Effective child protection cannot be confined to a building. To reach every child, we must be willing to meet them exactly where they are in the courtyards, the play areas, and the heart of their communities.
In this recent outreach session in the Uvira region, our advocates led an outdoor Circle of Safety dialogue. Standing under the shade of community trees, we spoke with dozens of children about their fundamental right to be protected from harm. These open-air sessions are vital because they break down the formal barriers of a classroom, allowing for a more natural and interactive conversation about safety.
By using simple, relatable language and engaging storytelling, our team helps children identify safe versus unsafe touches, the importance of speaking up, and who they can turn to when they feel afraid. As a refugee-led organization, we understand that for many of these children, the path to and from school can be as high-risk as any other environment. Therefore, our awareness campaigns focus on "360-degree protection ensuring a child feels empowered at home, at school, and in the streets.
The focused expressions on the faces of these young people tell a story of immense potential. They are eager to learn how to protect themselves and one another. Our mission is to ensure that the Circle of Safety we discuss in these meetings expands to cover every corner of their lives.
