a positive impact on people and funders. That the communication strategy is effective and shows all the impact achieved.
Venezuela
- The partner network in Venezuela is training 30 families in their own businesses. Despite the current situation, the program continues, and even extends to remote sectors through online training.
- They are carrying out the campaign of good treatment online reaching 23 areas of the country.
Prayer: Pray for the entrepreneurial families who are at risk of COVID infection as they serve many people on a daily basis. May God protect them and may they have all the necessary care.
There are several brothers and sisters in the partner network infected by COVID 19, being treated at home because the situation in the hospitals is a total disaster that they prefer to be cared for at home. Let us pray for a miracle of God for their health.
Brazil
- The coordinators of the partner network that is starting in Brazil are working on an online strategy since the country is in a situation of high crisis due to the pandemic
- The partner network will begin to carry out a communication and media strategy to impact the protection of children with its social media platforms.
Prayer: For the national situation in Brazil due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
For resources to be able to translate Viva’s programs into Portuguese, so that the partner network in Brazil can obtain training well adapted to its language.
Argentina
- The partner network in Argentina is a key leader at the childhood table of the country’s main Evangelical Alliance. In this context, they are now coordinating the third child protection clinic, an online event with a country-wide outreach.
- The partner network is working with a key partner, which is the YWAM Ministry. With them they will now be leading a national process within the framework of the joint actions of “World Without Orphans” that initiates activities in Argentina. Possibly Viva’s family and protection programs will be used to train the members of this movement.
Prayer: Pray that comprehensive protection for children is a priority for the Churches of Argentina, and that the partner network can lead this process and influence, positively change the foundations of working with children through Viva programs.
That the joint work with other organizations be a blessing for both the alliances and for the Viva partner network in Argentina, and that all actions help to strengthen the coordination and membership of the partner network.
Paraguay
- They are implementing the mentoring program with families from Ñemby, Caaguazú, Philadelphia, Asuncion, Lambaré, amongst others.
- Initially the coordinator did a training for 11 possible mentors, then some of them said that they cannot continue, now there are five mentors that having been starting the calls.
- The project coordinator has contact with 7 local government children offices. It is possible a joint work with all of these local government offices will occur.
- The churches of the partner network shared the data of some families but these forms have not yet been presented in most cases. It is expected that during this August all the churches will share their family forms.
- The project has also been presented to 5 organizations who are possible allies for this project. The intention of the partner network in Paraguay is that this program has an echo in all the key spaces, gaining partners and greater impact.
Prayer: Pray for the partner network mentors that receive all of kind of crisis calls from the families. So that the mentoring program has all the answers that families need, and if not, that the partner network may be able to provide.
For the churches, so that within their pandemic response activities, they see the mentoring program as an ideal response to serve its members who have the profile to receive help by calling, so that the mentoring program can win key allies within local governments and peer organizations, and in this way publicise this response in various spaces and in joint work to increase the impact.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers for Viva, we are so grateful. As Viva works by leveraging the resources and expertise of local churches and organisations, our model results in a high return on investment. We can do this through your support and prayers, enabling Viva to change more children’s lives, more effectively.