
Child Friendly Space (CFS)
Aawaaj is running about 21 Child Friendly Spaces for the protection and care of vulnerable children in Karnali province. The CFS is a structured in safe place where children and youth meet their peers to play, learn competencies and skills to deal with the risks they face, be involved in some educational activities and relax in a safe place. It gives the children the sense of safety, structure and continuity that provides support. It gives them a sense of belongingness after having been displaced. It builds cohesion and a sense of community. Children who are from marginalized community used to come for tuition classes to improve the school performance and child friendly activities to build the confident. CFS has helped the children in following ways:
- CFS has helped to develop children’s reading/studying habit. They do not miss any CFS class.
- In the CFS class, talented student helps weak student to study, sing a song and jointly plays a drama as well, thus, CFS children use to learn faster and effectively.
- Likewise a senior student helps new students in the CFS, thus they have built a habit of helping each other and sense of unity has developed among them.
Target Children Beneficiaries for CFS
Community Level:
- High Incidence of Abuse/Addictions/Poverty/Crime
- Lack of Law Enforcement Capacity / Commitment
- Lack of Prevention and Protection Mechanisms for Children
- Lack of Access to Primary Education & Basic Health Care Services
Family Level:
- History of Sexual Abuse / Domestic Violence Among One or Both Parents
- Female Headed Household, esp. no property rights
- Illiteracy in Parents
- Lack of Parenting / Discipline Skills
- Extreme Family Poverty / Unemployment of Parents, inc. Children not in school, poor food security, large family debt, poor housing, poor health care,
- Lack of Understanding of Sexual Abuse /Legal Mechanisms
Individual Child Level:
- History of Physical/Sexual Abuse, Neglect or Bullying of Child
- History of Child Substance Abuse
- Child with Disability
- Child is Especially Unattractive, especially discriminate against girls
- Child is Extremely Shy / Poor Social Skills
- Child is Isolated in Family / Community (lacks social/protection network)
- Child is Out of School / Illiterate
- Child has Lack of Nutrition and Poor Hygiene
- Child Working / Living Away from Biological Parents
- Child Lacks Understanding of Sexual Abuse /Legal Mechanisms