Vinces Area Program

Health
In Vinces, the health of children and families is in need of improvement. Children under the age of five are often exposed to risks since many don't receive necessary vaccines. Families lack access to services, and existing clinics don't have enough doctors to treat patients. Children under five also suffer from malnutrition because they don't have enough healthy food to grow and develop properly.

Pregnant and nursing women are vulnerable too, as they lack a nutritious diet, vitamins, and beneficial medical care. Mothers need practical information on how to properly feed their families. Pollution and inadequate waste disposal taints drinking water, leaving families helpless against illnesses and disease.

Education
The state of the educational system in Vinces is a key issue for children. Schools are often a breeding ground for negative relationships between boys and girls. From a young age, discrimination between the two genders creates tension, and teachers rarely intervene to resolve conflicts. Without access to training, teachers struggle to engage students in a child-friendly manner, and as a result classroom participation is low. In combination with the little support children do get at home, many perform poorly in school, and are not positioned for a successful future.

The community has few high schools. As such, students who continue their education must commute a far distance. This long and costly journey can cause many to drop out and work at home or migrate to a bigger city. Those who are especially vulnerable can get involved in crime, violence, and drugs.

Child Protection & Participation
The protection of children and their rights is a major concern in Vinces. Teenage girls often have their rights violated and are targets of sexual abuse. There is little information for youth about preventing teen pregnancy, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. Many grow up in environments where they are exposed to violence at home and can carry these values into adulthood.

The community also lacks systems to monitor and ensure child wellbeing. Little is done to campaign for child rights, and children themselves don't have opportunities to participate in important conversations. There are few forums for youth to build the leadership skills necessary to voice their concerns and needs. The community needs more groups to help develop citizenship and accountability.

Health
ith the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:

• Reduce reoccurring diseases and infections, especially for children under the age of five, and facilitate improved access to health care.
• Improve the health of malnourished children and provide training on proper meal preparation.
• Equip mothers with good feeding practices and pre- and post-natal care.
• Focus on age-appropriate cognitive, social, and emotional development for children.

Education
To ensure children can access and benefit from quality education, World Vision will assist the community to:

• Train teachers to better engage students and reduce classroom conflicts.
• Create access to early childhood development programs.
• Encourage parents to prioritize the importance of education and support academic goals.
• Boost the performance of students by addressing the low quality of education in some schools.
• Improve the overall sanitation of classrooms to ensure an optimal learning environment for both teachers and students.

Child Protection & Participation
To ensure children and youth enjoy a safe and protected environment, World Vision will work to:

• Increase leadership capacity to protect youth, especially girls, from sexual violence and abuse.
• Equip adolescents with ample information on how to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted infections.
• Decrease domestic violence and abuse, and ensure that children know their rights.
• Strengthen access to quality local education to ensure youth stay in school and avoid child labour.