Reintegration

Since 2018 the message from the United Nations got to all developing countries and told them that they needed to ensure that children can grow up with their parents as much as possible. This is an international agreement ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)‘ in which the civil, political, economic, and cultural rights of every child are described regardless of skin color, background or religion. 

We had to drastically change our policy in many areas because the government has given us the task to do everything we can to make sure the children will be reunited with their families – instead of being in a children’s home until they turn 18. This means that the families will feel more responsible for their children. Also, the support from a children’s home will decrease. It is quite a challenge because every child is taken in at a children’s home or an orphanage with a valid reason. To return these children to their old family situations – if they even exist – where the situation has not changed, is not even an option for Kumbatio. The child has to at least end up in a safe, healthy and constructive family-environment. This can be with an aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather or older sister or brother. When we can’t find a ‘suitable’ family we will look further for other family members or even friends of the family. If this is also not a possibility, we could set up a child-household in which a lot of guidance is needed by the social worker and psychologist to assist the children.