In Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire protection for vulnerable children

AVSI has implemented the project “HOME 2 – Ensuring protection to vulnerable children in Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast”, funded by the Italian Commission for International Adoption (CAI). The project focused on strengthening Child Protection systems and improving Early Childhood Development (ECD) services through a holisticchildcentered approach.

In Sierra Leone, HOME 2 was implemented in the Western Area Urban and Western Area Rural districts in partnership with Family Homes Movement (FHM). The initiative aimed to improve the quality of care for vulnerable children, reduce reliance on institutional care and promote the retention of children within their biological families and communities.

Over the course of one year and a half, the project provided training on responsive caregiving, hygiene, and nutrition to over 500 caregivers, including biological and menpikin (informal kinship) families. Key community and institutional stakeholders, including Child Welfare Committees, Ministry social workers, Police Family Support Units and preschool teachers, were also involved and trained to strengthen the local protection network.

A significant achievement of the projects was the establishment of a formal foster care network in Western Area Rural in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare: the formal foster families part of the network, established in 2022 during the first phase of the HOME intervention, have been monitored in the HOME 2 project and have been successfully fostering children for mor then two years and finally received formal Attestation Letters from the Ministry recognizing children’s placement. Furthermore, 25 social workers and Family Support Unit officers received training in Child Protection and Case Management, and eight children’s homes were provided with training and material support to enhance care standards, including the enrollment invocational training for older children.

To support Early Childhood Development, three preschools in Western Area Urban were renovated and equipped with teaching materials and upgraded playgrounds, as well as receiving support for a school clinic. The project also established one mother-to-mother support groups to promote Early Childhood Development practices within one community in Western Area Rural

Throughout the project's implementation, the Ministry of Social Welfare was actively engaged in both planning and monitoring, ensuring institutional ownership of the process. At the closing event, Ministry representatives, trained caregivers, children’s home managers, foster parents, AVSI staff and community members came together to reflect on the results and share feedback.

In Côte d’Ivoire, 29 training sessions reached 1,220 participants, including adoptive families, directors of children’s shelters, and Regional Directors from the Ministère de la Femme, de la Famille et de l’Enfant. These sessions strengthened caregivers’ competencies and helped shift their perspectives on children’s needs and development, promoting more attentive and child-centered approaches to care.

Also in Côte d’Ivoire, financial support was provided to 21 institutional structures—including partner institutions, orphanages, and care centers—to strengthen their capacity to deliver quality care and education. Furthermore, 29 vulnerable families were supported through income-generating activities, helping them move toward economic stability and ensuring a safe, continuous educational path for their children.

Health activities carried out during the project included awareness-raising sessions for caregivers, the vaccination of 159 children, and deworming treatments for 3,137.

At the closing event, Ministry representatives, trained caregivers, children’s home managers, foster parents, AVSI staff, and community members came together to reflect on the results and share feedback.

While the project achieved important milestones, challenges such as limited institutional coordination, high staff turnover in children’s homes, and entrenched cultural practices remain. These were discussed during the event as priorities for future action.

By promoting positive relationships between children and their caregivers, whether biological, formal or informal foster, HOME 2 contributed to creating safer and more supportive environments for children. AVSI will continue to collaborate with communities and institutions to ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow up in a protective and nurturing environment.