Difference Our Vision a Society Where Every Child Is Heard, Their Rights and Dignity Upheld at All Times
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Childline Kenya Biennial Report 2009/2010 6 11 The call with a difference Our Vision A society where every child is heard, their rights and dignity upheld at all times. Our Mission To promote child rights and enhance child protection by delivering quality services through ICT innovations Our Core Values Commitment Courage of conviction Integrity Reliability and Action Competence Board members George Okado Fr. Sebastian Chirayath Japheth Njenga Teresa Omondi (ICT Policy Centre) Chairperson, (Don Bosco Boys) Member, (Shangilia Mtoto wa Africa), Convener, (GVRC/Transparency International) 2008 - 2010 Finance Committee Finance Committee 2010 Convener, Programmes Committee 2008 - 2010 2009 - 2010 Carolyne Nalianya Irene Nyamu Zipporah Muhoro Wangechi Kioi (World Vision) Member, (Childline Kenya Executive Director) (Goal-Kenya/FHI) Member, Finance (Plan Kenya/GVRC) Convener, Programmes Committee 2009 - 2010 Secretary to the board 2008 - 2010 Committee and Convener, HR Committee Finance Committee & Program Committee 2008-2009 2008 - 2009 Acronyms ICT - Information, Communication and Technology IOM - International Organization for Migration UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund CLK - Childline Kenya CHI - Childline Helpline International NGO - Non-Governmental Organization USD - United States Dollar MFA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Finland) VAC - Violence Against Children DCO - District Children Officer CSO - Civil Society Organization CDF - Constituency Develoment Fund DEO - District Education Officer GOK - Government of Kenya PCO - Provincial Children Officer PS - Permanent Secretary SMS - Short Message Service FGM - Female Genital Mutilation Table of Contents Board of Directors Chairman’s statement 4 Message from the Executive Director 5 Executive Summary 6 Chapter 1: Breaking the Silence 8 1.1 The Helpline Outcomes in 2009 and 2010 9 1.2 Upgrading the National Child Helpline call centre 17 1.3 Eldoret and Garissa Helpline Call Centres 18 1.4 Helpline case studies 19 Chapter 2: Outreach and Field Services 21 2.1 Promoting child rights & safety through community education 21 2.2 Reaching more children through the Speak Out-Boxes Initiative 22 2.3 The global perspective: Child Helpline International events, meetings and conferences 23 Chapter 3: Child participation 24 3.1 Child safety conferences in 2009 and 2010 24 3.2 Sporting Activities 24 3.3 Child Ambassador program 25 Chapter 4: Organizational development 26 4.1 The Childline Kenya Team (Organogram) 26 4.2 Staff and Volunteer Counselors’ development 27 4.3 Recognition of efforts: Childline Kenya wins STARS Award 27 4.4 Financial Summary 28 4.5 Looking Ahead 2011-2012 28 Childline Kenya George Okado Chairman’s Statement n 27 August 2010, Kenya promulgated into law a To enhanced child protection services the organization Onew Constitution. In relation with international will endeavor to develop and strengthen service delivery to children’s rights, the new Constitution establishes in children not only through the helpline 116 but also through Kenyan law internationally acclaimed principles on other technological innovations through which children the rights of children, such as best interests of the child can reach out for support to protect and promote their which is now to be paramount in every matter concerning rights. The helpline experienced technological challenges children. at the beginning but has since upgraded the call centre to meet international standards by partnering with a private Childline Kenya Board’s commitment and long term BPO-Techno Brain Ltd. This has led to efficiency of calls. focus is to steer the organization towards ensuring not only access to the helpline service by the public but Childline Kenya aims at building long-term alliances, also quality service to all the children/adults calling for networks and partnerships locally, nationally and at the assistance and information. The helpline has well trained international level that will support its function to deliver counselors capable of handling all the cases received at sufficient and quality service to the children in accordance the helpline and is well staffed to see an effective working with our vision. Our partners see CLK as a key entry point environment. Efforts are geared at making the helpline a and referral point in child protection. Childline Kenya central child protection system at the national level and to has established regional call centres in other parts of the have Childline Kenya and helpline 116 as the regional and country (Eldoret and Garissa) which has extended child indeed the worldwide role model. protection services to the regions. For effective promotion of child rights and child participation In 2009, drought was experienced in the country and Childline Kenya will as much as possible and where inflation increased by a huge percentage leading to high necessary involve children in planning, implementation food and fuel costs and general living costs. This was a and monitoring of programmes and activities that will difficult period for CLK and the helpline. Due to the promote the child rights. Based on the data gathered at economic meltdown experienced in Europe and the US in the helpline, the organization will partner with learning 2009, funding went down and caused a financial constraint institutions to contribute to the body of knowledge in to the organization. The donor funding was a total of child protection and influence policy and practice in child Ksh 37,277,698 in 2008-2009 and Ksh 37,455,862 protection by involving them in research documentation in 2009-2010. Childline Kenya is looking forward to and dissemination of research findings to key stakeholders. receiving more and sustainable funding in 2011 so as to give financial security to the organization to continue Eventually the goal is to see institutional development serving the children of this country. In 2011, Childline and growth of Childline Kenya to become a recognized Kenya is looking forward to diversifying its services by authority on child protection in Kenya. This will involve enhancing child online safety and implementing SMS/ capacity enhancement of staff and development of the online counseling in addition to telephone services. These board as well as organizational policies and procedures. projects will see more children access the helpline. CLK will use ICT and media to promote child rights and Following a successful implementation of its operational Child protection in its work. This means that Childline plans, CLK has evaluated performance and over the next Kenya will continuously keep up with technological three years, will focus on six key strategic areas: advances and use them for social development. 4 Biennial Report. 2009 - 2010 Irene Nyamu Message from the Executive Director ince establishment and launch of the first ever 24 hour support, and made visits to the schools or homes of the Schild helpline in Kenya in 2006, Childline Kenya has affected children. A further 13,805 cases were referred become a recognized voice in the promotion of Children’s to the government and 5,090 to civil society partners in rights, providing children with a unique opportunity to the two years. As demonstrated by the number of cases be heard and linking them to vital and coordinated child handled, the helpline is saving lives of numerous children protection services at affordable costs. and making a difference in the lives of thousands. As part of its strategic growth and programme expansion The organization has also seen a significant growth in its plan in 2008, CLK entered into a 5 year partnership other programmes that include Research and Advocacy, arrangement with the Government of Kenya represented Child Empowerment, and Organisational Development. by the Department of Children Services in the Ministry of Childline Kenya will strive to ensure that its programmes Gender, Children and Social Development. The partnership remain responsive to the demands of children using saw Childline Kenya’s most significant contribution to the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) child protection sector, the 24 hours child helpline scaled which drives our mission of delivering innovative ICT up to national level on a short code platform of 116. The solutions for child protection. helpline is now hosted at the Department of Children Services premises. Children officers together with our Our work would not have been possible without the support valued referral partners for legal aid, shelter, medical/ of our partners, the media, community groups, donors, health care form the backbone of the helpline referral the board, staff and volunteers. I therefore would like to structure nationwide. It is this elaborate referral system sincerely thank our donors and supporters in 2009/2010: that is ensuring that all children in the country have access Plan International Inc (Kenya, Netherlands and Finland to basic support when faced with difficult moments in Offices in partnership with Nokia); International their lives, granting them an opporuntity to grow up in Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF (Kenya), an environment that is free from violence. and World Vision (Kenya and Finland) and Rockefeller Foundation. I also wish to sincerely thank CLK members, The child helpline 116 Call Center is the epicenter of the Board of Childline Kenya, all Childline Kenya Childline Kenya’s work and informs most of the other staff and volunteers for their hard work and invaluable programs. Between January 2009 and December