As Back2Back continues to grow in depth and breadth of their care for vulnerable populations in India, there are cultural expectations to consider as the best, most holistic approach is provided.
House of Hope is one organization they invest deeply in – providing Trauma Competent Care training, assisting in after-school programming, and creating safe spaces to connect with vulnerable children.
Recently, Cheque and Hope Garcia, Back2Back D.R. Co-Directors, attended a local conference with their whole staff team that gathered people from the Dominican area who have a heart for the vulnerable.
Much has changed recently at a Back2Back-partnering children’s home. When the pandemic made its way to Mexico, many of the children under Back2Back’s care returned to live with biological families, if it was safe for them to do so.
Esther Stephen watched the young man who’s lived in her home, as her foster child, for a number of years. She sees his eyes soften as he cradles her new daughter, a gentleness comes over him, and Esther smiles to herself, knowing when the young man is around, her daughter will always be safe and well-cared for.
Santosh Kumar, Back2Back staff, is an incredible advocate for Strong Families in the city as he connects them to the appropriate resources to meet their needs.
Iniko* has long been thought of as the reserved, quiet child in his peer group. For as long as Back2Back staff have known him, they’ve believed he was simply an introverted young man who kept close to his siblings and himself.
Recently, weekly Trauma Competent Care trainings started, led by Back2Back staff to two different couples in the same area the ministry is located. A foster family couple and a missionary couple wanted to dive deeper into trauma-informed care and have a desire to share what they’re learning with others.
The area where the children live in Nigeria is known for its agriculture and an abundance of fruit, but strawberries are often very expensive and typically thought of as a rich person’s food.
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Pursuing educational equity, the Back2Back Cincinnati team created resources and relationships, and saw a difference within weeks. Children once projected to fail were now reading complete sentences.
Many of the mothers served through the Strong Families Program in Cancun never had days like this with their own mothers, and it is the staff team’s desire to create new traditions and memories alongside every family member in unique ways.
Four Hope Program students sat atop the high mountain peak and looked at their city below. One of the young men started pointing, calling out landmarks or locations he recognized as the sun shone brightly from a cloudless, blue sky.
Back2Back staff recently held a ceremony to officially welcome new students into the Transition Program. The program exists to help facilitate transition from living in Hope Homes or with their peers to independent living and planning.
In January, 2022, a remodeling project was underway at the former Hope Home, Casa Caleb, in Mexico. It was being updated to house incoming Transition Program students so they could learn the value and responsibilities of living on their own and managing their own time, finances, and work loads.
Staff across all Back2Back sites go through extensive trauma-informed care training. This allows everyone who interacts with children and who shares stories or videos on their behalf understand what vulnerable populations need most.
In 2021, Back2Back staff saw a pattern developing within the community of teens they served. There were young men getting in legal trouble with very few safe adults to speak positively on their behalf, and they knew something needed to be done.
