Trust isn’t a slogan when children’s safety is on the line—it’s a discipline. We sit down with Naomi Schalm, Executive Director of Trust for Africa in Lesotho, to unpack what radical trust really requires in cross-cultural child welfare: honest power-sharing, rigorous accountability, and local decision rights that outlast any single grant. Lesotho is moving toward family-based care and codifying foster pathways, even as economic shocks and reduced aid strain communities. That tension reveals a core mistake many outsiders make: confusing “orphan” with “child with nobody.” Research and experience point another way—prevention, kinship care, and reintegration anchored in the real context families live in.

Naomi explains why good intentions aren’t a system. Clear policies, safeguarding, and transparent financial practices protect children, caregivers, and staff while making collaboration possible. We get practical about the difference between accountability and control: control is one-sided; accountability shares standards and outcomes. We also push into the hard part—money. When the Global North holds the purse, it often holds the steering wheel. Shifting proposal design and decision rights locally, diversifying income, and refusing “donor-as-owner” governance are non-negotiables if we want integrity and impact.

Inside organizations, trust grows through rupture-and-repair, not perfection. That means making room for dissent, modeling apology, and building collaborative leadership that can challenge assumptions. On the ground with families, hope is a first intervention: trauma-informed support, consistent structures, and practical tools help parents who’ve been dismissed for years believe in their capacity again. The pay-off is safer children and stronger communities, measured over time rather than headlines. If you’re a funder, practitioner, or curious listener ready to rethink how aid, ownership, and outcomes connect, this conversation offers a candid, field-tested guide.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a rating or review to help more listeners find these stories.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The smiling photos, the painted walls, the “we came to help” posts—so much of orphanage tourism looks uplifting on the surface. But pull on the thread and a harder truth emerges: when volunteers are the customers, children become the product. In this conversation with filmmaker and activist Barak Laub, we uncover how feel-good trips can fuel orphanage trafficking, why unqualified access to vulnerable kids creates real risk, and what ethical, effective alternatives actually look like.

Barak shares how his film, Volunteers Needed, evolved from a carefree travel project into an investigation of a global industry that profits by separating children from families. We break down the mechanics of orphanage trafficking—force, fraud, and coercion; “paper” orphans; curated performances for donors; and weak oversight that keeps institutions funded while delaying family reunification. Along the way, we talk about the cultural and developmental harm of revolving-door visitors, the algorithms that sell volunteer placements to eager travelers, and the difficult cognitive dissonance donors face when good intentions meet bad outcomes.

Most importantly, we map a better path. Learn how to spot red flags (pay-to-volunteer models, unsupervised access, lack of background checks) and seek green flags (qualified roles, strong child protection policies, family-based care goals). We share practical shifts—capacity building over short-term fixes, peer-to-peer professional exchanges, and funding community services that keep children with kin. We also explore the policy lever that could move the system: recognizing orphanage trafficking as a severe form of trafficking in persons to enable enforcement and accountability.

If this topic challenges you, stay with it. Curiosity and courage change systems. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who’s considered voluntourism, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question. Your voice helps push this conversation—and the solutions—forward.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What if the fix for burnout, donor fatigue, and stalled partnerships isn’t another webinar, but a better conversation? We sit down with Tasha Van Vlack, founder and CEO of Nonprofit Hive, to unpack how simple one-to-one matchmaking helps nonprofit pros feel seen, swap solutions, and spark collaborations that actually stick. From role-based pairing to safety-in-strangers design, Tasha shares the small systems that turn isolation into momentum.

We explore the pressures reshaping the sector—post-pandemic staffing gaps, rising expectations, and funding uncertainty—and talk through a practical reset: protect time for curiosity, treat networking as a creative tool, and measure connection like any other KPI. You’ll hear why great partnerships create clarity rather than chaos, how to identify your organization’s zone of genius, and when to gracefully pause a misfit collaboration. We also dig into the psychological hurdles—scarcity mindsets, local competition, and fear of idea theft—and offer tactics to lower the stakes while raising the value.

Donors will find a candid roadmap for engagement beyond the glossy report. Think voice-memo updates, WhatsApp groups for real-time wins and needs, live video walk-throughs from the field, and small, transparent experiments that welcome learning—not just outcomes. Tasha’s stories from global peers, from rural Uganda to national networks, reveal how consistent, human-scale rituals can restore hope and drive measurable impact. 
Hive: https://thenonprofithive.com/

If you believe radical collaboration beats going it alone, this conversation gives you concrete steps to start. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs a lift, and leave a review with one low-stakes connection habit you’ll try this week.

A link to our website: helpingchldrenworldwide.org

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What if your partnership model unintentionally silences the very people it’s meant to elevate? We sit down with Asia Blackwell, executive director of Maya Midwifery, to unpack how a well-intended collaboration in Guatemala drifted toward hierarchy by over-rewarding a few “standout” leaders while leaving many midwives underpowered. Asia lays out how they rebuilt trust with transparent systems, written agreements, and equitable pathways that spread training, decision-making, and visibility across the full team.

Together, we reframe accountability as shared responsibility rather than control. Asia explains the pivot from informal, relationship-only trust to clear MOUs, role boundaries, and simple verification tools that protect everyone—midwives, boards, and donors. We challenge Western assumptions about leadership and administration, recognizing that Indigenous midwives already lead in their communities without needing titles to validate influence. When governance confuses literacy with legitimacy or paperwork with power, it narrows who gets heard and who gets help.

Asia shares a vivid, Maya-inspired governance model built around the Ceiba, the sacred tree: midwives as the canopy, local admin as branches, the Guatemalan board as trunk, and US teams as roots. Donors become sun and water—vital, nourishing, and appropriately at a distance from day-to-day decisions. This design makes equity operational with feedback loops, shared metrics, and practical safeguards that honor local autonomy. The impact is palpable: midwives now present their own data, speak confidently in meetings, and describe renewed pride and energy at the birth center.

If you’re working in global health, philanthropy, or any cross-border partnership, you’ll find practical guidance here: listen widely, rotate opportunity, document commitments, and let culturally grounded structures lead. Subscribe for more conversations on equitable, community-led maternal health, and share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to rethink how power and accountability can truly work together.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

A center for indigenous birthing practices grew out of an expatriate's dream and was realized as a thriving hub for Indigenous midwives in Guatemala. The ground shifted when a model of local ownership and global alliance collided with personal greed. Executive Director Asia Blackwell unpacks the full arc: early wins rooted in trust, warning signs revealed by governance training and a whistleblower policy, and the moment when cultural respect had to face corrupt realities, overcome personal threats, retaliation, forged elections, missing funds, and state-backed intimidation. After a democratic vote unseated entrenched leaders, a wave of retaliation brought lawsuits, threats, violence, and a dramatic raid with arrests of innocents. Trusted allies hadn't founded a nonprofit. They created a private society they owned, a structural flaw they leveraged for personal gain, through corruption. Rather than surrender, the midwives pivoted, formed a new association and reopened within weeks, keeping mobile clinics running with minimal interruption—proof of resilience under pressure. 

The most powerful takeaway emerges from within Maya cosmology: leadership is a calling, and midwifery and administration are each their own gift. By separating clinical decision-making from administrative management—while keeping both local—the entire leadership and collaborative team aligned structure with values and protected what matters most: maternal and newborn health, Indigenous knowledge, and community sovereignty. Expect practical insights on equitable partnerships, accountable systems, language access in elections, and how to design governance that stands up to real-world stress. If this story moved you, subscribe, share with a friend who cares about global health and nonprofit governance, and leave a review to help others find the show.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What happens when we stop viewing rural communities as problems to be fixed and start recognizing them as powerful agents of their own transformation? The answer unfolds beautifully in this eye-opening conversation with Aminata Kamara and Sheku Mohamed Gassimu Jr. from One Village Partners (OVP), a Sierra Leonean organization revolutionizing how sustainable development happens in remote communities.

"Communities are not like a white paper. They have knowledge of their lives. They have knowledge of what a thriving community looks like," explains Aminata, OVP's Country Director. This profound respect for local wisdom forms the foundation of their approach, which they describe through the powerful metaphor of a "sharpening stone" – not doing the work for communities, but enhancing capabilities that already exist.

Since 2010, OVP has partnered with 70 communities across Sierra Leone, impacting over 75,000 people through three interconnected programs that build local leadership, empower women economically, and enable communities to design and implement their own development solutions. Their methodology stands in stark contrast to traditional aid models, as they intentionally transfer decision-making power to community members at every step – from identifying needs through participatory assessments to collaboratively budgeting for solutions.

The conversation delves into the challenges of this approach, including the struggle to secure flexible funding from donors who often prefer predetermined outcomes over community-defined indicators of success. Yet the transformations they witness – women gaining stronger voices in household decisions, men embracing more equitable gender roles, and communities independently solving complex problems – confirm that true sustainability comes when people lead their own development journey.

Perhaps most impressive is how OVP practices internally what they preach externally, having transitioned to completely Sierra Leonean leadership while distributing power throughout their organization. As Sheku powerfully concludes, "When communities have the space, the platform to actually lead their own development, they are able to surmount the insurmountable."

Ready to rethink how sustainable change happens? Listen now and discover a model that trusts communities to write their own success stories.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Dr. Hunter Farrell challenges everything you thought you knew about short-term missions with compelling insights drawn from his 30+ years of global mission experience and anthropological research. He reveals startling statistics about our mission economy: American Christians spend $3.5-5 billion annually sending 1.6 million people on short-term trips, yet often these efforts fall short of creating lasting change.

What's gone wrong? Farrell introduces the concept of "selfie missions" – our cultural shift from changing the world to changing ourselves. This individualistic approach positions Western Christians as saviors rather than companions, creating problematic power dynamics. Drawing from interviews with over 1,400 mission leaders across denominational lines, he offers a radical alternative: a "theology of companionship" centered around breaking bread together and embracing mutual vulnerability.

The most transformative insight comes through examining Jesus's own mission approach. Christ consistently engaged from a position of weakness, empowering those on society's margins by giving them agency rather than treating them as passive recipients of charity. This challenges our typical Western approach where we arrive with all the answers and resources, positioning ourselves at metaphorical "help desks" distributing solutions.

Farrell remains optimistic about short-term missions despite these critiques, seeing them as powerful "liminal spaces" where deep transformation can happen when approached correctly. The key lies in co-development – recognizing that true change requires mutual participation guided by the principle: "What you do for us without us is not for us." His powerful Congolese fable about Ngalula illustrates how communities already possess what they need for transformation.

Ready to reimagine mission work? Subscribe to hear our upcoming episode on child sponsorship models and how they're evolving to support sustainable community development.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The remarkable journey of an 11-year-old girl named Em demonstrates the life-changing power of cross-border collaboration in child protection. When Em was trafficked from her home in Liberia to Sierra Leone under false promises of education, she instead found herself forced into domestic labor and street selling. After becoming separated from her trafficker and lost on the streets, local authorities connected her with the Child Reintegration Center (CRC).

Through counseling sessions, CRC discovered Em wasn't from Sierra Leone at all, presenting a complex international challenge. What happened next showcases the extraordinary impact of professional networking in child welfare. George Kulanda from CRC and Prezton Gonkerwon Vaye from Red Meets Green had previously met at a child protection training workshop where they exchanged contact information. This connection became the crucial link in Em's rescue, demonstrating how seemingly small professional relationships can transform lives.

The multinational effort expanded to include multiple stakeholders across both countries, coordinating Em's safe transport to the border, completing necessary documentation, and arranging temporary placement while family tracing continued. In a touching development, Em's parents learned about their daughter's whereabouts and traveled to claim her, resulting in an emotional reunion filled with "joyful tears." Today, Em is back in school and dreams of becoming a doctor to serve her village community. Her mother now educates neighbors about trafficking risks, creating ripple effects of protection throughout their community.

This story reminds us that behind every trafficking statistic stands a child with dreams and potential. When organizations unite across borders, even the most complex cases find resolution. As Elena, the youth co-host wisely observed: "There's always light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to be resilient and willing to seek it." Subscribe now to hear more inspiring stories of hope and resilience on Optimistic Voices: A Child's View.

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What does it really mean to empower people? Beyond buzzwords and good intentions lies a complex reality that social impact organizations grapple with daily. This conversation with researchers Dr. Thomas Crea and Dr. Sarah Neville dives deep into the messy, thought-provoking questions that challenge conventional thinking about empowerment.

The discussion takes us beyond simplistic notions of "teaching a man to fish" to examine whether we're creating the fishing holes people need to sustain themselves. As Dr. Crea points out, true empowerment begins when "communities recognize and define the issues affecting them" rather than having external definitions imposed. Yet the structures of international aid, academic research, and nonprofit funding often create barriers to this community-centered approach.

We explore the tension between research that feels extractive and communities' immediate needs for jobs, healthcare, and education. Both researchers share candid reflections on working across contexts from Sierra Leone to Chelsea, Massachusetts, revealing how power dynamics play out similarly whether internationally or locally. The conversation challenges Western individualism through Dr. Neville's observation that "nobody is a self-made person" and questions whether traditional metrics can capture what matters most in human flourishing.

Perhaps most provocatively, we question whether empowerment can be measured at all. Some of the most important outcomes—belonging, dignity, community connection—resist quantification but remain essential. As Dr. Neville notes, "We seem to want short-term, inexpensive solutions to have life-changing, transformative impact," yet meaningful change often requires longer-term investment and humility about what we can measure.

For anyone working in social impact, this episode offers no easy answers but something more valuable: a framework for asking better questions about power, measurement, and community voice. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, researcher, donor, or simply concerned about creating positive change, these reflections will challenge you to reconsider how we define success in social change work.

Listen now and join a conversation that might just transform how you think about empowerment in your own work and community.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What happens when tragedy and opportunity collide in the life of a child? Dr. Aruna Stevens' story answers this question with breathtaking resilience and hope. Born just before Sierra Leone's devastating civil war, Aruna's childhood was shattered when his father was killed and his extended family of twenty separated. He experienced homelessness, hunger, and the daily struggle for survival in a community where healthcare was virtually non-existent—where people routinely died from treatable conditions simply because there were no doctors available.

The turning point came when the Child Rescue Centre welcomed young Aruna, providing stability and education for the first time in his life. Despite studying by candlelight and walking long distances to school, he persevered. This foundation eventually led him to graduate from Sierra Leone's only medical college and serve as chief medical director at Mercy Hospital for five years. Now pursuing a PhD in tropical medicine and infectious diseases at Tulane University, Dr. Stevens explains how his difficult past fuels his passion for creating sustainable healthcare solutions in his homeland.

Throughout our conversation, Dr. Stevens shares the motivation he finds in his two-year-old son, Godfrey, who remains in Sierra Leone while he completes his studies. His ultimate goal transcends personal achievement—he envisions transforming Mercy Hospital into a self-sufficient institution and establishing research teams to address neglected tropical diseases. "Begin every journey with an end in mind," he advises our listeners, emphasizing that true fulfillment comes from focusing on the broader impact of your work. Join us for this powerful reminder that how a child's journey ends isn't determined by how it begins, but by the decisions, support, and determination they find along the way. Listen now and discover how you might become part of someone else's journey toward hope.

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What makes some children overcome unimaginable trauma while others struggle to recover? Is resilience something you're born with, or can it be cultivated? These questions drive our fascinating conversation with Dr. Nicole Wilke, author and Director of Research at Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Drawing from her extraordinary background—growing up in a family that fostered 70 children and personally experiencing severe health challenges as a teenager—Nicole brings professional expertise and lived experience to this critical topic. Her insights challenge conventional wisdom, revealing that resilience is less "bouncing back from" and more "growing through" adversity.

The heart of resilience, Nicole explains, lies in relationships. "When I'm weak, I can borrow from your strength," she shares, highlighting how humans were designed for interdependence rather than independence. This perspective transforms how we approach trauma recovery, shifting focus from individual grit to supportive connections. For children who've experienced separation, abuse or neglect, healing happens primarily through consistent, attuned relationships that communicate worth and belonging.

What's particularly striking is how science and faith align in understanding resilience. Nicole unpacks research showing that spirituality correlates with better recovery outcomes, while biblical principles like finding purpose in suffering parallel scientific concepts of post-traumatic growth. This intersection offers practical strategies for parents, social workers, and anyone walking alongside vulnerable children.

The conversation takes a powerful turn when addressing systems change, advocating for family-based solutions over institutional care and locally-driven approaches over external interventions. Nicole's three-step framework for making a difference—beginning with prayer, prioritizing self-care, and committing to long-term relationships—provides a roadmap for meaningful engagement.

Whether you're a parent, social worker, ministry leader, or simply someone who cares about vulnerable children, this episode will transform how you understand resilience and equip you with practical wisdom for fostering healing in your sphere of influence.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The difference between helping and hurting often comes down to one critical question: are we empowering and dignifying people or creating dependencies and disabilities? In this eye-opening conversation with Sheree Reece, Global Missions Director for a UMC Mega Church - Church of the Resurrection, Laura and Yaz unpack the profound shift happening in mission work worldwide—moving from traditional charity models that often foster dependence to sustainable approaches that build genuine capacity and dignity.

Drawing from her 14 years of experience coordinating global missions across Africa, Asia, and Haiti, Sheree reveals why simply showing up with resources and doing things for communities ultimately creates more harm than good. She shares powerful examples of transformation, including how one Haitian community went from passively waiting for outside help after the 2010 earthquake to confidently leading their own recovery efforts when Hurricane Matthew struck in 2016.

What makes this episode particularly valuable is the practical wisdom Sheree offers. She explains how organizations can make this difficult transition, emphasizing the patience required with both donors and partners. The importance of building trust before sending resources, identifying true community leaders rather than just the loudest voices, and creating "50-50 covenants" where both parties contribute their unique assets all feature prominently in her approach.

Most compelling is Sheree's reminder that Jesus himself modeled empowerment—not by dictating solutions but by engaging people in their own transformation, preserving their dignity, and recognizing their God-given abilities. Whether you're involved in mission work, charitable giving, or simply want to make a more meaningful impact in your community, this conversation will transform how you think about what it truly means to help others.

Listen now to discover how we can shift from doing for others to doing with others—in partnership, with mutual respect—and create change that truly lasts.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What happens when a struggling father refuses to let disability define his family's future? Hannah Smith's remarkable story reveals the transformative journey from family separation to triumphant reunion in post-war Sierra Leone.

Hannah's story begins in hardship—her disabled father, a determined blacksmith, made the heartbreaking decision to place his children in an orphanage when he couldn't provide basic necessities. Though initially grateful for education and proper care at the Child Rescue Center, Hannah and her siblings soon felt a profound emptiness without their father's presence. "Every day spent without him, it was like, 'When are we going to see our dad again?'" Hannah shares, revealing how even well-intentioned institutional care cannot replace family bonds.

The turning point came through empowerment, not charity. The CRC's microfinance program equipped Hannah's father with business training and initial capital that allowed him to expand his blacksmith work creating farming tools and even open a small cinema for community football viewings. Crawling on the ground to perform his craft during difficult rainy seasons when orders decreased, this remarkable man refused to surrender to circumstances. He transformed from a parent who couldn't provide into a successful entrepreneur who trained others and rebuilt his family's future.

Today, Hannah pursues higher education inspired by her father's extraordinary example. "He's our strong pillar... despite his condition, he's always keeping a deep smile to tell people that yes, even though he's disabled, all is not lost." Her powerful message reminds us that determination coupled with the right support can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Subscribe now to hear more inspiring stories of resilience and hope—and learn how you can help ensure more children grow up where they belong: in families.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The systematic abduction and militarization of Ukrainian children by Russian forces represents one of the most devastating yet underreported aspects of the ongoing war. In this eye-opening conversation, Ukrainian historian and religious scholar Vladyslav Havrylov reveals the shocking scope and calculated nature of Russia's deportation campaign targeting Ukrainian youth.

His research with the Institute of World History at Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences and his work documenting war crimes with multiple humanitarian organizations exposes the brutal reality behind Russia's euphemistically labeled "evacuations." Since February 2022, Russian authorities have forcibly transferred thousands of Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia, with official counts identifying 19,546 deported children. Most alarmingly, only 1,366 have been successfully returned after three years of war.

Children are taken by bus or train, processed through filtration camps & dispersed across a network of "temporary accommodation centers" throughout Russia. Many are deliberately sent to remote regions like Siberia. In these facilities, Ukrainian children undergo systematic indoctrination, losing their documents, language, and cultural identity. They are funneled into paramilitary organizations like "Young Army" where children as young as eight receive military training. 

Read more

Havrylov reveals violations of Geneva Convention and international law. This scheme serves Russia's demographic interests in its underpopulated eastern regions by converting Ukrainian children into Russian patriots, and conscripting them into the Russian military to fight against their countrymen. With 1.6 million children in occupied Ukrainian territories currently at risk, the number likely to fall victim is high, and the window for successful reunification later narrows daily as young minds become increasingly susceptible to indoctrination.

Despite these horrors,  Havrylov maintains hope through Ukrainian-led initiatives working tirelessly to document cases and facilitate returns. He calls on listeners to spread awareness about this underreported crisis, contact their representatives about strengthening sanctions against responsible Russian officials, and support organizations working to reunite Ukrainian children w

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Ever wondered what life is really like for families living on the edge of extreme poverty? Most of us have only seen poverty through statistics or images, but a new immersive experience called "Rooted in Reality" is changing how we understand this complex reality.

When a team of college students traveled to Sierra Leone to develop this groundbreaking poverty simulation, they discovered something profound. People experiencing poverty don't define their situation primarily by their lack of material resources – they define it by feelings of powerlessness, inferiority, and hopelessness. "We feel like garbage that other people throw out," one person shared during a World Bank study. "We don't matter to the world and it is our destiny to be poor."

This mindset revelation transformed the team's approach. Rather than creating a simulation focused solely on material deprivation, they crafted an experience that plunges participants into the emotional reality of poverty – the impossible choices, the systemic barriers, and the cumulative stress of living without safety nets. During beta testing, participants emerged feeling "incredibly stressed" and "very anxious," gaining valuable insight into the psychological toll of poverty.

What makes Rooted in Reality uniquely powerful is its authenticity. Every scenario is based on real stories gathered from families in Bo and Freetown, Sierra Leone. The team worked closely with case managers at the Child Reintegration Center and staff at Mercy Hospital to ensure the simulation honored the dignity of these families while accurately representing their challenges. As team member Cassie Robertson explains, "It's not pretending you can understand someone else's reality, but creating a space to reflect on those hard conversations."

The simulation aims to deliver three outcomes: education about poverty's complex nature, empathy through emotional engagement, and motivation for meaningful action. By changing how participants understand poverty, it changes how they approach solutions – moving beyond simplistic material fixes to address systemic barriers and mindsets of fatalism.

Ready to transform your understanding of global poverty? Experience Rooted in Reality with your church, organization, or community group by contacting support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org. Walk a mile in someone else's shoes and come away changed.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Princess was just six years old when someone finally spoke up about the abuse she was suffering. That brave act by a Child Reintegration Center alumnus became the first link in a chain of compassionate interventions that would transform her life.

Reverend Olivia Fonney, Director of the Child Reintegration Center in Sierra Leone, takes us through Princess's journey from trauma to healing. When Princess first arrived at the CRC, she was understandably confused and frightened. Rather than place her in the dormitory setting of their interim care facility, Reverend Olivia made the compassionate decision to take Princess into her personal quarters - recognizing that institutional care, however well-intentioned, cannot replicate the warmth of a family environment.

Despite their best efforts to prepare Princess's biological parents for reunification, initial attempts failed when they couldn't keep her safe from her abuser. This setback led to placement with a foster parent - a nurse who provided Princess with stability, nurturing, and specialized care for her emotional needs. This therapeutic environment became the foundation for Princess's remarkable transformation.

Today, Princess is thriving. She's confident, expressive, and truly connected to her family after successfully reunifying with her prepared biological parents. She attends school regularly, has developed a love for reading, and dreams of becoming a teacher. As Reverend Olivia powerfully states, "No child is ever too lost or too broken to find her way back to love and stability."

Princess's story reminds us of the critical importance of speaking up when we see abuse, the power of trauma-informed care, and how communities working together can change a child's life trajectory. What role might you play in protecting the vulnerable children in your community? Subscribe now to hear more stories of resilience and hope on Optimistic Voices: A Child's View.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The global movement to transition children from orphanages to families is gaining momentum, but significant challenges remain. In this thought-provoking episode, David Titus Moussa hosts a conversation with Stephen Usembe, a care leaver and founder of Kenya Society of Care Leavers, and Phil Aspergren, executive director of Casa Viva in Costa Rica, as they unpack key insights from the recent Rising Tide Conference.

Stephen shares his unique perspective as someone who grew up in institutional care, emphasizing the critical need for research and data to drive meaningful policy change. "When we know better, we have a responsibility to do better," he reminds us, highlighting how institutions isolate while families embrace. The experts discuss how poverty, misguided funding models, and entrenched attitudes continue to separate vulnerable children from families that could care for them with proper support.

Phil recounts a powerful story of transformation: when 26 adolescents in a well-run children's home were asked what they wanted most, every single one answered, "I want to live in a family." This led to a complete transition from institutional care to family placements for all 26 youth—proving that change is possible even in challenging circumstances. He challenges listeners who support orphanages not to withdraw funding, but instead to use their influence to ask important questions and encourage transition toward family-based solutions.

The conversation explores practical strategies for redirecting resources, changing mindsets (particularly within North American churches), and creating stronger collaboration between governments and organizations. Rather than focusing on improving orphanages, the experts advocate prioritizing family-based alternatives first. With compelling examples from Haiti, Kenya, Costa Rica, and beyond, they demonstrate that children with disabilities, children in poverty, and children in crisis can all thrive when supported in family environments.

Subscribe to Optimistic Voices for more inspiring conversations on global child welfare, and join us in believing that with radical courage and collaboration, we can ensure every child grows up where they belong—in a family.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Child welfare is undergoing a profound transformation worldwide as organizations shift away from institutional orphanages toward family-based care models. But what does this transition actually look like on the ground? How can we redirect well-intentioned support toward solutions that truly serve children's needs?

This eye-opening conversation brings together true pioneers in the global care reform movement. Stephen Ucembe draws from his lived experience growing up in a Kenyan orphanage to advocate for family care through Hope and Homes for Children and Transform Alliance Africa. Phil Aspegren shares his remarkable journey from orphanage founder to family care champion as Executive Director of Casa Viva, supporting transitions across Latin America. Together with host David Titus Musa of Sierra Leone, they unpack myths about orphanages that perpetuate family separation.

The statistics are sobering: for every three months in an institution, a child loses approximately one month of development. Yet there's tremendous hope in the successful transitions happening worldwide. We hear about a Honduran children's home that reunified all 40 children with families, then redirected their resources to support 125 vulnerable families in the community, preventing separations before they happen.

Whether you're a donor, volunteer, or simply care about vulnerable children, this conversation presents a compelling vision for reform. Family isn't just a nice option – it's essential.

Family is the foundation for healthy development, identity formation, and cultural connection. The good news? There are concrete ways that all of us can redirect our compassion toward solutions that strengthen families rather than separate them.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Discover the remarkable journey of Monjama, a young woman from rural Sierra Leone whose life trajectory shifted dramatically through education, family reconnection, and dedicated support. Left fatherless in a remote village without schools or healthcare facilities, Monjama's future seemed predetermined by generational poverty—until intervention changed everything.

At just seven years old, Monjama entered the Child Reintegration Center (CRC), encountering formal education for the first time. Despite having no prior schooling, her natural abilities flourished as she was double-promoted through her studies. When the CRC transitioned from residential care to family-based support in 2016, Monjama faced new challenges: reconnecting with her mother while continuing her education.

The podcast welcomes two special guests who bring this story to life. Rosa Saffa, a social worker at the CRC who was herself raised in residential care, shares unique insights into the emotional complexities Monjama navigated. Then surprisingly, Monjama herself joins the conversation, describing her journey from disconnection to rebuilding relationships with her mother and siblings. We hear firsthand about the obstacles she overcame—language barriers, cultural differences, and the emotional work of reestablishing family bonds after years of separation.

Most powerfully, Monjama reveals how she completed nursing school and treated her own mother as her first patient—a profound full-circle moment that exemplifies how supporting one child can transform entire families and communities. As Rosa eloquently states, "If you educate a girl child, you educate a nation."

This episode challenges listeners to reconsider what creates true resilience in vulnerable children. Beyond academic opportunities, Monjama's story demonstrates how family connections provide the emotional foundation and sense of belonging essential for lasting success. Through her journey, we witness the transformative power of holistic support that addresses both educational needs and family relationships.

Ready to be part of someone's journey toward hope? Visit helpingchildrenworldwide.org to learn how 

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Child sponsorship seems like the perfect way to help vulnerable children abroad – for just $30 a month, you get photos, letters, and the satisfaction of changing a child's life. But what if this model is causing unexpected problems?

In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the $3.29 billion child sponsorship industry with Dr. Hunter Farrell, author of "Congregational Mission." Having operated our own sponsorship program for years, we explore why global child welfare experts are increasingly critical of this popular fundraising approach.

Dr. Farrell explains how sponsorship programs often create an "illusion of relationship" that can undermine family structures and elevate Western donors to an almost divine status. We discuss the uncomfortable realization that for all our good intentions, we may be perpetuating harmful power dynamics. As one Peruvian mother pointedly asked: "How would it feel to you if a foreigner was writing your 11-year-old daughter every month?"

The conversation isn't about condemning those who sponsor children – it's about recognizing sponsorship as a starting point that can evolve into more equitable partnerships. We explore three practical alternatives that address root causes rather than symptoms: supporting community-based programs, pairing international giving with local engagement, and persistently asking "why" about the underlying causes of vulnerability.

Whether you're currently sponsoring a child, considering it, or working in global development, this conversation challenges us to apply the golden rule to our international relationships and reimagine how we can truly support vulnerable children worldwide. Join us for this essential discussion about privilege, power, and the path toward more effective global partnerships.

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

When Jen Conrad first sponsored a child in Sierra Leone, she never imagined it would lead to adoption proceedings, heartbreaking visa denials, and eventually creating a groundbreaking program that's changing lives across the country. Her story reveals the hidden aftermath of institutional care that few people consider: what happens when orphaned children become adults?

After traveling to Sierra Leone multiple times and forming deep bonds with two siblings, Jen and her husband pursued adoption. Despite gaining full legal guardianship in Sierra Leone's courts, their hopes were crushed when U.S. immigration repeatedly denied visas for their children. Suddenly faced with parenting teenagers across an ocean, Jen discovered an even greater problem - young adults aging out of orphanages had nowhere to go and no skills for independent living.

"There were more resources available for someone coming out of prison than a child transitioning from institutional care," Jen explains. Without basic life skills, budgeting knowledge, or mental health support, these young adults faced nearly impossible odds. When rumors spread that the transition program would be ending and children might be sent back to families unprepared to receive them, Jen knew she had to act. She worked with a local Sierra Leonean NGO, Child and Family Permanency Services, to create a program to assist care leavers suddenly facing life outside the institution with no supports.

Named in honor of her mother who never gave up hope that her grandchildren would come home, Mamaw's House now provides comprehensive support to young adults leaving orphanage care. Managed as a program of an established organization that provides family strengthening, child reintegration and child protection services, Mamaw's House offers care leavers from Sierra Leone orphanages continuing education, connections to find basic housing and necessary services, mentorship from former care leavers, life skills training, and mental health services. Within its first year, it has already helped over 20 young adults.

As Sierra Leone considers legislation to close orphanages entirely, Mamaw's House stands ready to expand its crucial work. "I think their stories are going to be very powerful," Jen says of the resilient young people finding their independence through the program. "I'm really encouraged that they're going to break the cycle and be part of this change." 

To learn ways you can help Mamaw's House and the Child and Family Permanency Services - go to https://cfpssl.org

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Dr. Abdullahi Jawobah takes us deep into the critically overlooked world of maternal mental health, where his groundbreaking  research reveals a staggering statistic: approximately 50% of pregnant and lactating mothers in Sierra Leone experience psychological distress. This silent epidemic has far-reaching consequences not only for mothers but for their unborn children, as Dr. Jawobah explains how stress hormones cross the placenta to affect gene expression in developing fetuses. Addressing this is a pathway to reducing stillbirths, preeclampsia, infant malnutrition, and physical health outcomes.

The conversation illuminates how mothers in Sierra Leone express their psychological suffering through culturally specific language—describing their distress as "my heart is spoiled" or "my heart is crying"—rather than using Western terms like depression or anxiety. Dr. Jawobah shares the heartbreaking cultural context where women who undergo cesarean sections may be viewed as "not fit to be women" and mothers whose babies develop malnutrition might be accused of infidelity, creating significant barriers to seeking mental health support.

What makes this episode particularly powerful is Dr. Jawobah's innovative solution: adapting Zimbabwe's "Friendship Bench" intervention for Sierra Leone. By training elderly women from existing mother-to-mother support groups to provide problem-solving therapy, his team created a culturally appropriate support system that produced "phenomenal" results. These elderly women, once feeling marginalized themselves, find new purpose in guiding younger mothers through their challenges, creating a beautiful intergenerational healing model.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Sixteen-year-old Musu Sangu faced a devastating diagnosis in Sierra Leone—a life-threatening heart condition requiring specialized surgery unavailable anywhere in her country. With her heart functioning at just 20% capacity and given only a 40% chance of survival, Musu's future looked grim. But what followed was an extraordinary demonstration of global compassion that would save her life.

The journey began at Mercy Hospital in Sierra Leone, where Dr. Aruna Stevens identified Musu's condition using a newly acquired EKG machine. Through the Child Reintegration Center's family strengthening program, Musu already had access to medical care and a dedicated case manager who advocated tirelessly for her. When it became clear that she needed surgery unavailable in Sierra Leone, an incredible network of support mobilized across three continents.

Gary and Mary Ann Gilkyson, who had met Musu during a mission trip, rallied their church in South Carolina to raise funds. The Sick Pickin Foundation connected her with surgical care in India. Staff members at multiple organizations coordinated passports, visas, medical clearance, and financial support. After a grueling journey from Freetown through multiple countries, Musu arrived in New Delhi where surgeons performed her high-risk aortic valve replacement.

Against tremendous odds, Musu made a remarkable recovery. Within a month, she returned home to her family in Sierra Leone. Today, she's back in school, even playing Mary in the CRC Christmas play, while her mother builds stability through a microfinance program.

This powerful story reminds us that when compassion knows no borders, extraordinary things happen. People who had never met Musu—and many who never will—worked together to give her a future. Consider joining this village of support through the Emergency Medical Health Fund, established to help more children like Musu access life-saving care when local resources aren't enough. Your contribution could be part of the next miracle.

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Welcome to a transformative episode that dives deep into saving lives through improved maternal health in Sierra Leone. We share inspiring stories from a recent training conference in Kenema, focusing on the critical role midwives play in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. You'll hear from Matron Mary Augusta Fuller, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, who shares insights on the vital need for comprehensive training programs for midwives, addressing both essential newborn care and postpartum hemorrhage management. 

In our conversation, we explore the significance of mental health awareness among healthcare providers, highlighting how integrated training can create better support systems for mothers and their newborns. Additionally, we tackle cultural barriers women face in rural settings, often inhibiting their access to crucial medical care. The episode emphasizes the importance of empowering midwives with both knowledge and practical training to advance community health outcomes. 

Through dialogue about new initiatives and the ambitious strategic plans laid out by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, we present a hopeful vision for the future of maternal health in Sierra Leone. Join us in understanding how these efforts can pave the way for a healthier tomorrow for mothers and their children. Stay tuned as we inspire meaningful change in local healthcare communities. 

Help spread the mission of maternal health advocacy by subscribing, sharing our episode, and leaving a review!

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Join us for a deeply inspiring episode that follows the miraculous journey of baby Joseph, born against all odds in a rural clinic in Sierra Leone. This episode highlights the intense realities faced by healthcare workers like midwife Hawa Zoker, caught in a life-or-death situation while managing multiple deliveries. Tune in to hear about the pivotal moment when help arrived in the form of Canadian nurses, who brought both medical expertise and critical supplies that ultimately saved Joseph's life and that of his mother, Nancy.

As we unravel this powerful narrative, we delve into the impact of maternal health training programs, exploring how education can transform lives. You'll hear about Hawa's journey as she changed from a burned-out midwife to a dedicated trainer, sharing skills needed to save lives and creating a ripple effect of change in her community. The episode not only chronicles Joseph's fight for survival but also challenges listeners to consider how small, compassionate actions can lead to significant shifts in healthcare systems.

We invite you to reflect on the importance of collaboration in healthcare as we discuss the crucial role of community support and training. Be inspired by Joseph’s story and learn how hope and dedication can pave the way for a healthier future for mothers and children alike. Remember to subscribe, share this episode, and leave us a review! Your support helps us amplify these critical narratives of hope and resilience.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

The episode shares Ishmael's inspiring journey from pain to healing through the compassionate care provided by Mercy UMC Hospital. Listeners learn how community support and dedicated healthcare professionals can create incredible transformations in children's lives.

• Ishmael's broken body and his mother's desperate journey for help
• Dr. Morie Vandi’s commitment to serving underserved communities
• Mercy's outreach program and how important it is in providing medical care to rural areas where poverty is extreme
• The successful surgical intervention for Ishmael's hernia
• The fusion of medical care and emotional support during recovery
• Ishmael’s joyful transformation post-surgery and his aspirations for the future
• Our young Co-host's perspective and her uplifting message about kindness and community impact

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, share it with your friends and leave a review. Together, we can bring more stories of hope to life.

More about our guest: https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/latestnews/introducing-dr-morie-vandi-mercy-hospitals-newest-physician
More about Mercy Hospital:
https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/mercy-hospital.html

How you can support crucial health services for children like Ishmael.
https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/give-998668.html

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Welcome to the first episode of Season of the Optimistic Voices podcast of Helping Children Worldwide. This is a REBROADCAST of Episode 1, Season 3, because we are once again heading to West Africa on this collaborative mission to save the lives of mothers and infants - and going upstream in our mission to prevent unnecessary orphanhoods from occurring.

We help children worldwide by strengthening and Empowering Families and communities. This podcast is for people interested in deep conversations with thought leaders in the field of child welfare, global health and international missions to the global South.

Our special host for this episode is Kathleen Pfohl, the maternal health mission graduate intern with Helping Children Worldwide., along with guests Josephine Garnem,  Executive Director of Healy International Relief Foundation and Dr. Mariama Massaquoi, co-founder of Tenki for Born, which she runs together with her siblings as a way for members of the diaspora to recognize and give back to the communities where their families and ancestors were born. Dr. Masaquoi is a family medicine doctor based in Virginia. Mariama, and a guest on a prior episode of Optimistic Voices, where she discussed the Mission of Tenki for Born. Tenki for Born is dedicated to alleviating maternal mortality. Helping Children Worldwide, Healy International and Tenki are members of Together for Global Health, a professional Network convened by Helping Children Worldwide and managed by Yasmine Vaughan, Helping Children Worldwide's Technical Advisor for Global Health and Missions.

 During January 2024, the together for Global health network members are hosting a maternal health conference in Sierra Leone, West Africa, training midwives and nurses and focused on creating a cadre of well-trained practitioners who can train others locally in order to sustain the educational impact of the conference, improve continuity of care and capacity of local providers. 

The training builds on training provided by CHASL in 2023 and is the first collaboration of a long term plan for training missions to Sierra Leone to bring the educational efforts to every community and region in the country.

The conference outcomes will inform future collaborative endeavors, through monitoring, evaluation and collaborative research on long term impacts of the training.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Curious about how sustainable development models can transform entire communities? Our latest episode promises to unravel this by sitting down with Melody Curtis, the inspiring Executive Director of Helping Children Worldwide. Discover how her organization transitioned from temporary relief to an empowerment approach, fostering resilient communities and strong families. Melody shares uplifting success stories of families gaining independence, and our program strategist Laura emphasizes the value of local expertise, highlighting the key role communities play in driving long-term change.

Rethinking mission work? We definitely are, and this episode challenges the traditional models of short-term missions. We move beyond task completion to embrace relationship-building and mutual learning. Join us as we recount the experiences of mission teams in Sierra Leone, where medical training and simulations offered deep insights into the challenges faced by local communities. Learn how this shift towards understanding and collaboration leads to a richer, more reciprocal mission experience that empowers both participants and the communities they engage with.

Finally, we dive into the nuances of cross-cultural collaboration and the push towards localization in international development. Our conversation with Melody illuminates the Rising Tide initiative's success in empowering local leaders in Sierra Leone and celebrates 25 years of impactful collaboration. As we look towards 2025, we share our ambitious goals to expand our network and support vulnerable communities even further. With a commitment to justice, mercy, and humility, this episode is a testament to the power of global partnerships and the dedication of everyone involved in this important mission.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Explore the power of transformation and empowerment in this special retrospective episode of Optimistic Voices. Join Dr. Laura Horvath, Emmanuel Nabeu, and Yasmin Vaughn as we promise to uncover the compelling journey of Helping Children Worldwide (HCW) through 2024, celebrating remarkable milestones and visionary shifts in global leadership. We reflect on standout episodes that shed light on crucial topics like maternal and child health improvements in Sierra Leone, transitioning care leavers to adulthood, and fostering dynamic partnerships between NGOs and churches. Our discussions dive deep into the empowerment model, highlighting a pivotal movement from immediate relief to sustainable growth, with a closer look at our fruitful collaboration with the Sierra Leone Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Journey with us as we recount our global adventures and pioneering initiatives throughout 2023. Our visits to Kenya and Mozambique, and participation in significant international conferences like the CAFO Summit and the ICAR 8 conference, have deeply informed our focus on transitioning orphanages to family care models across Africa. Yasmin Vaughn offers insights from the Rising Tides Conference, revealing how intimate collaborations among global health professionals are crucial to empowering communities and strengthening family bonds. Learn how these experiences have shaped our collective mission to create lasting impacts in child welfare and global health.

Celebrate the growth of Helping Children Worldwide as we approach our 25th anniversary in 2025, emphasizing our commitment to shifting power and decision-making to local leaders in the Global South. This transformative journey is highlighted by empowering local solutions, exemplified by the successful training of 98 midwives in emergency procedures for maternal and child health. Through stories of local leadership driving innovative solutions, such as self-sustainability initiatives at Mercy Hospital, we underscore our dedication to fostering local insights and collaborative global alliances for meaningful, enduring change.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Join us on a transformative journey as we explore the profound shift from orphanage care to family-based support in Sierra Leone and beyond. Featuring insights from George Kulanda, the case management supervisor at the Child Reintegration Center, and David Titus Musa, a senior consultant at the Center, this episode promises a deep dive into the complexities and triumphs of reintegrating children into family environments. From engaging with orphanage leaders to collaborating with governments and civil society organizations, David shares his inspiring transition from the confines of orphanage walls to advocating for family reintegration. Meanwhile, George sheds light on his role in bolstering family ties and ensuring successful reintegration through comprehensive case management.

Moving beyond individual stories, we explore the broader implications of family strengthening and financial literacy programs in Africa. Delving into the challenges caregivers face, we uncover the delicate balance between providing for and nurturing children, while also highlighting innovative research methods used to assess these programs' effectiveness. The episode also brings to life the rich discussions from the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit, where diverse voices from across the globe, especially from the Global South, are given the platform they deserve. This dialogue is pivotal in reshaping global child welfare conversations and ensuring that care leavers and practitioners can voice their unique perspectives unhindered.

Our journey would be incomplete without emphasizing the irreplaceable value of face-to-face connections in cultures like Sierra Leone, where true understanding and trust are built. Through compelling anecdotes from George and David, we uncover the limitations of digital interactions and the profound impact of in-person engagement. Whether it's overcoming visa hurdles or fostering international networks in Mozambique and Uganda, the episode underscores the necessity of direct personal connections in advancing child protection initiatives across West Africa. This episode is a clarion call for empowering Global South voices and fostering collaborations that lead to systemic change and shared knowledge in the realm of child welfare.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Ever wonder what it truly means to be a part of the Peace Corps, especially in a country with such a rich history like Sierra Leone? Our guests, Nat Kofi Abu-Bonsrah, a current volunteer, and Michael Lee, a returned volunteer and president of Friends of Sierra Leone, share their inspiring journeys. Nat provides a unique perspective on his role in sustainable development, while Michael reveals the continued commitment of Friends of Sierra Leone to foster positive change and collaboration between nations. Their stories shed light on personal motivations and the broader impact of Peace Corps service, which has been a cornerstone of community development in Sierra Leone since 1962.

Peace Corps service is far from a leisurely escape, but it is a life-changing and transformative experience for young adults and rewarding for older adults who want to do more with their lives, and have an impact on the world. Together with our guests, we break down the misconceptions about age limits and the purpose and impact of peace corps as a force for good, emphasizing the challenging yet rewarding experiences that come with service in the Peace Corps. From recent graduates to retirees, the Peace Corps welcomes a diverse group of individuals ready to embrace personal growth and cultural exchange. As we explore these narratives, we also consider potential barriers impacting younger generations and how evolving application processes might open doors to future volunteers.

Journey with us into the volunteer experience in Sierra Leone, where community spirit thrives, and vibrant colors light up the festivities. This episode also shines a spotlight on Friends of Sierra Leone (FOSL) and their diligent work to maintain engagement between former volunteers and the country. Initiatives like grants for local projects and virtual talks are just a few ways they strengthen these vital connections. Finally, we discuss the transformative power of collaboration, enhanced by modern communication technologies, and express gratitude for the optimistic future fueled by Peace Corps volunteers' dedication and cultural exchange.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What happens when five remarkable young adults transition from the regimented life of an orphanage to the uncharted reality of post-orphanage life? Join us on Optimistic Voices as we welcome these inspirational individuals who grew up at the Child Rescue Center Orphanage in Sierra Leone and now stand as influential care leaders. From navigating transportation challenges and irregular meal times to adapting to a lack of protection and electricity, their stories are a testament to resilience and adaptability. Gain insights into their journey and the broader implications for care reform for orphans and vulnerable children worldwide.

Our heartfelt conversation reveals the emotional and practical struggles of reconnecting with family and integrating back into society after years in care. Our guests candidly discuss the essential life skills they missed out on due to gender roles and reflect on how the orphanage instilled discipline, personal hygiene, and academic readiness. The challenges of blending back into family life highlight the complexities and resilience required during these transitions, underscoring the role caregivers play in shaping the futures of care leavers.

The episode also touches on preparing care leavers for the world, emphasizing the importance of community integration and realistic preparation for life post-care. Listen as our guests share their experiences of becoming parents and spouses, focusing on building strong bonds with children and fostering open communication. We wrap up with a hopeful vision for the future, advocating for family-based care and inviting mission-minded communities to join forces in creating a better world for vulnerable children. Tune in for an inspiring discussion that champions resilience, adaptability, and the power of collective action.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

What if your church could transform lives across the globe while strengthening your local community? Discover how two Virginia pastors, Reverend Gina Anderson-Cloud and Reverend Jason Duley, have achieved this through enduring partnerships with NonProfits such as She Believes in Me, CornerStone, Backpack Buddies, and Helping Children Worldwide. Hosted by Emmanuel Nabieu, this episode of the Optimistic Voices Podcast takes you behind the scenes of church/nonprofit collaborations that make a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families.

Explore the remarkable stories of transformation in Sierra Leone and Northern Virginia, where initiatives like food assistance programs and refugee aid have left a lasting impact. Learn about the profound contributions of Floris in Fairfax County, VA and Galilee Church in Loudon County, VA, two churches in the Greater DC area and the diversity of their family-oriented missions and partnerships with NGOs - from educational support for local children, to building a hospital in Sierra Leone, providing opportunities for impoverished children to attend universities, and the value of small contributions, such as the heartwarming Backpack Buddies program. This episode paints a vivid picture of how united efforts can create ripples of change that span continents.

We also tackle the crucial elements that sustain these impactful partnerships: trust, transparency, and a shared mission. Hear personal anecdotes and heartfelt reflections on biblical teachings to love one's neighbor, fostering unity across cultural and geographical boundaries. Join us as we celebrate exemplary global outreach, radical collaboration, and the inspiring journey of connecting people to God’s love through dedicated service.

____

Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!

To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/

or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org

__________

____

Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how.

___________

Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Why do African social workers believe that it is essential that local governments, foreign donors, and parents understand that children living in orphanages should be returned to family homes? Join us as we explore the profound journey and epic revelations of two social workers devoting their careers to making this change across the continent of Africa, starting with orphanages in their own country.  David Musa and Rosamund Palmer from the Child Reintegration Center (CRC) in Bo, Sierra Leone discuss the experience of change, and the unexpected areas of resistance, and what they find is behind it.  Discover the intricacies of how the CRC is reshaping child care by helping others do what the CRC did, moving away from institutional settings to nurturing family-based environments. David and Rosamund share their experiences training social workers, engaging orphanage directors, and advocating for an attachment-focused approach that fosters strong bonds with children returning to family homes.

Our episode delves into the pivotal role of the Transition Coaching and Mentoring Department (TCM) at CRC. Learn about the power of mass media campaigns that educate communities on the benefits of family care and the harm caused by orphanages. Hear about the unique training workshop for media personnel that ensures accurate reporting on family reunification and child welfare, and why regular follow-ups, training, and mentorship are essential for organizations in transition. This discussion underscores the importance of relationship-building and trust in achieving successful transitions from orphanages to family homes.

Finally, we address the significant challenges faced in transitioning from residential care institutions to family-centered care models, particularly in Sierra Leone. David and Rosamund discuss their strategy of local engagement to garner national government support and the CRC’s own discovery of how this change permits organizations to exponentially grow their impact. CRC supported 40 children in residential care, and for the same budget, are now able to support nearly 1600 children by strengthening 450 families. We call on American donors to rethink their contributions to orphanages and instead support family-based programs. Join us as we envision an orphanage-free Sierra Leone within five years and celebrate the optimism from institutions ready to adopt best practices for the betterment of children's lives.

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Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Discover the unforeseen ripple effects of child sponsorship programs with Dr. Laura Horvath, Jared Scheppman, and Kelly Strong as we dissect the challenges and triumphs in philanthropy's evolving landscape. As we navigate this complex terrain, our guests reveal how well-intentioned aid can sometimes miss the mark, inadvertently creating dependencies that hobble the very communities they intend to uplift. With a watchmaker's precision, we analyze the intricacies of international aid, focusing on the necessary shift from quick fixes to sustainable, community-driven development.

The journey toward ethical advocacy is fraught with obstacles, yet it's one that our guests and I tackle with unwavering commitment. This episode peels back the curtain on the delicate process of shifting from child-centric to family-centric models, highlighting the language and financial challenges that arise. Our heartfelt conversation extends gratitude to those donors who've held steadfast through the transition, illustrating the power of aligning with shared values over personal interest.

Ending on a note of optimism, we share tales of resilience and hope that fuel our mission for children separated from family care. Kelly and Jared, with their tireless dedication and sharp intellect, embody the change-makers forging a path to a brighter future. By embracing radical honesty and collective action, we underscore our belief that even amidst overwhelming odds, we can make a profound difference in the lives of the most vulnerable. Join us in this critical conversation as we champion ethical and moral advocacy for children worldwide.

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Part One:

Discover the transformative power of reimagined humanitarian aid in our latest episode of Optimistic Voices. Join me, Dr. Melody Curtis, along with experts Dr. Laura Horvath, Jared Scheppman, and Kelly Strong, as we share our journey from traditional child sponsorship models to a new paradigm that champions community empowerment. We're peeling back the curtain to reveal the ethical dilemmas and strategic decisions that are reshaping the way we support vulnerable children around the world.

The narrative of child sponsorship is being rewritten, and you're invited to listen in as Jared  discusses the rationale behind EKISA aschewing child sponsorship for an innovative fundraising effort that doesn't "throw the baby out with the bathwater." As our conversation unfolds, we explore how this organization has courageously stepped away from individual sponsorships to pioneer a collective approach that enriches entire communities. This crucial episode uncovers the reality of these programs — from the potential to unintentionally propagate paternalism to the inspiring possibilities that emerge from consistent, holistic support.

Kelly Strong spotlights how their bold rebranding of a monthly giving program places family empowerment at the forefront. Hear firsthand from Dr. Laura Horvath about how her organization grappled with the false narrative that lifelong personal bonds are developed through child sponsorship, and their decision to adopt a new way of speaking about dedicated donors advocating and partnering with workers to uplift and protect entire communities. The insights shared by our panel challenge traditional donor roles and highlight the importance of sustainable change, ensuring that this episode will leave listeners enlightened and potentially inspired to advocate for more equitable forms of humanitarian aid. 

But what happens to organizations after they make this decision? 

Listen in to our next episode, as these bold leaders discuss with radical honesty the impacts, good and bad, on their organization and its mission.

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Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

When Barbara Sprout accompanied her daughter Kim to Sierra Leone on a mission trip with their church,  little did she know it would mark the beginning of an incredible journey, not just for Kimberly, but also for her and her husband Rick, filled with deep connections and life-altering experiences. Rick joined a volunteer crew at the church to pack a container filled with hospital equipment in 2007 to ship overseas to Mercy Hospital in Africa, then traveled years later, humbled to see how his one mundane act had helped to save lives. Today's episode features the Sprouts as they recount their transformative work with Helping Children Worldwide, offering an intimate glimpse into the joy and fulfillment that comes from serving communities in Sierra Leone. From medical outreaches to family support, their heartfelt stories illustrate the profound impact of dedicated service and the visible progress achieved over a decade of commitment.

Have you ever considered the ripple effect your actions can have across the globe? The narrative unfolds as our guests share their engagement with Helping Children Worldwide, discussing the rewarding nature of building relationships and watching children thrive. The conversation takes us on a journey of growth, both personal and communal, showcasing the power of generosity to change lives and the evolution of child care from orphanages to family-focused support. Join us as we share inspiring anecdotes from mission trips and explore the true meaning of service, aiming to ignite a spark in others to discover the deep satisfaction found in helping others.

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Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Step into the heart of Sierra Leone with us on Optimistic Voices, where Carrie Jo Cain from CHAMPS imparts her wisdom on neonatal mortality and the life-saving power of evidence-based training. Through our conversation, we celebrate a major leap in maternal and child health, with 80 trainees now armed with the expertise to tackle challenges like bleeding after birth and birth asphyxia. Witness the embodiment of hope as these professionals, with Carrie Jo's guidance, forge a path towards a healthier future for mothers and their newborns.

Joining us with tales from the frontlines, Dr. Andrew Justice, a pediatrician with unwavering dedication to global health, recounts his serendipitous journey to Sierra Leone and the transformation he's witnessed by educating nurses and midwives in Essential Newborn Care. His narrative not only highlights the resilience of healthcare workers but also the innovative teaching methods that cross cultural and language barriers. Dr. Justice's reflections provide a vivid account of the complexities and triumphs in elevating healthcare standards under challenging conditions.

Lastly, we pay homage to the midwives of Sierra Leone, true vanguards in the realm of maternal health. Their tireless work and relentless pursuit of excellence are not just improving outcomes but also inspiring change across communities. From their expanded roles to the leadership they embody, the strategies for community engagement they employ are nothing short of revolutionary. Their stories, alongside those of Embrace International nurses like Betty Tenga, underscore the significance of compassionate collaboration and the enduring spirit of those dedicated to nurturing life in its earliest moments.

Kathleen Pfohl is the maternal Health mission intern with Helping Children Worldwide. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Global Health Policy at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, DC. Through this program she has been building upon her academic foundation in international conflict analysis and resolution, for which she obtained a bachelor's degree from George Mason University. As a full time manager of training coordination with the National Coalition of STD directors, she is am actively involved in advancing public health initiatives. Her professional passion lies in addressing global health challenges, particularly in low and middle-income countries and conflict settings, with a special focus on reproductive and maternal health. 

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Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

When Americans and others living in the global north (aka Westerners) think about trafficking, they tend to have an image of a child being kidnapped by a bad guy, and then sexually exploited.  While that is certainly a trafficking issue, there are all kinds of child trafficking.  You may not have heard of orphanage trafficking before today, but it is real and real life horror story happening all around the world, every single day.

It is a genuinely horrific idea to contemplate. It is, simply put, the use of children as commodities by using them to bring profit to a business that is characterized as an orphanage through solicitation of donations, inflated adoption fees, and international charitable tourism expenses, and even direct sales of children or child parts. 

What is it?  How can a child be trafficked into an orphanage?  Or indeed, out of one?  Isn’t an orphanage supposed to be a safe place for - well - orphans?

 Katie Milazzois a repeat guest on Optimistic Voices, and during Season One of our podcast during November of 2022, she discussed her work with the Child Prosperity Centre. Since that time, the organization she headed up at the time has been transformed and has new supporting organizations, and a new Director, who just happens to be Katie's husband, Johnny Donoghue.   The organization Johnny now heads up is called the Child and Family Permanency Services Centre, and like the program that HCW supports in Sierra Leone, CFPS works to reintegrate children separated from family care back into families, and to strengthen vulnerable families so that they can care for themselves.  CFPS enjoys a stellar reputation in community where they are located, and along with their reintegration work, and because of their focus on child protection issues, have found themselves in a position to witness some pretty terrible orphanage and orphan trafficking in their own community - and have taken steps to address these issues.

Katie has stayed in the field of child protection and child welfare, and remained in Sierra Leone. Shd is now a Protection Specialist of Anti-trafficking and Gender Based Violence at World Hope International.

World Hope International
Child and Family Permanency Centre

Video Presentation by David T. Musa, CRC TCM Senior Consultant on how Family based care models for orphan response can help to disrupt the practice of Orphanage Trafficking

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Host Dr. Laura Horvath is joined by Short Term Mission Leader for the Teachers' Learning Collaborative,  Sharon Gardner from Grapevine, Texas

Sharon is the project lead teacher. She has traveled six time to participate in Short Term Mission  in Sierra Leone, every year since 2016 with the exception of HCW's Covid restricted travel period.  Sharon is also a 2018 recipient of the Grapevine-Colleyville Foundation Star Teaching Award Grant and the US team lead author of the shared curriculum developed by the collaborative, and currently the First UMC Colleyville HCW Partnership Representative, working with local Family Advocates supporting family strengthening and empowerment in Sierra Leone . 

We are hoping to include both the US based lead author, and the African team lead author in the TLC's season 3 episode scheduled for release in September 2024. 

Helping Children Worldwide program staff worked with the mission team members to produce the program outline and teaching materials for a new kind of short term mission intended to be a model for our future STM deployments.

The opportunity to come to Africa to teach summer school to children in an orphanage for a very short time period is different from what teachers used to do when they traveled with HCW. Now teachers work in collaboration with teachers in a different country to develop a train the trainer “in-service” for teachers in Sierra Leone. 
In Season

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Your Optimistic Voices Podcast Host, Yasmine Vaughan, discusses appropriate training for Short Term Mission (STM) Teams to ensure ethical missions with Guest, Andrea Kroeze. Helping Children Worldwide engages with individuals interested in short and long term missions overseas and provides training for STM deployment.

In our Season One episode with Eli Oswald of Faith to Action "Do No Harm" we discussed ethical STMs in orphan response.  In our Season One episode with Tory Ruark of Standards of Excellence "Certified Ethical" we discussed the 7 Standards of Excellence in STM. In today’s Episode, we will talk more about standard 6, appropriate training. 

An excellent short-term mission prepares and equips all participants for the mutually designed outreach, and is expressed by:

•          Biblical, appropriate, and timely training
•          On-going training and equipping (pre-field, on-field, post-field)
•          Qualified trainers

Andrea Kroeze has been on staff with Touch the World since 2004 and currently serves as the Training & Curriculum Coordinator where she finds innovative ways to train and prepare students to serve locally and globally. Andrea is also the Head Instructor of The Missions Academy, an online learning platform that equips people to do short-term missions better. Andrea and her husband Jesse have three children, two of whom were born in Uganda, Africa, when they served as overseas missionaries there for 5 years. In Uganda they learned about life in another culture, more than ever about God, and formed some of the most meaningful relationships of their lives.  While living overseas, Andrea developed a deep love of culture and it’s now one of her favorite topics to learn about and teach.  She’s currently pursuing her Masters degree at Fuller Seminary in Theology and Ministry with a concentration in youth, family and culture.


www.touchtheworld.org

https://shop.touchtheworld.org/pages/missions-resources (Missions devotionals and Re-Entry Journals)

www.themissionsacademy.com (online missions training) 

MissionWorks General Website: https://missionworks.global/

MissionExcellence Website: https://missionexcellence.global/

7 Standards: https://missionexcellence.global/7-standards/

TTW’s Core Mission Principles

For Long-Termers training: https://www.traininternational.org/pre-field

Instagram @mamakroeze

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Dr. Carol McIntosh was born in Brooklyn, NY although her family roots are based in Carriacou, Grenada. She graduated from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction and obtained her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical School in 1987. Dr. McIntosh is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. For many years, Dr McIntosh has served in medical missions to Grenada, the Eastern Caribbean, and Sierra Leone; with the latter working as a board member of Helping Children Worldwide (HCW). In June 2008, Dr. McIntosh was awarded the medal of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth for her work in Grenada. From October 2018 to 2022, Dr. McIntosh served as the Director of Hospital Services with the Ministry of Health and Social Security in Grenada; overseeing 4 hospitals and one Nursing Home. Returning to the US in 2022, Dr. McIntosh remains on the board of HCW while working as an attending physician at InovaCares Clinic for Women in Alexandria and Falls Church, providing prenatal and gynecologic care for uninsured and low-income individuals in Northern Virginia. 

Today we continue with part 2 of our discussion of medical missions. I would encourage you to go back and listen to part 1 of our episode where we shared Dr. Carol McIntosh’s discussion of this topic at Rising Tides. Now, I am here with Dr. Carol to continue that conversation.  There is a break at 30 minutes - so if your commute is shorter than mine, you can listen to the ad and return for the rest of the episode on your way home tonight! 

Short-Term Medical Service Trips: A Systematic Review of the Evidence: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4056244

Health impact assessment and short-term medical missions: A methods study to evaluate quality of care: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2464597/ 

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 At our Rising Tides conference in March, Dr. Carol McIntosh presented on being a giver and a receiver of medical missions. 

Dr. Carol McIntosh was born in Brooklyn, NY although her family roots are based in Carriacou, Grenada. She graduated from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction and obtained her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical School in 1987. Dr. McIntosh is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. For many years, Dr McIntosh has served in medical missions to Grenada, the Eastern Caribbean, and Sierra Leone; with the latter working as a board member of Helping Children Worldwide (HCW). In June 2008, Dr. McIntosh was awarded the medal of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth for her work in Grenada. From October 2018 to 2022, Dr. McIntosh served as the Director of Hospital Services with the Ministry of Health and Social Security in Grenada; overseeing 4 hospitals and one Nursing Home. Returning to the US in 2022, Dr. McIntosh remains on the board of HCW while working as an attending physician at InovaCares Clinic for Women in Alexandria and Falls Church, providing prenatal and gynecologic care for uninsured and low-income individuals in Northern Virginia. 

Dr. Carol’s session featured case studies of Sierra Leone and Grenada and provided an examination of the motives of governments, NGOs, individuals, and other providers of global health services and humanitarian aid, as well as the perspective of how these services are received. So, I’m going to share part minutes of her session from Rising Tides, and then in the next episode Dr. Carol and are going to continue this conversation. 

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Jennifer Suma Tharmu and Emmanuel “Nabs” M. Nabieu reflect on their shared and individual experiences of being rescued orphans living in a good orphanage, and the good and bad legacies of that childhood.

Certified Nursing Assistant at Medstar Hospital.

One of the first 40 children recruited and taken to live in the Child Rescue Centre Orphanage at the end of the Sierra Leone Civil War. Jennifer stayed at the orphanage for 10 years. She got access to education, healthcare, and food while also missing connecting with her mom, siblings, and extended family and community. Jennifer is now a care leader that advocates for children to be cared for in safe, loving families.  

Listen to Jennifer shares her journey of transformation and struggle of adaptation. 

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Yasmine Vaughan shares another incredible breakout session from HCW’s Rising Tides 2023 Together for Global Health.

This informative session on the practice of midwifery in low to middle income countries was conducted by Jennifer Stevens.

Midwifery centers are a community-based approach to addressing maternal mortality by increasing access to quality care that strengthens health systems, provides an enabling environment for midwifery and eases the burdens on hospital beds by providing right-sized care.  Learn more about this approach, and why it is important. 

 Jennifer Stevens has worked globally for over 10 years.  Beginning in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, she supported work in Mexico, Peru, Haiti, Niger, Namibia, and much of South Asia with WHO, UNFPA and her NGO, Goodbirth Network. She completed her doctorate in public health, focusing on maternal health in LMIC, specifically midwifery centers as enabling environments for midwifery care.  From 2018-2020, she lived and worked in Bangladesh with UNFPA on their Strengthening National Midwifery Program.  She is co-founder of Good Birth Network (GBN), focusing on a global network of midwifery centers in low resource areas.  Their mission is to support the growth of high quality midwifery centers through standards, education, networking and data collection.  GBN is currently piloting the first accreditation program for midwifery centers in LMICs.  

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In this episode host Yasmine Vaughan  will be following up on our 2023 Rising Tides Conference, held in Washington, DC in early March. The attendees voted on a session they would like to do a deeper dive into, and this is the session that was chosen from the conference was "localization."

So today we are going to talk about localization with Doug Fountain. 

Doug Fountain serves as Executive Director for Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH). Previously, he was Vice President for Strategy and Impact for Medical Teams International (MTI). Before coming to MTI, Doug served on the executive staff at Uganda Christian University, where he began in 2004 as the head of the Department of Health Sciences and later served as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Development and External Relations. He helped establish the Christian Journal for Global Health to promote evidence-based practice. Doug has been a member of CCIH since 2006 and has served on the board for four years. He holds an MPA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.S. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Oregon.

PASSING THE BUCK The Economics of Localizing International Assistance

https://www.usaid.gov/localization

CCIH Conference page

Blog on Localization

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Host Yasmine Vaughan is joined by the Rising Tides Global Health conference support Intern, Tanatswa Sambana to share tidbits of interest they gleaned from the expert presentations at the Rising Tides 2023: Together for Global Health conference, which was held in Washington, DC on March 3-4 2023.  Over the course of a day and a half, conference speakers shared a wealth of information on sustainable practices to care for the most vulnerable, including community participatory practices, and international partnerships to train local communities. Their presentations focused on different ways that organizations can contribute to building a strong healthcare system. 

 Tanatswa or “T" as we call him at Helping Children Worldwide, is a Master of Public Health candidate at George Washington University. T is interested in utilizing data-driven approaches to positively impact social determinants of health on a national and global level. Tanatswa is passionate about reducing disparities and improving community and global health outcomes. He is skilled in policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and project management, and can use and implement design thinking methodologies. 

Please check out our other podcast episodes pertaining to global health and the Together for Global Health 2023 conference.

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Certified Ethical!

Mission Excellence and Standards for Global Mission Deployment

Last year we did an episode with Ellie Oswald from Faith to Action focused on the importance of ethical missions in regard to the safety and protection of children. In that episode, we talked broadly about ethical approaches to short-term mission trips, and introduced the 7 standards of excellence in mission. On today’s episode, we will go through in more detail these 7 steps and discuss why they are important for churches, charities, and other organizations to consider when doing volunteer mission work. 

With me today is Tory Ruark from Mission Excellence. Tory is the COO of MissionWorks and Director of MissionExcellence (formerly SOE). He’s been leading mission trips since 2001 and been in his current role since 2016. Tory has served in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and Italy and mobilized teams to many other countries. Over the years, he has worked with churches from all over the United States, spearheaded organizational partnerships, and served on the pastoral staff of his church. Welcome Tory!

MissionWorks General Website: https://missionworks.global/

MissionExcellence Website: https://missionexcellence.global/

7 Standards: https://missionexcellence.global/7-standards/

Giving Wisely Book: https://amzn.to/3KzLUCT

Culture Link: https://culturelinkinc.org/

Mission Trip Quick Audit Download: https://missionexcellence.global/free-downloads/short-term-mission-quick-audit/

Become a member: https://missionexcellence.global/membership/

Standards Introductory Workshop: https://missionexcellence.global/category/workshops/

Short-Term Mission Connexion: https://missionconnexion.global/short-term-mission/

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We can't fix anything if we don't know what's wrong!

Your Hosts, Yamine Vaughan and Laura Horvath talk about everyone’s FAVORITE topic - DATA!  Medical professionals understand that monitoring and evaluation is a huge and important part of our work in global health, certainly, but this optimistic voice believes that M&E is as important in the child welfare sector.  It seems that everyone in the sector is struggling with how to find ways to capture data that can really tell us whether our interventions are having a positive impact or not.  Guest Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Neville joins us to talk about the importance of M & E in the field of caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, and the challenges in implementing best research practices in the field.

 In 2022, the Christian Alliance for Orphans created a grant called the Research Challenge Grant. This program was an opportunity for researchers to be connected with a nonprofit doing a promising practice in caring for orphans and vulnerable children. The researcher would conduct a study on that non-profit’s program, write a paper on its outcomes, and share lessons learned. 5 organizations were selected for this first grant, and HCW was one of them. 

Sarah Elizabeth Neville, PhD, is a post doctoral research fellow at Brown University. She obtained her PhD from Boston college school of social work in 2022, where she conducted her dissertation on children reunifying with family after living in residential care institutions (orphanages) in Kenya. Sarah‘s research is on children and residential care in low- and middle-income countries, including strategies for enabling them to live in safe and nurturing families, preventing them from entering institutions, and enhancing their mental health and well-being. Sarah received her BA and MA in child development from Tufts University. 

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This is the final episode in a series. If you have not listened to parts one and two of Pastor Rob Lough’s interview of Emmanuel Nabieu regarding his memoir My Long Journey Home, you should. Emmanuel Nabieu is the HCW Director of Mission Advancement and Partnership Development - whom we all call Nabs. 

Warning, the content of the first two episodes can be somewhat disturbing in truthfully depicting the violence that Nabs experienced as a child during the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone. Although the interview took place during a single session, we elected to break it into several episodes.  Part Three is the celebratory wrap up of the topic, covering his achievement of a lifelong dream of an education, his triumphant college years, and the decisions he made to return to the orphanage where he spent a decade before being reunited with the family he thought he had lost forever.

As the Child Rescue Centre Director, he used his passion and experiences to lead the transition from institutional care to family-based care, to work toward family preservation to eliminate the trauma of separation in the lives of orphans and impoverished families, "fighting the fire, instead of the smoke," as he is fond of saying. 

Nabs continues to advocate and lead in bringing about that transition all across the continent of Africa and the globe, as part of his commitment to Helping Children Worldwide.

I think you will agree with me that Nabs has a vital message to share on the importance of family, and his work to bring this message to the global stage is worthy of attention. His voice is uniquely passionate, vulnerable and inspiring. I hope you will go to Amazon.com and order a copy.

It's really good.  

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This episode is part two of a series. If you missed part one - you should return to the prior episode and listen to it first. 

Although the interview took place during a single session, we elected to break it into several episodes. Warning, the content in this and the prior episode can be disturbing as it truthfully depicts the violence  and brutality that Nabs experienced as a child during the civil war in Sierra Leone. Part One takes us from Nab’s early childhood through the time of his initial escape from the rebel soldiers who were hunting him. Part two takes us on his trek through the bush, his time on the streets in Bo, and his ten years in the orphanage.

Emmanuel Nabieu is the HCW Director of Mission Advancement and Partnership Development - whom we all call Nabs. 

We  asked our dear friend, Rev. Rob Lough, former Pastor at Ebenezer UMC and long time supporter of the work being done at HCW, to guest host this episode.  

This is a story about resilience and transformation. It is both Nabs’ life story and also a beautiful testimony for hope and overcoming trauma. Nabs is using his experience living in an orphanage to bring global awareness and change to child welfare institutions. He is an example that we as humans can overcome difficult circumstances and use them to create something unexpected and positive. According to Nabs, he wrote this book as a way to address and overcome his trauma. He says that digging back into the past is a hard thing to do but was a huge part of his healing process. 

Nabs was raised in a rural village in Sierra Leone. His childhood was brutally interrupted by the civil war there when he was about 8 years old. When their village was attacked, Nabs' life was shattered. He initially recalls a bucolic, though impoverished, childhood in rural Africa, where scraping adequate nourishment from their labors was the number one struggle, and he was surrounded by the love of his family and the joys of camaraderie with his boyhood friends. He describes his rural life  as he and his friends begin to explore what it means to follow your dreams, and the wisdom of his elders as they try to imbue his future with hope and resilience.

Then he shares how his early life of hope and innocence transformed almost overnight into a nightmarish existence of fear and uncertainty that overtook his entire family.  After hiding together in the bush and in holes dug for latrines at the family farm,  and nearly escaping, a unexpected ambush separates Nabs from his parents, some of whom are murdered before his eyes. Always trying to find his way back to family, he survives without them for months in the jungle, and then on the urban streets of Bo, as the war began to draw to a close. 

Eventually, he was brought into an orphanage. After living there for 10 years, he was finally reunited with his family. But his story doesn’t stop there. He went to university and after he graduated he returned to the orphanage where he was raised where he later became the Director and used his passion and experiences to lead the transition from institutional care to family based care. He now works for Helping Children Worldwide as the Director for Mission Advancement and Partnership. His work brings this vital message on the importance of family to a global stage.

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This episode is part one of a series. Although the interview took place during a single session, we elected to break it into several episodes. Warning, the content can be somewhat graphic in truthfully depicting the violence that Nabs experienced as a child during the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone. Part One takes us from Nab’s early childhood through the time of his initial escape from the rebel soldiers who were hunting him.

Emmanuel Nabieu is the HCW Director of Mission Advancement and Partnership Development - whom we all call Nabs. 

We  asked our dear friend, Rev. Rob Lough, former Pastor at Ebenezer UMC and long time supporter of the work being done at HCW, to guest host this episode.  

This is a story about resilience and transformation. It is both Nabs’ life story and also a beautiful testimony for hope and overcoming trauma. Nabs is using his experience living in an orphanage to bring global awareness and change to child welfare institutions. He is an example that we as humans can overcome difficult circumstances and use them to create something unexpected and positive. According to Nabs, he wrote this book as a way to address and overcome his trauma. He says that digging back into the past is a hard thing to do but was a huge part of his healing process. 

Nabs was raised in a rural village in Sierra Leone. His childhood was brutally interrupted by the civil war there when he was about 8 years old. When their village was attacked, Nabs' life was shattered. He initially recalls a bucolic, though impoverished, childhood in rural Africa, where scraping adequate nourishment from their labors was the number one struggle, and he was surrounded by the love of his family and the joys of camaraderie with his boyhood friends. He describes his rural life  as he and his friends begin to explore what it means to follow your dreams, and the wisdom of his elders as they try to imbue his future with hope and resilience.

Then he shares how his early life of hope and innocence transformed almost overnight into a nightmarish existence of fear and uncertainty that overtook his entire family.  After hiding together in the bush and in holes dug for latrines at the family farm,  and nearly escaping, a unexpected ambush separates Nabs from his parents, some of whom are murdered before his eyes. Always trying to find his way back to family, he survives without them for months in the jungle, and then on the urban streets of Bo, as the war began to draw to a close. 

Eventually, he was brought into an orphanage. After living there for 10 years, he was finally reunited with his family. But his story doesn’t stop there. He went to university and after he graduated he returned to the orphanage where he was raised where he later became the Director and used his passion and experiences to lead the transition from institutional care to family based care. He now works for Helping Children Worldwide as the Director for Mission Advancement and Partnership. His work brings this vital message on the importance of family to a global stage.

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Today’s episode peels back the curtain to show the considerations that are made by organizations around the world when it comes to building sustainable programs, and for those of you getting into this work, may help you understand some challenges you may face and see some gaps in program planning.

Host Yasmine Vaughan is joined by Mariama Massaquoi, a family medicine doctor based in Virginia. Mariama is double board-certified in family medicine and family medicine obstetrics with an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She currently works full-time for the US Army. Mariama and her siblings run an organization called Tenki for Born, a org dedicated to alleviating maternal mortality in Sierra Leone. Tenki began about 2  years ago and has been doing health system strengthening work in Bo, including training midwives, funding clinic improvements, and other activities.

Mariama started on this journey to help Sierra Leone from her passion to empower others and transform lives. She and her sister are co-founders of Tenki and are part of the board.

 Welcome Mariama!


Important links:

USAID Global Health Courses

Partners in Health Program Management Guide

https://www.workwithusaid.org/events/rising-tides-2023-together-for-global-health

https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/rising-tides-conference-2023.html

As Mariana says,

"We maximize our effectiveness by working together."

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Host Dr. Laura Horvath engages in conversation with

Brandon Stiver

SENIOR DIRECTOR, GLOBAL PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS
The spiritual side of Orphan Care
https://1millionhome.com/
https://thinkorphan.com/

Brandon has worked in the child welfare and nonprofit sectors for over twelve years. Before joining 1MILLIONHOME, he led a family based care and advocacy program in Tanzania for several years. Brandon has also worked at a Tanzanian orphanage, in the Californian foster care system, at various churches and teaches on issues facing at risk children at the university level. He has his Master’s Degree in Global Development and Justice and is passionate about indigenous leadership, community mobilization and seeing global entities come together to deliver the best care for at risk children.

Today we’re going to dive deep into an aspect of the work involving care of orphans and vulnerable children that doesn’t often get talked about.  For those of us in what we call “the sector” we talk a lot about the research, and the nuts and bolts of getting kids home, transitioning residential programs like orphanages into models that prioritize family care, engaging with donors, missioners and others in shifting the model and shifting the mindset.  That’s all really important stuff.  What we don’t spend a lot of time talking about is the motivations for getting involved in orphan care in the first place.  We cite the scriptural language we all know - James 1:27, Psalms 68:6,etc.  Today I want to get into something a little more spiritual - the idea of being “called - by God” specifically to this work.  If you talk to people in this space, including those who have built and supported orphanages, they will often tell you that they have answered a “calling.”  

As we are coming to understand that orphanages are not the best place for children to grow up, how are we to think about having received a calling that prompted us to build or support an orphanage?  How are we to reconcile these seemingly conflicting ideas?

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Laura, Nabs, Yaz and Melody talk about their love for Helping Children Worldwide, and changing the world together!

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Host Yasmine Vaughan discusses the topic of health disparity in wealthy and poor countries, and wealthy and poor citizens in every country.

Special Guest Dr. Aruna Stevens is the Chief medical officer at Mercy Hospital in Bo, Sierra Leone. Dr. Stevens is a graduate of the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences from the University of Sierra Leone. Since joining the staff at Mercy Hospital, Dr. Stevens has transformed the hospital into one of the top medical facilities in Bo, with over 10,000 patients treated every year by his staff. In addition to his duties at Mercy Hospital, Dr. Stevens regularly heads up the medical team assessing patients at the outreach clinics in rural villages surrounding Bo, and serves as associate faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C., USA.

Mercy Hospital was first conceived as a joint project of the Sierra Leone Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and Helping Children Worldwide and is part of the UMC medical health ministry in Sierra Leone.

Important links:

To learn more about the programs offered at Mercy UMC Hospital:

Watch:
Mercy-programs.html  - Videos on the maternal/infant mortality programs at Mercy Hospital, including vaccinations, prenatal care, child nutrition, labor and delivery,  including surgical interventions such as C-sections.

tour-mercy-hospital.html Dr. Stevens acts as a tour guide for his medical facility located in Bo, Sierra Leone in 2020 - prior to significant renovations in 2021 and 2022. (New videos coming soon)

READ:
About mercy-hospital.html
Empower Magazine Winter Issue 2022
Empower Magazine Summer 2020

To learn more about health disparity and infant mortality in Sierra Leone:

Listen to:  Optimistic Voices Podcast Episode Season 1, Episode 6 - CHAMPS.

Read:
https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/health-inequities-and-their-causes

https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/global-health-resources.html

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Host Dr. Laura Horvath continues her conversation with Katie Milazzo and Lucy Matsumoto of All for One Foundation, as they share with their work in 23 countries, and their experience founding the Child Prosperity Centre in Sierra Leone with a new family support and a focus on child/family reintegration. This is a great episode for those who are thinking of moving away from old models of international aid to promote a shift away from dependency on external donors. Our guests discuss how AFO went about undertaking this sea-change decision to repurpose a gorgeous new building intended to be a 200-bed orphanage planned for the national capital city of Freetown. Katie and Lucy share specific experiences and practical details of 

• How Western Partners can operate to embrace the shift and partner in programs that focus on  building capacity in the community to care for their own
• How to effectively partner with other organizations (i.e., Helping Children Worldwide, Child Reintegration Centre, World Hope International) with radical honesty and radical collaboration to share experiences, resources, expertise and fill gaps rather than working in silos and duplicating efforts. 
• How fund and resource development is “everybody’s job” in nonprofits and how to leverage story-telling by program professionals to explain the value of investment to donors in shifting to family support and capacity-building models, and supporting greater collaboration and networking of knowledge and resources to increase impact.
• Shifting the philanthropic philosophy that motivates donors from “I feel bad” for the needy to “I feel like a partner” in making the world work well for everybody.

All for One

Child Prosperity Centre

World Hope International

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Host Dr. Laura Horvath is delighted to have Katie Milazzo and Lucy Matsumoto on the Optimistic Voices Podcast for this two-part episode. 

 Lucy is the new Executive Board President of All for One Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on work with orphans and vulnerable children.  Lucy has been involved with nonprofit for more than 35 years and was blessed to have been part of a grassroots movement that changed   the paradigm for children with disabilities in the field of play that became an international movement.  She was delighted to find All for One and get engaged with their work on behalf of children around the world.  Also with us today is Katie Milazzo, Acting Director of the Child Prosperity Centre, an AFO supported program in Sierra Leone.  Katie is originally from Illinois in the US, but has worked in Sierra Leone on and off since 2013, most recently returning in 2021 after completing her masters in Humanitarian Law at the National University of Ireland - Galway. Katie focuses her leadership on staff capacity building and community training, ultimately working towards self-sustainability and community growth. 

All across the world, organizations that have once supported an orphanage, have shifted or are shifting their model of care from residential programs that house children in institutions like orphanages or children’s homes; to programs that reintegrate children into family, and strengthen those families so that they can care well for their own children, through case management and family strengthening training.  For a lot of us, this has been challenging, but also fairly self-contained.  HCW, for example, supported a residential children’s home for 16 years in Bo, Sierra Leone, before transitioning to become a reintegration and transition support services center.  While that transition was not easy, and was certainly complex, we only had the one site to focus on, which allowed us to move step by step through the transition journey without worrying about other programs or orphanages.

What happens, though, when your US-based organization partners with programs in 23 different countries?  And to complicate matters further, in some places you support orphanages, in other places you are less directly involved?

For Part A of the episode, Katie and Lucy discuss the background and development of the Child Prosperity Centre in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa.

All for One

Child Prosperity Centre

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Host Dr. Laura Horvath interviews the team behind the Attachment Theory Workshops being introduced as a means of bringing the lessons of Trauma-Informed care into low resource environments for social workers who work with primary caregivers taking on the challenges of accepting children into their homes to raise.

We’re really excited to introduce you to the guests on our panel today.  They’re all in some way connected to the University of Maine’s Honors College, and working collaboratively with social workers on the ground in various parts of the global south, they’ve developed  a tool to help caregivers heal the trauma of separation for themselves and their children, and learn how to form strong and healthy attachments with them.  Even in places where the caregivers themselves are not literate.  Patty Morell, an alumna of UMaine, was one of the first to even conceive of what we now call the Attachment Theory Workshop.  Patty and her husband, Allen, have been active alumni, and have always looked for ways to engage energetic, altruistic college students from their University in meaningful ways to make a difference in local and international projects and programs.  Elaine Thomas is a senior in the UMaine Honors College studying Business Management,  Alli O’Neil is a Social Worker, who began with the AT team during her undergraduate study at the UMaine. And finally, Dr. Julie DellaMattera is a professor of early Childhood Development and Education at UMaine.

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is critical in institutional settings to address not only the trauma of experiences that lead children to be enrolled into alternative care such as child care institutions (CCI), but also the inherent trauma that comes from a child being separated from her or his family.  It’s a critical consideration when orphanages transition from residential to family care models as well.  It’s critical that any reintegration plan moving children from separation (in institutional settings or living on the street) back to families.  Orgs engaged in reintegration must apply principles of trauma-informed care at every stage: from intake and care at a CCI while awaiting placement, to preparing children and families for transition, and finally to monitoring and supporting post-placement. 

 According to our panelist: It was a total surprise for them to attend the Christian Alliance for Orphans annual summit a few years ago to present the concepts of the work they were doing alongside Helping Children Worldwide and to discover the  overwhelming interest. From there, the number of organizations asking for support of this kind has grown exponentially. "We didn’t realize we had created something new, something that didn’t exist. ...a culturally competent attachment theory workshop designed specifically for non-literate caregivers. With the shift to rehome children internationally, agencies and NGOs have been looking for something that can support and strengthen families."

UMaine: https://umaine.edu/ 

Honors College: https://honors.umaine.edu/ 

Article About Trip to Sierra Leone (Minerva Magazine - see pages 8 through 13): 

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=minerva 

Video About Trip to Sierra Leone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MheEwebrdbc 

Helping Haitia

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Hosts Yasmine Vaughan and Dr. Laura Horvath:
We’re happy to have with us today, Elli Oswald from Faith to Action, to talk about how they share with others best practices in short term missions. In particular, we are eager to have her talk about the importance of ethical missions in regard to safety and protection of children. Elli Oswald is the Executive Director of the Faith to Action Initiative, which seeks to elevate best practices in orphan care, specifically recognizing the importance of family in the life of every child. Prior to this role, she served the Missions Pastor at Bethany Community Church in Seattle. Elli also served on World Vision's Child Development and Rights Technical Team, specializing in community-based care for children deprived of parental care. Thanks for joining us, Elli!

Short term missions are a vital part of the work of organizations supporting missions in the majority world. When done right, short term missions enable people to travel somewhere and engage meaningfully in support of others that lifts and enriches both the missioner and the recipient.  Additionally, to put it bluntly, short term missions are often a means to enable usually western partners to ‘tell the story’ to help raise funds to support the local missions on the ground.  However, this can lead to all kinds of issues of concern, especially when those missions are focused on orphans and vulnerable children.  

Helpful links!

 With Eyes Wide Open

When Helping Hurts in Short Term Missions

Faith to Action

The Love You Give

ROK Kern

7 SOE

7 F2A practices 

Changing the Way We Care: A Family Torn

The Global Church Pledge

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From Rabies, to the Black Plague to Covid-19 to Monkey Pox - babies are subject to many preventable illnesses arising in their environment that can cause death. One Health is a crucial concept in understanding global health as climate change and transnational travel impact local public health issues for vulnerable populations - such as impoverished children and communities without access to healthcare.

Dr. Bernadette Dunham from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University joins Yasmine Vaughan to discuss the idea that emerging diseases and existing medical conditions that threaten human life are better understood in the context of “one health.”

Dr. Dunham graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph University in 1975 and joined a mixed animal practice. She  received her Ph.D. in cardiovascular pathophysiology in 1984 from Boston University and then served as Director of Laboratory Animal Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at the State University of New York Health Science Center, Syracuse, N.Y. until 1995. She was recruited to be the Assistant Director with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Governmental Relations Division in Washington D.C.  and interacted with Members of Congress and their staff to heighten their awareness of the diversity of the veterinary medical profession. For eight years, she helped them think beyond the concept of local vets caring for  companion animals and food-producing animals to grasp the very important role that Veterinarians and Animal Scientists play in public health – zoonotic diseases being one of the most important areas for government policies and scientific research to address the growing threat for global dissemination of infectious disease transmitted from animals to humans.  

"One Health is a collaborative, multi-sectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach - working at local, regional, national, and global levels - to achieve optimal health (and well-being) outcomes, recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants and their shared environment."  Centers for Disease Control, Washington, D.C.

Links to know more:

• One Health Commission https://www.onehealthcommission.org/
• CDC https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/resource-library/one-health-graphics.html
• WHO https://www.who.int/health-topics/one-health#tab=tab_1

WOAH https://www.woah.org/en/document/one-health-joint-plan-of-action-2022-2026-worki.ng-together-for-the-health-of-humans-animals-8-plants-and-the-environment/

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Beneeta Kulah lost her father when she was 3 years old. She was placed in a Christian orphanage in Liberia, West Africa, the country where she was born. She lived there for the next twenty years of her life, until she was released to live on her own because she was pregnant. Beneeta Kulah is a Care Leader. She is a courageous woman who grew up in alternative care who now uses her own unique voice and experiences to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children who are living separated from family, or who may become separated due to poverty or family crisis.

In this episode, Optimistic Voices co-hosts Emmanuel Nabieu, of Helping Children Worldwide, an internationally recognized voice of the Care Leader community, and Dr. Laura Horvath, interview Beneetta Kulah about her experiences, good and bad, in the orphanage, and seek her advice for donors in the U.S. who may be supporting orphan care around the world.

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We’ve asked Reverend Wayne Lavender to be our guest on this episode of Optimistic Voices.  The Rev. Wayne Lavender, Ph.D., is a United Methodist pastor currently serving as the executive director of the Foundation 4 Orphans and faculty member in the political science department at Quinnipiac University. He earned his Ph.D. from George Mason’s School of Public Policy in 2010, an MA. and M.Div. from the Pacific School of Religion and his BA. from Drew University. The winner of the Harry Denman Evangelism Award in 2004 for his ministry at the New Milford UMC in New Milford, CT, Wayne has worked and taught at universities in Iraq and Mozambique. He is the author of seven books, including Pure Religion, released in 2020. Wayne lives close to nature with his wife Maureen at the conference and retreat center for the Foundation 4 Orphans in Hamden, Connecticut.

The Foundation 4 Orphans is an IRS approved 501 c 3 non-profit whose mission is to end the orphan pandemic. Their work is concentrated now in Mozambique and Iraq, but they are expanding to Syria, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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Host Yasmine Vaughan Interviews Dr. Carrie Jo Cain,  Dr. Solomon Samura, and Dr. Benjamin Banguara in Sierra Leone, West Africa on their work to understand the causes of child mortality and impact global health and child survival rates. CHAMPS works in Mali, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Bangladesh and is moving into India and Nigeria in the next year. CHAMPS participates in Helping Children Worldwide’s global health coalition, Together for Global Health. To learn more about TGH, go to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/together-for-global-health.html

For information from the World Health Organization about the progress in reducing child mortality: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/levels-and-trends-in-child-under-5-mortality-in-2020#:~:text=Since%201990%2C%20the%20global%20under,1%20in%2027%20in%202020.

Joseph Benjamin Banguara is a self-motivated Public Health and Preventive Medicine expert with more than 18 years of experience in public health practice. At World Hope, Joseph coordinates all Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) activities in the southern region of Sierra Leone. At University of Makeni (UNIMAK), Joseph has been lecturing public health courses both at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, supervising students on dissertation writing and placement for the past 7 years. Prior to World Hope, Joseph was Technical Advisor to the COVID-19 Response Team in Bombali District Northern Sierra Leone. Prior to this, Joseph worked as a Project Coordinator, Global Collaboration to Improve Patient Safety Management in Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone for China Medical Board and Central South University in the People Republic of China (PRC). Joseph has a strong background on health-related research with publications on International Journals. Joseph also worked as Regional Coordinator-North, in the Community Health Workers (CHW) Program in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone. Joseph holds a Bachelor Degree in Public Health; Master’s Degree of Public Health (MPH) specialized in medicine; and currently a PhD candidate in Public Health and Preventive Medicine, major in Epidemiology and Health statistics awaiting result at the Central South University, China.


The Strategic Development Goals adopted by most countries around the globe include reducing newborn mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1000 live births in every country; and reduce under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1000 live births in every country.

Substantial global progress has been made in reducing childhood mortality since 1990. The total number of under-5 deaths worldwide has declined from 12.6 million in 1990 to 5 million in 2020. Since 1990, the global under-5 mortality rate has dropped by 60%, from 93 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 37 in 2020. This is equivalent to 1 in 11 children dying before reaching age 5 in 1990, compared to 1 in 27 in 2020.

While the global under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) fell to 37 (35–­­40) deaths per 1000 live births in 2020, children in sub-Saharan Africa continued to have the highest rates of mortality in the world at 74 (68–­­86) deaths per 1000 live births- 14 times higher than the risk for children in Europe and North America.


For more information regarding mortality in Sierra Leone, please check out the Co

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Host Yasmine Vaughan speaks with three educators from Virginia and Texas on their experiences in participating in the Teachers’ Learning Collaborative with teacher-leaders from Sierra Leone. Sharon Gardner, from Grapevine, Texas, is the project lead teacher, and has been traveling to participate in Short Term Mission  in Sierra Leone five times since 2016 years. Janie Williams is an elementary school teacher from Virginia. Janie has traveled three times since 2018. Melissa Herbleshimer, also from Virginia, is on her first short term mission.

The mission team discusses what it means to work in collaboration with local leaders in your field of expertise when you come from a different culture, and the similarities and differences in the work. The opportunity to come to Africa to teach summer school to children in an orphanage for a very short time period is different from what teachers do when they travel with HCW now. Now teachers work in collaboration with teachers in a different country to develop a train the trainer “in-service” for teachers in Sierra Leone. The team describes some of the concerns they had with whether what they had done previously actually helped, although the experiences the teachers on mission had were delightful. They explain how working with adults is a blessing that is even more exciting and rewarding than teaching summer school, because of a greater potential for the outcome of the work to bring about real change and help teachers to help their whole school system. 

Although the teachers all agree that there is a special  heartwarming experience in  working with children that they personally cherish, they have found that working with adults in a collaborative workgroup from multiple cultures was equally heartwarming. The experience of sharing the struggle, brainstorming ideas, and navigating strong disagreements in a truly respectful and collaborative space has proven to be personally more transformative in the long term in their own lives. 

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Yasmine’s guest today, is Heather Hall:
Heather has a wide range of expertise in the field. She has a Graduate degree in global public health nursing, previously worked as a nurse in Kenya, did consulting public health work in Kenya and a few other African countries, is a former Program Coordinator for the Tuberculosis/Refugee/Immigration Programs at a health department in Ohio, and recently did COVID-19 policy work for a local health department in Oregon.

Yaz and Heather discuss the definition of Global Health, the Sustainable Development Goals and their relationship to Health, and dispel the three main misconceptions about global health.

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In this episode, Yasmine Vaughan and Dr. Laura Horvath discuss how donors can make better decisions when investing their money in charitable giving. How to recognize red flags and warning signs, versus indicators that a nonprofit organization is trustworthy and worthwhile.
Special Guest Gillian Wagner, Global Impact.

Of further interest on the topic of this episode is a Ted Talk and studies on charitable giving referenced during the discussion. You can find links to these things for more information below.  

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Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Emmanuel Nabieu of Helping Children Worldwide interviews his colleague and co-host, Dr. Horvath, along with Dr. Andrea Siegel and Dan Hope, Executive Director of SFAC on their experience in trainings with social workers and case managers at the Child Reintegration Center, Bo, Sierra Leone.

In this week's episode we are talking specifically about assessment of children and family needs and continual services at the Child Reintegration Center. Sierra Leone, West Africa. Dr The Importance of Social Work Interventions in Family Needs Assessments in Child Reintegration Services and Responsibilities toward Orphanage "Care Leavers"

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