MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES

The Challenge of Prevention at the Grassroots

� Tackling the root causes and consequences of migration

One of VF's 10-point strategies is to model community-based integrated programs that deal with the root causes of child labor, trafficking and migration. For the past six years, VF has set up community programs in Manila and in source regions, particularly Negros Occidental. Caritas-Switzerland supports these programs.

To know more about VF's experiences in replicating innovative community-based children's programs anchored on stakeholders' ownership of their child watch networks, click here. {{Go to Mainlink_Programs & Services_Mobilizing Communities_Child Watch.doc}}

To have more specific information on what VF socio-economic programs, such as microfinancing, has already set up, click here. {{Go to Mainlink_Programs & Services_Mobilizing Communities_cooperative.doc}}

VF model of community-based children's programs

• Providing specialized center-based services (such as scholarships, legal, counseling, basic medical support, and temporary shelter)

• Strengthening community structures and orgzanizations to support objectives to protect children from abuse, uphold children's rights, enhance family support and provide socio-economic alternatives

• Influencing culturally-rooted training and education towards self-participation of children, families, and leaders in many aspects of the program

• Effective advocacy, research and lobby for policy reforms on children's concerns with special focus on child labor, trafficking, and microfinancing by contributing to existing knowledge of the multiple problems of children and helping develop effective future responses and policies in the country

• Setting up savings and credit microfinancing schemes towards developing cooperatives in the long term