MOC offers wrap-around services to protect and safeguard children from abuse, violence and exploitation. MOC promotes the rights of children and guided by the following principles:

  • Best interest of the child
  • Non-discrimination
  • Participation informed by the child’s evolving capacities
  • Confidentiality
  • Do no harm

The organisation compliments government efforts and works with other stakeholders in child protection fraternity through the following programmes:

  1. Child rights education – Awareness on children’s rights with children and caregivers through dialogues, workshops and campaigns. The organisation uses comic strips such as ‘Tanatswa’ and ‘Chenjedzo’ to educate children in-and out-of-school on their rights equipping children with skills on early identification and response to abuse. MOC uses mass media (radio and television) and social media to raise awareness on child rights. The organisation in partnership with CAFOD, Caritas Australia, Mashambanzou and St. Alberts Mission Hospital have processed 2 child protection films (Kanukai and Dzemudanga Movie)

 

  1. Positive parenting– MOC use evidence-based parenting program called Families Matter! Program (FMP) facilitated by certified facilitators targeting caregivers of pre-adolescents and adolescents aged 9-17 years. The goal of FMP is reduction of sexual risk behaviours among adolescents including delay onset of sexual debut. FMP promotes:
  • Positive parenting practices including parental monitoring, positive discipline (promoting non-violent practices) and building strong caregiver-child relationships.
  • Effective parent-child communication about sex-related issues and sexual risk reduction. It is designed to help caregivers overcome common caregiver-child communication barriers (embarrassment or discomfort, lack of knowledge, skills and confidence).
  • Mode of delivery (7 compulsory physical sessions with caregivers and one session with the children)

 

  1. Counselling– Counselling sessions are offered to children and caregivers to enable them to cope with their situation for: survivors of abuse, violence and exploitation, teen mothers and people living with HIV (children and adults) and clients with mental health issues amongst many others. Diverse counselling models are used including systemic therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy and group counselling sessions. MOC works with Psychosocial Support (PSS) teachers in schools (432 teachers) to extend the service to children in-school and out of school. Child-friendly models are used for psychosocial support with children such as Singing to the Lions and Tree of Life.
  2. Birth Registration –Children have a right to identity, name and nationality and MOC promotes birth registration through advocacy and dissemination of information creating demand for birth registration. Birth certificate facilitates access to other social services such as education, health, passport, national identity, driver’s licence and more.
  3. Gender Based Violence (Prevention and Response) – MOC implements a multi-pronged strategy to prevent and respond to gender based violence (GBV).
  • GBV Prevention

Focus on awareness raising on GBV in the community through dialogues, campaigns, trainings and mass media platforms (radio and television) and on the organisation’s social media platforms. Keeping children in school prevents violence as schools are safe spaces for children to learn and thrive.

  • GBV Response

MOC offers first line support to survivors of all forms of violence and referral to other organisations for wrap-around service provision.