Building Strong Families
“I was a father to the fatherless.” Patriarch Job
Core Elements of a Building Strong Families (BSF) Project
Training Days
Every two months, all BSF parents, guardians, and sometimes children, meet together for a special Training Day. These training days cover such topics as: What is a Family?; Money Management, Planning and Budgeting; Nutrition, Hygiene and Health; Valuing Children; The Role of Parents and Positive Discipline; Child Rights and Child Protection; Social Skills and Behavior; and Protecting and Enjoying God’s Creation.
Health & Nutrition
Poor health and nutrition can be a direct result of extreme poverty, so BSF is committed to improving the health and nutrition of all BSF family members in the project. All families take part in training on nutrition, hygiene, and health, and learn to become and stay healthy. A medical kit with a first aid book and training is provided to each family.
BSF participants receive a full medical check-up on entering the project, which helps staff gain a better understanding of any health concerns so they can provide further support if needed.
Income Generation Assistance
BSF staff begin by evaluating the existing livelihoods of a new family. Where needed, staff work with the family to develop a business plan that considers the skills and interests of the working adults that aims to generate more income for the welfare of the whole family over 18 months. Local business leaders may help with training and business planning. Assistance is then provided in the form of a small grant or micro-loan to help establish or further develop successful and sustainable livelihoods over time.
It is a BSF goal that within 18 months, each family becomes financially sustainable so they can fully support their own children.
Family Fun Days
Bi-monthly Family Fun Days are schedule alternatively with the Training Days. These are times of fun and fellowship to help families build relationships with each other and with local church partners, volunteers, and BSF staff. It’s amazing how many children don’t get to play. Family Fun Day remedies that problem!
Education
Children in BSF families are able to receive educational assistance in the form of tutoring fees, equipment costs, the cost of school books, and even bicycles to get to school.
Spiritual Nurture
The BSF project accepts families of any religion and respects their individual right to freely choose their own beliefs. Orphan’s Promise is a Christian faith-based organization, and therefore pastors, staff, and volunteers may encourage and share the love of God through word and deed with KFT participants. Families will know that KFT staff and volunteers pray for them so that they can rejoice with KFT staff/volunteers when God answers prayer.
Home Visitations
Strong families are made of strong relationships. Therefore, BSF staff and church leaders take the time to make weekly home visits to each family. These are times to follow-up, mentor, support, love, encourage, and pray.
Child Protection
All BSF staff and volunteers adhere to a strict Child Protection Policy. See Orphan Voice’s Child Protection Policy which all staff and volunteers sign.
Creating Sustainable Projects
To ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of a BSF project in a community there is also an added focus on:
The KFT project is built on partnerships with beneficiary families, church leaders, BSF project managers, volunteers, community leaders, donors, counselors and social workers, health professionals, and government ministries.
BSF staff maintains a file for each family to monitor growth and sustainability. These files may contain records such as Family Assessment Tool results (every 6 months), BSF Family Covenant, health check-ups, church leader’s follow-up notes, finances/budget booklet, income generation assistance, and family business plans, educational records and support, psychosocial support and counseling notes, etc. These files help BSF staff monitor and assess the progress of each family over time, and to evaluate the BSF project as a whole.
