Children's Village aka Family Resource Center

Family Resource & Support Center - Zambia

We believe that all children should be raised and cared for in loving homes by their parents or other family members. The sad reality is there are many children who do not enjoy this basic right, due to illness, disaster or conflict. Millions of children have been orphaned and suffer neglect and abuse. These children are extremely vulnerable.

Local communities, already burdened with devastated economies, are struggling to meet the needs of this exploding population of orphaned and vulnerable children.

In response to the rapidly growing need, we have created the Family Resource and Support Center of Zambia. The Center is located on 80 acres of land just outside the capital city of Lusaka.

The Center provides the resources, training, mentoring and support that will enable communities and individuals to nurture and care for the orphans living in their midst in a way that most closely resembles family life.

Included in the project:

· Community Resource Center

· Preparatory School/Leadership Academy

· Health and Wellness Center

· Vocational Training Center

· Micro-Credit Bank & Small Business Institute

· International Volunteer Complex

· Local staff housing

· The Children’s Resource Center

The Children’s Resource Center

The Children’s Resource Center was created to provide orphaned and vulnerable children with the resources they need to enter society as caring, productive adults. The Center offers children found living in child headed households an opportunity to be raised in a family setting with caring adults who will mentor and encourage them.

In this environment we can meet their physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs. Each child is raised in a family setting, with house parents and caregivers. We keep siblings together. Each child has access to the following resources:

· Education

· Vocational training

· Spiritual development

· Grief and psychosocial counseling

· Opportunities to find and develop individual talents

· Involvement in community service

· Family reunification

· Healthcare

In addition to the Family Homes, the Children’s Resource Center also includes a Crisis Home for girls who have been abused, and a Hospice Care facility for the children who are dying.

We currently have 20 children in residence, with plans to build 6 new homes, which will allow us to offer services for up to 72 more children.

Community Resource Center

The purpose of the Community Resource Center is to:

1. Provide trainings and workshops that will assist members of the community in understanding the needs of the orphaned and vulnerable children in their community.

2. Train members of the community the skills needed to care for their families and the orphaned children. the orphaned children.

3. Provide training, workshops and mentoring designed to strengthen families.

a. Grief counseling

b. Meeting the emotional, social, educational and physical needs of children

c. Literacy for adults and children

d. First Aid

e. Nutrition and gardening

f. Health and hygiene

g. HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention

h. Accessing local resources, government aid and assistance.

4. Provide a lending library of relevant learning materials and reading books.