These are the stories from Joining Forces Child Protection in Emergencies case studies in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Colombia, Ethiopia and South Sudan. Stories of commitment, hard work, and impact protecting children in emergencies.
BANGLADESH
- From Child Labor to School
“Every day I worked 10-12 hours in a local shop. I would deal with customers, serve them, and sometimes carry goods for the shop. During the long days, I was provided with very little food that was barely enough to fill my stomach,” recounted 12-year-old Syed. Syed resides in the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s […] - Cash Voucher Assistance: Accelerating hope for families
Across the small yard stands the humble adobe home of Salima (42), where she lives with her husband Abdul Gafur (55) and three children: Ayesha (22), Yasmin (18), and Rahim (17). The family’s bustling daily activities are vividly visible across the yard. As Salima was feeding their goats with grass, her husband Abdul and son […]Read More… from Cash Voucher Assistance: Accelerating hope for families
- The Quest for Brighter days!
In the southeastern corner of Bangladesh, Rehena, a 35-years old mother struggles with the daily challenges of raising four daughters. Having no boy child at Rehena’s womb, her husband got another wife with his cherished dream of having an male heir! Rehena’s husband, the family’s sole earner, works as a day laborer, earning 10,000 BDT […] - Beyond Borders: Nur Kaida’s Journey Towards Empowerment
At the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, many young Rohingya people strive to find a sense of normalcy amidst uncertainty. Among them is Nur Kaida, whose story stands as a beacon of resilience and empowerment. Nur Kaida lives in Camp 20, Cox’s Bazar, with her family. Growing up in this challenging environment, she faced […]Read More… from Beyond Borders: Nur Kaida’s Journey Towards Empowerment
- Mother and child
Mahmuda, 33 is a housewife who lives in Ratnapalong union in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh. Ratnapalong union is a neglected and underprivileged area where people are not aware about child protection, child rights and positive parenting. Due to the lack of awareness of parents, children are consistently neglected and abused by their parents. Sometimes children drop out from educational institutions. […] - Stopping a child marriage
Fariha* is a student of class ten under Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh who lives with her family. Her father is a tomtom (local small motor vehicle) driver and her mother is a housewife. She has five siblings including one stepsibling. In the beginning of 2024, her family arranged a marriage proposal for her, and decided to marry her off. […] - Shabnoor
“The skills I’ve acquired allow me to tailor clothes for both my son and myself. This not only saves me a significant amount of money, but it also sharpens my sewing skills. Once I have mastered this craft, I am hopeful of receiving orders from my neighbors and turning it into a source of income,” Shabnoor confidently expresses. […] - Where talent lives
Rabi*, a 15-year-old boy is intently engaged in writing. The space he occupies for his studies is immaculately maintained, with minimal possessions that they use later at night. His mother, Nur, subtly checked on him from the adjacent kitchen, separated by a simple tarp partition. She is simultaneously engrossed in preparing the family’s lunch. […] - From Forced Marriage to Empowered Entrepreneur
Shahina is a young girl from a village in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Her dad pulls rickshaws, and her mom looks after their home. Shahina has three siblings in her family. When she was just 15, Shahina was forced into marriage after finishing 10th grade in 2015. […]Read More… from From Forced Marriage to Empowered Entrepreneur
- Fire!
From October to April, during the dry season in Bangladesh, Rohingya refugee camps are at high risk to catch fire frequently due to their temporary settlements made of tarps and bamboo. Over the last five years, more than 200 fire incidents were been reported in the camp which increases the risk to the lives of the population and causes protection concerns, especially to the children. […] - Powergirls!
The JF-CPIE project is making a real difference in the lives of girls. In Bangladesh, girls are gaining power and protection against harmful situations like violence and abuse. […]
BURKINA FASO
- Creating a Stabilizing Living Environment for Displaced Youth
Burkina Faso has a around 2,000,000 internally displaced persons. These internal migrations, resulting from conflict, have led to the displacement of over 285,000 children under the age of 15 in the Sahel region. These children fled their villages threatened by armed groups, only to find themselves in an unfamiliar environment without resources. […]Read More… from Creating a Stabilizing Living Environment for Displaced Youth
- Rebuilding lives
2,062,534 is the total number of internally displaced persons in Burkina Faso at the end of March 2023. Internal migration due to conflict has resulted in the displacement of 287,995 children under the age of 15 in the Sahel region, who have fled their villages threatened by armed groups to find themselves without resources in an unfamiliar environment. […] - Sandrine
Through her life story, Sandrine*, an internally displaced girl and beneficiary of the JF-CPiE project, explains how the psychosocial support activities and the programme to build children’s resilience have enabled her to protect herself against violence. […] - Why safe spaces for kids are changing families?
Since 2022, the Joining Forces for Child Protection in Emergencies (JF-CPiE) project has been operating in the Sahel region to rebuild a stable living environment for these uprooted families. Our teams currently support almost 7,000 children through child-friendly spaces (CFS), psycho-social follow-up sessions and awareness-raising sessions on children’s rights, positive parenting and hygiene, along with the distribution of dignity kits. […]Read More… from Why safe spaces for kids are changing families?
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
- Abdel
Abdoul Sabour est un jeune garçon de 14 ans vivant avec un handicap physique qui réside au quartier Bornou situé […] - Reuniting Families
Three children, two boys and a girl, used to live in the village of Gouzé, 25 km from Paoua, CAR, […] - Together
Sophie is a 6-year-old girl, raised by her mother alongside four brothers in challenging circumstances after her father fall victim to a rebel attack in their village (Bolamba commune, Benzambé in Central African Republic). The mother worked on the field with limited productivity and occasionally selling some goods at the local market. Additionally, she used to work as a house cleaner to complement her income. The family’s struggles intensified when Sophie suffered a sexual assault, adding more sorrow to their already difficult situation. […] - A Brighter Future for Sophie
Sophie is a 6-year-old girl, raised by her mother alongside four brothers in challenging circumstances after her father fall victim to a rebel attack in their village (Bolamba commune, Benzambé in Central African Republic). The mother worked on the field with limited productivity and occasionally selling some goods at the local market. Additionally, she used to work as a house cleaner to complement her income. The family’s struggles intensified when Sophie suffered a sexual assault, adding more sorrow to their already difficult situation. […] - Healing
Messi is a 13 years old boy who lives with his mother and his five siblings in the IDP camp (PK3) in Bria, Central African Republic. His father was killed in 2018 by armed groups and since then, his mother, who is a farmer, looks after him and his siblings. Messi was forcibly recruited by an armed group after the death of his father. […] - Love and care are essential needs
Before the crisis, Chimène and her family lived peacefully in Bria in the Galabadia neighborhood. In 2017, Bria, like most towns in the Central African Republic (CAR), has been attacked by armed groups. The violence and the atrocities committed by the armed groups forced Chimène and her family to flee from their neighborhood. They found refuge in the camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) located 3 km from Bria center near the MINUSCA military base. […] - A new beginning
In the Ouham Prefecture, the most affected region by conflicts in Central African Republic, we work to enhance child protection and support GBV in building a brighter future. […] - A glimmer of hope for GBV survivors in Central African Republic
More than 17,831 cases of GBV were reported in CAR between January and September 2022, exceeding by 53% the total number of cases reported in 2021. […]Read More… from A glimmer of hope for GBV survivors in Central African Republic
COLOMBIA
- La vigilante de la tierra
Colombia es uno de los países más peligrosos del mundo para los activistas medioambientales. Y en ninguna región del país […] - Migrating in search of rights: the history of Carmen and her community in La Guajira
“Most of us who live here are migrants. Being here was too hard for us because we didn’t know where […]Read More… from Migrating in search of rights: the history of Carmen and her community in La Guajira
- Kelly and Juan, a mother and son relationship that is getting stronger everyday
“For me, as a mother, and for my son, it has meant a profound and significant change. Attending the project’s […]Read More… from Kelly and Juan, a mother and son relationship that is getting stronger everyday
- An example of leadership for the protection of children
“Migrating is crying, crying every night, abandoning your dreams, abandoning the life you had built. For me, that’s what migration is, leaving everything I had achieved.” […]Read More… from An example of leadership for the protection of children
- On the road to child protection
Claudia*, like many children in Colombia, lived and suffered the rigors of the armed conflict. When she was only 4 years old, she and her family were forced to move from their land: Apartado, one of the municipalities in northern Antioquia most affected by the war. […] - Kiwe Thegnas, la guardia indígena que vigila el territorio en Colombia
Colombia es uno de los países más peligrosos del mundo para los activistas medioambientales. Y en ninguna región del país asesinan a más defensores de los derechos humanos que en Cauca, al suroeste de Colombia, territorio de la comunidad indígena nasa y hogar de Daniela. […]Read More… from Kiwe Thegnas, la guardia indígena que vigila el territorio en Colombia
- Flor
Flor is a woman of Wayúu origin, from the Venezuelan side, she is 45 years old, a wife and a mother of ten children and grandmother of three. Her husband works as a motorcycle taxi driver and she takes care of her family, but she also plays an important role as a community leader. […] - Yuly
Yuly*, is 14 years old, lives in the Avenida Bahía Solano neighborhood in Chocó, Colombia with her mother, eight siblings and grandmother. Yuli is enrolled in high school. Her day-to-day life includes chores at home, crossing the Atrato River to attend school, hanging out with her friends, and crossing the Atrato River again to get home […] - Children’s voices from Colombia
Children and their families, when empowered through the methodologies within the framework of the JF-CPiE project, become agents of change in their communities and environment. These are children who were at risk of recruitment, trafficking in children and adolescents and other scourges inherent in a country like Colombia where peace is negotiated in conditions of armed conflict. […]
ETHIOPIA
- The experience of children in safe spaces in South Wollo, Ethiopia
When appropriate facilities and services are put in place to receive and care for children who have experienced traumatic events in humanitarian crisis contexts, this enables them to recover their […]Read More… from The experience of children in safe spaces in South Wollo, Ethiopia
- Life of Mukash
Mukash is the head of a family of four who lives in extreme poverty in a very peaceful and secure environment. The main source of income of Mukash is agriculture which is frequently affected by erratic rainfall and other natural hazards. Mukash is one of those affected by the conflict in Ethiopia. […] - Hailu
Hailu is a 42-year-old man living in Gubalafto district, Ethiopia. He has three children; two girls and a boy who have not yet reached 18. His main source of income is farming, goat rearing and selling wood. Before the emergency, Hailu enjoyed good living standards like the middle-income farmers in the area. […] - Why Cash Transfers work?
Aisha is a 55-year-old woman who is living with her granddaughter Haifa, aged one year and a half. She lives in south Wollo zone, Tehuledere district in Ethiopia. Before the conflict between the Afar and the Issa tribes erupted, she used to support her family, that also includes three children, with her income from a small hotel business in Afar region. They were displaced from their home in Afar and fled to Tehuledere district with nothing but the clothes on their backs. […] - Nebiyu
Nebiyu* is a 10-year-old boy who was a grade one student in an elementary school in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. He sustained a significant injury to his right leg due to corporal punishment by a relative and is undergoing medical treatment. Nebiyu had to drop out of school and spend seven months in the hospital for medical care, and he had three procedures to improve his condition. […] - Linking Cash support for Child protection
As an emergency response, cash voucher assistant is used to address a range of household and individual protection needs in a dignified manner, which still allows the recipients the right to decide what is best for them when all else has been stripped away. This includes cash assistance for basic needs for people with special requirements and acute vulnerabilities, single parents with multiple dependents, unaccompanied minors, persons with disabilities, survivors of violence and other categories of people deemed at heightened protection risk. […] - No means no. Ending the cycle of violence against children.
In all development and humanitarian work there is need to ensure meaningful participation of children. Breaking the silence towards sexual violence and helping children to be ambassadors for changes is important, so that they can advocate for their own rights. […]Read More… from No means no. Ending the cycle of violence against children.
SOUTH SUDAN
- Against all odds: A mother’s solid love gives her daughter a new lease of life in Tambura, South Sudan
By Moses Sakondo, Communications Coordinator April 17, 2024 Juba, South Sudan – In the middle of intercommunial conflict, a single […] - Resilience and Healing: Child-Friendly Space Means a Safe Heaven for Children Living with Albinism in Tambura County.
“My heart is filled with joy when I am in this child-friendly space. It feels like I should not go […] - A new hope
Khor is a 24-year-old volunteer working as a CFS facilitator in Babel child friendly space in Akobo county, Soth Sudan. The CFS records 300 children weekly attending activities regularly. In the midst of continuous revenge killing, child abduction and domestic violence, children in Akobo experienced trauma, distress ,and anxiety. Khor provide a safe space and hope, excitement, and connection among children through role playing, dramas and storytelling. […] - Ngok
Ngok* is the 30 years old mother of Adhieu, a 13 months year old girl, who lost her father during revenge killings in Jalle, South Sudan two days after she was born. Ngok’s town, Bor, has faced serious and multiple floods and now her family faces high risk of hunger. Mother and daughter were displaced by the conflict to Agorbaar IDPs camp, where they live now. […] - Abut
Abut, 40, and her grandchildren at home in Bor, South Sudan IDP camp are among the 5,800 internal displaced people supported by JF-CPiE who aim to start a new life after being displacd by the floods and the conflict in 2022. […] - The future starts today
“I may be blind, but I still have dreams for the future. I want to provide a better life for my children and give them the opportunities they deserve. I won’t let my past define me; I’m determined to create a brighter future for myself and my family”, says Elizabeth. […] - Entrepreneur, resilient, mother
“I used the money I received to establish my own small hair salon. Now, instead of constantly searching for customers, they come to me; I now earn around 5000 South Sudanese pounds (5 dollars) compared to the 1000 SSP (1 dollar) I used to make. It has been a huge shift. My children attend school now uninterruptedly, we have enough food, and I can assist my niece with her school needs”, Rose states with a heartfelt smile. […] - Smiles on wheels
People with disabilities are amongst the most vulnerable in Tambura County, South Sudan since they face stigma and numerous cultural, attitudinal, environmental, and institutional barriers that hinder them from accessing services. Provision of assistive devices such as wheelchairs enables people with disabilities to carry out and participate in daily activities with their community with ease. […] - Angeth
Angeth* is 9 months old and was born on October 23, 2022 in Bor to a single vulnerable and mentally […] - Dignity for girls
In 2021, conflict erupted between warring groups in Tambura county, South Sudan. At least 64 civilians were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence and some 80,000 were forced to flee their homes to escape fighting due to massive abductions. While in the Internally Displaced Persons camps, adolescent girls and women of reproductive ages in Source Yubu, Tambura were at risk for gender-based violence when they leave the camps to collect firewood. Fear of reprisals from attackers often prevents rape survivors from seeking medical help or legal assistance. […]