SOCIAL OUTREACH DIVISION (SOD) tackles head-on on issues regarding women’s rights, children’s rights and family relationships. At present, SOD is implementing RESCUE Project (Rescuing Sexually Exploited Children Under Eighteen) in partnership with Terre Des Hommes – The Netherlands, FORGE-ACTIV Project (FORGE Anti-Child Trafficking Initiatives in Central Visayas) in partnership with Caritas-Switzerland, EASE Project (Educational Assistance for Sexually-Exploited Children) in partnership with Dutch Advent Campaign, scholarship and educational support in partnership with Assisi Foundation.
Goal: The “Rescuing Sexually-Exploited Children Under Eighteen (RESCUE)” Project seeks to rescue sexually-abused, exploited and high-risk children, and facilitate their reintegration into their respective families and communities.
The project will also utilize a three-pronged approach, which shall include the interventions for (1) the children, (2) their respective families, and (3) their base-communities.
The project will also incorporate new features such as formation of a loose children’s network, development of youth leaders/peer facilitators, the provision of skills trainings for alternative livelihood of children-clients and facilitate long-term healing through a rehabilitation center dubbed as Teen Dreamer’s Home.
RESCUE Project operates within the cities of Cebu and Lapulapu.
Services Offered:
Outreach Work/Street Education – Community Outreach Workers (COW) reach out to children–clients in the target areas by giving values formation and basic literacy sessions (e.g. children’s rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, etc.). It also serves as a background check on clients.
Activity Center Operation – The Activity Center Manager will provide counseling and therapy sessions, group dynamics and study sessions on reproductive health issues, HIV/AIDS, child abuse, child’s rights, etc. Furthermore, A&E or non-formal education classes are being held with an Instructional Manager (IM) and skills training for alternative livelihood.
Networking – FORGE was able to link up with a number of local Non Government Organization’s (NGOs) and Government Organization’s (GOs) in the cities of Lapulapu and Cebu for services such as legal assistance, advocacy, health, Income Generating Project, family development, etc.
Family Interventions – The approach provides reintegration of children-clients into their families and involves their parents/ guardians in the project. Activities include home visits, counseling, study sessions, seminars, and parent-child dialogues.
Advocacy in the Community/Barangays – FORGE initiates community awareness on Children’s Rights, Child Abuse, STD and HIV/AIDS, and what to do about it. These campaigns are conducted in coordination with Gender and Development (GAD), Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) and/or Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). The organization also informs the communities regarding children who are reintegrated to the respective barangays so that they could be assisted in any form.
Teen Dreamer’s Home – FORGE provides avenue for CSEC who wants to leave prostitution and start a new life. It is a long term healing facility where children undergo psycho-social interventions, study in a formal school through a scholarship program, learn new skills geared towards having a positive future ahead of them. This is a 24/7 facility run by the Center Manager, House Parent and a Psychologist.
FORGE Anti-Child Trafficking Initiatives in Central Visayas Project focuses in enabling the transport and tourism sector in curbing child trafficking in the region. The project also works to strengthen the partnership with local government units, government agencies, the communities, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and other NGOs. FORGE-ACTIV Project is funded by Caritas-Switzerland.