TORONTO — Child labour, child marriage, child sacrifice and gender-based violence are just a few risks children in the developing world face every day. Donors and special guests learned that as they gathered to find out how Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) and partners are working to keep children safe.
“A lot of the things that relate to child protection, relate to what we do,” summarized Mark Klintworth, director of major and planned gifts at CCFC, explaining the theme for the afternoon event.
Unfortunately, the biggest challenge in addressing child protection is securing funds to keep children safe, as many donors don’t understand its significance, noted Josh Chaffin, senior advisor for child protection in emergencies at the New York-based ChildFund Alliance of which CCFC is a member.
But, science shows children’s brains suffer trauma due to sustained neglect or abuse, affecting their life decisions and ultimately their economy and society. “If we can reduce risks, we can save lives,” affirmed Chaffin. “Keeping families together is the holy grail of what we do as part of the international development community.”
Sharon Caddy, a local radio personality and volunteer ambassador, took the podium next to share memories from her recent trip to visit program areas in Ethiopia. “I don’t think I’ve had goosebumps so often in a warm climate,” she said, as she talked about two CCFC projects, including Learning Through Play, which teaches families the value of play in building relationships that ultimately keep children safe. “[The communities are] learning playing doesn’t only impact the children, it impacts the whole family, because they’re playing together,” she said.
CCFC engages in various activities to keep children safe, from providing child-friendly spaces after a disaster to providing skills-training, so teen girls can learn a trade and avoid being forced into an early marriage.