The Initiative for Children at Risk Africa, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to training African caregivers, teachers, program staff, and organizations working with African children made vulnerable through orphaning, abandonment, HIV+ status, or abuse and neglect. In this short video, a Basotho program supervisor, Ntabalele, speaks with the founder of ICARA about how the training has changed her perspective on the children she serves.
The caregivers that ICARA trains are "front lines" workers in the fight for children's hearts--children who have been wounded by early and traumatic losses, among them abandonment, HIV+ status, and abuse and neglect. In a brief interview with Patrice, Nthabeleng Lehela, a Safe Home supervisor at Touching Tiny Lives (Lesotho, Africa), shares her thoughts on how the training has shaped her response to children.
"Caregivers and children's program staff working with orphaned and vulnerable children have my utmost respect and honor.
They are working with children who have had a very hard start to life and need patient, nurturing caregiving to recover."
Patrice Penney, MSW, LCSW, Founder and Executive Director, ICARA.