“I want them to know they can have a fabulous life. . .”
The Villages of Roll Hill is one of the ten most impoverished neighborhoods in the nation, but within the privately owned property are parents who want more for their children and kids whose dreams can’t be diminished by the disparity around them.
As children around the world learn the power of their own voices and their ability to ask for what they wish for, they’re learning the safe adults in their life will not only listen, they will work to help make things happen for them.
Haiti and her people continue to persevere despite ongoing turmoil across the country. Back2Back staff eagerly pursue special activities or moments to hold space for the children and families they serve.
Back2Back’s Transition to Independence Program comes alongside young adults as they transition from one season of their lives to a new one, often resulting in independent living. Staff teams provide mentorship, life skills, and general support to each young adult in the program as they navigate life in new spaces and areas.
In trauma informed care, we are taught that a child who approaches someone new as if they’ve known them their whole lives, is displaying indiscriminate friendliness. Children with trauma histories often miss the key developmental milestones of attaching to a safe adult.
Trauma-informed schools are being developed at many of the Back2Back sites. Staff have unanimously seen the effects on children when educators lack trauma-training, thus not fully understanding what some of their students face.
Trauma-informed schools are on the rise at Back2Back sites around the globe. Over the years, as Back2Back staff have served children attending village and government-run schools, they saw inconsistencies as students struggled to keep up, many often repeating grades.
Expanding the Reach: India Welcomes New Site Director
In Hyderabad’s core, there is a community of families living in makeshift homes. Most of the parents are rag pickers, who separate thrown-out food and materials into groups and sell them for profit. Despite these living conditions, there is joy within the tarped walls and metal roofs.
Child sponsorship is an integral way Back2Back helps facilitate safe, lasting relationships for children and adults from around the world. The financial support it provides allows holistic care for each child, and the emotional investment made has eternal impact.
The trauma-informed, Back2Back-run school in India was once just a dream. Long-time staff members prayed for opportunities to send children to schools with broad and usable educational curriculum.
Adelina’s teachers and family observe her playing and learning alongside peers, recalling the little girl whose teachers claimed was illiterate and too quiet and now, all they see is blossoming.
