Directorate of Social Development and SOS Conducts Stakeholders Meeting on Family strengthening
The Directorate of Social Development (DSD) in conjunction SOS Children’s Villages held a 2nd stakeholders meeting on Family strengthening. The meeting aimed at achieving positive parenting and safe guarding families in our communities was attended by both government and nongovernmental service providers who are supporting various families and children in our communities.
The meeting emphasized on ways to curb the various challenges facing our homes that came up during the 1st stakeholders’ meeting held late last year.
“Family strengthening is one of the programs undertaken by the division of Family Promotion and Social Welfare in the Directorate of Social Development. It is all about positive parenting. The program believes that parents and caregivers, both men and women are the most important influence on children health and well-being and they provide the love and guidance and support that children need with the support of family members and the community around them.” Said Judith Barasa, Deputy County Coordinator, Directorate of Social Development, Uasin Gishu County.
With families being the basic unit of a society, the program aims at ensuring there is a positive parenting culture that grows diverse families leading to effective contribution in the overall development of the nation and for the benefit of the future generations to come.
“ The program seeks to build and sustain a positive parenting culture and infrastructure that enables diverse families across Kenya to be loving, nurturing, respectful, supportive and violence free, and to promote the equal wellbeing and development of all family members because children who grow up in these environments will be able to contribute effectively to the overall development of Kenya and as such a positive approach to parenting is considered an investment in the future of the Kenyan society.” Added Judith Barasa.
To achieve this, the Directorate has developed National Parenting Training Program Manual whose vision is “Children in kenya grow up in violence free, nurturing and supportive family environments that promote their wellbeing and development.” This training manual will be adopted by all stakeholders who offer parenting programs in their area of jurisdiction.
“A joint/harmonized work plan by stakeholders in relation to the Directorate of Social Development activities /programs was developed, this will minimize the duplication of activities from stakeholders and pull the resources together for the benefit of our community. A technical working group formed to plan, organize and support the Directorate’s activities and be reporting quarterly to the stakeholders’ team. Among the activity under Family Promotion is the celebration of the International Day of the Family which is celebrated on 15th May every year. The theme for this year is “Demographic Changes and Family Wellbeing”. The Technical team has already started the preparation on the same and welcomes other partners on board.” Concluded Mrs. Barasa.
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