International Child Support (ICS) Appreciates SALT Approach.

[Onesmus Mutuku]

International Child Support (ICS) supports the well-being of children in developing countries. In Africa, ICS works through its own programme offices in Western Kenya(Busia) and Northern Tanzania (Mwanhunzi) as well as partners in Tanzania, Uganda , Kenya and Ethiopia.

ICS aims to be one of the stakeholders in processes of change that are initiated by children and communities themselves. As such, ICS work closely together with local partners like REEP and KEWACTA, as well as national and international partners like Mkombozi and the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), who have the expertise to bring the issues locally raised to a higher political level. The two main programmes of ICS Africa are:

o Civic Driven Child Development (CDCD),
and

o Child Protection.

ICS believes that if given the chance, children and their communities are capable of achieving sustainable social change. Its role is to give them this chance; to enable children, adolescents, parents, caretakers, families, schools, and communities to act in the best interest of the child.

ICS calls this process: Civic Driven Change (CDC), this people centred approach requires that individuals take control and address the problems in their own communities, and eventually become agents of their own developments.

Purpose.

Following a change for children global forum in Naivasha,Kenya early in 2008, and where Constellation was invited, ICS Africa and Kenya Competence Trust – a member organization of The Constellation (http://www.communitylifecompetence.org ) began to engage in conversations to build a partnership that would allow for a 1 year accompaniment process in the SALT/Competence Approach.

The Kenya Competence trust signed a contract with ICS Africa to transfer Human Capacity Development/AIDS Competence methodology and process to ICS CRISIP structure in Kisoko, Okame, and Amungura cluster communities in Busia and Teso Counties in Kenya. The partnership will seek to integrate SALT into existing work that ICS is doing with Clusters, as well as stimulate several new communities through the clusters as the entry point.

Orientation through SALT (1^st Learning event)

In November 1-4, 2010, Orientation meeting through SALT workshop was held at Thessalia Community Muhoroni for 3 ICS staff and 16 members from 3 Cluster committees in Busia and Teso. The event was hosted by Thessalia Community of Free Pentecostal fellowship of Kenya(FPFK). Thessalia has integrated SALT in their programme activities after their training in 2008.

Below are some reflection from some of the the participants.

“How much money did we use for the SALT visit? I am realising that we don’t need a shilling to contact home visits to our people. That is a big revelation for me after the SALT visit,” Posed Jackson Mulama - Kisoko Cluster.

“What we are missing in our work is how to stimulate Conversations. SALT strongly offers that from the dimension of appreciating strengths. It further enhances Team work spirit. I have learnt that you can even apply SALT in your life and family”, Chief Andrew Odato – Okame Cluster.

“SALT helps individuals and families to move away from self stigma.It helps to strengthen family relationships,” Lawrance Osanya – Kisoko Cluster.

ICS next steps after SALT visit orientation was captured in an action plan. See below.

No	Lesson learnt	How will we apply what we have learnt?	When?	Where?
1	SALT is a simple concept that can produce high impact - quick transformation.	Integrate SALT in all our programmes	2011	Current and new programme areas
2	Communities can undertake their own development initiatives with little or no outside support.	Form or strengthen groups to use locally available resources.	Immediately/2011	In cluster or new cluster areas.
3	As an organization there is need to reflect always on where we have come from and where we are going!	In team building sessions. During reviews.	Quarterly or annually.	Agree on place, time and when.
4	SALT can effectively influence change and facilitate skills transfer.	Replication or transfer to new or existing program sites.	Q2 ,2010	Existing and New program areas.

Thank you.

Onesmus

[Onesmus Mutuku]

Good question Laurence!

ICS has community based Cluster committees(implementers in their communities) They work with learners and teachers to jointly address issue of own concern as a community. One of the concerns is HIV/AIDS and health.

ICS is interested in strengthening ownership of the issues community face and their solving capacity and they will embed SALT in their activities NOTE to substitute their current way of doing business but to complement.

Our starting point was, orienting the teams to SALT and be immersed in a local response setting where SALT is being applied. That happened last week. The Cluster committee are the facilitators for the process. You will have seen that one of the Village Chief who is a member of the Cluster said , "what we are missing in our work is Community conversation"

Hope we will have the ICS face here to speak for themselves as this unfolds.

Regards,

Onesmus

[Laurence Gilliot]

Congratulations to the team! It is great to see such transformation after 4 days of SALT practice :-)

I was wondering how ICS will integrate SALT and the AIDS Competence Process into their work with children especially on the two main areas (Civil Driven Child Development and Child Protection)? Because the idea of SALT/ACP is that it is not a new 'project' but a different way of working and doing what we were already doing.

Laurence