FIRELIGHT FOUNDATION
903 PACIFIC AVENUE, SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060 www.firelightfoundation.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN MADE VULNERABLE BY HIV, AIDS, AND POVERTY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. FIRELIGHT FOUNDATION (FIRELIGHT) SUPPORTS GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN.

FUND AND BUILD CAPACITY OF AFRICAN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT IMPROVE CHILDREN'S LIVES.

EDUCATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT FIRELIGHT SUPPORTS GRASSROOTS INNOVATORS GROUNDED IN THEIR LOCAL CONTEXTS AND FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS THAT LIMIT CHILDREN'S ACHIEVEMENT. WE SUPPORT THEM WITH ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND TAILORED TECHNICAL CAPACITY BUILDING IN LEARNING AND EVALUATION, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO BETTER MEASURE, EVALUATE, AND SHARE THE IMPACT THEY ARE MAKING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WITH BETTER DATA AND MEASUREMENT OF OUTCOMES, OUR CBO GRANTEE-PARTNERS HOLD THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS TO OTHER GOVERNMENT OR CIVIL SOCIETY ACTORS.PROGRAM ACTIVITIES FUNDED BY MULTIPLE DONORS, FIRELIGHT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN MALAWI, TANZANIA, AND ZAMBIA TO STRENGTHEN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT (ECD) CENTERS AND FAMILY-BASED TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE CHILDREN'S HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY HIV. FIRELIGHT CONCENTRATES ON TWO MAJOR AREAS: IMPROVING ECD CENTER QUALITY IN MALAWI AND EMPOWERING FAMILIES OF CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE THREE IN TANZANIA AND ZAMBIA. OUR GRANTEE-PARTNERS IN MALAWI ARE ESTABLISHING AND STRENGTHENING ECD CENTERS FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE FIVE, INCLUDING BUILDING BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATING SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND TRAINING ECD CAREGIVERS. IN MALAWI, WE ARE ALSO PILOTING A TRAINING PROGRAM OF ECD PERSONNEL THAT INCLUDES CLASSROOM COACHING AND ONGOING MENTORING FROM LOCAL EXPERTS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT.IN TANZANIA AND ZAMBIA, OUR GRANTEE-PARTNERS ARE WORKING TO EMPOWER PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT. OUR GRANTEE-PARTNERS INTEGRATED A VARIETY OF HOLISTIC PROGRAMS THAT SERVE CHILDREN'S AND FAMILIES' MULTI-FACETED NEEDS. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE SAVINGS AND LOANS GROUPS TO PROMOTE FAMILIES' ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT; FEEDING PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE BASIC NUTRITION; VOLUNTARY COUNSELING AND TESTING FOR HIV AND AIDS; AND INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES FOR THE ECD CENTERS.WE PROVIDED CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO OUR GRANTEE-PARTNERS. ADDITIONALLY, WE SHARED LEARNINGS AND ASSESSMENTS AND PROVIDED ONSITE AND VIRTUAL MENTORING FOR MEL CAPACITY.KEY PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS- IMPROVED PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ECD CENTERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.- INCREASED ACCESS TO ECD CENTERS FOR CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY.- IMPROVEMENTS IN LESSON PLANNING AND THE AVAILABILITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS.- IMPROVED LEARNING OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN WHO HAVE ATTENDED ECD CENTERS COMPARED TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT.- IMPROVED HOME ENVIRONMENT AND CAREGIVER-CHILD INTERACTIONS.- IDENTIFICATION OF AND SUPPORT TO HIGHLY VULNERABLE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.- INCREASED RAISED AWARENESS AMONG FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

CHILD RIGHTS AND CHILD PROTECTIONFIRELIGHT BELIEVES THAT AFRICAN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST UNREALIZED ASSETS IN HELPING CREATE LASTING, POSITIVE CHILD WELLBEING SYSTEMS, THEREBY CHANGING THE LONG-TERM TRAJECTORY OF MARGINALIZED CHILDREN ON THE CONTINENT. FIRELIGHT SEEKS TO SUPPORT ROBUST LOCAL SOCIAL SYSTEMS TO ENSURE CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN LOCALLY ACCEPTED WAYS AND FORM THE FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNITY-DRIVEN LARGE SCALE CHILDREN'S RIGHTS ENGAGEMENT AND ACTION.KEY PROGRAM ACTIVITIESFIRELIGHT IS DEVELOPING A NEW APPROACH TO SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SYSTEMS CHANGE THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, USING EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATORY PROCESSES TO BUILD OUR GRANTEE-PARTNERS' OWN CAPACITIES AND DEVELOP, PILOT, REFINE AND DOCUMENT OUR FRAMEWORK(S), TOOLS AND PROCESSES. WE ARE FACILITATING A COMMUNITY-INVOLVED MAPPING TO UNDERSTAND AREAS OF VULNERABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY IN UP TO 3 COUNTRIES, LEADING TO 2 NEW CLUSTERS OF CBO GRANTEES WITH WHOM TO REALIZE AND TEST OUR APPROACH TO COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SYSTEMS CHANGE FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS.FIRELIGHT BEGAN IDENTIFYING CBO GRANTEE PARTNERS TO WORK WITH FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS IN REALIZING LONG-TERM COMMUNITY ACTION FOR CHILD RIGHTS AND PROTECTION. FIRELIGHT WILL BUILD ON OUR EMERGING PARTICIPATORY ENGAGEMENT AND ACTION PRACTICES AND FRAMEWORKS TO HELP EXPLORE AND EMBRACE THE COMMUNITY'S MOST PRESSING AREAS OF CONCERN OR MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES FROM A CHILDREN'S RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE. WE WILL THEN SUPPORT THE IDENTIFIED CLUSTERS OF CBOS TO UTILIZE THESE HIGHLY PARTICIPATORY PRACTICES SO THAT THEY, ALONG WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES - INCLUDING CHILDREN THEMSELVES - CAN ALSO DETERMINE THE COMMUNITY ACTION THEY TOGETHER BELIEVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO TAKE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.FIRELIGHT SUPPORTED ONE COMMUNITY GRANTMAKER AND SIX COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO RESPOND TO THE MULTI-FACETED NEEDS OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN LESOTHO, A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. LESOTHO HAS THE SECOND-HIGHEST PREVALENCE OF HIV AND AIDS IN THE WORLD, WITH OVER 25% OF THE POPULATION INFECTED WITH HIV. DUE TO THE TRAGIC IMPACT OF THE CRISIS, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ORPHANED AND LEFT VULNERABLE TO HIV AND AIDS, CHILD ABUSE, MALNUTRITION, AND POVERTY. SUB-GRANTS THAT THE COMMUNITY GRANTMAKER MADE TO SMALLER, LOCAL CBOS WERE USED TO STRENGTHEN EACH COMMUNITY'S CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMS. IMPROVEMENTS TO CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMS INCLUDED CASE MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING TO MEETING BASIC NEEDS OF CHILDREN THROUGH NUTRITION PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION, TO COUNSELING AND SUPPORT GROUPS FOR CHILDREN, TO SUSTAINABLE INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES (SUCH AS CATERING OR LIVESTOCK BUSINESS) FOR FAMILIES, TO COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF PARENT/CAREGIVER INVOLVEMENT.WE FLESHED OUT OUR CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING POLICIES, PRACTICES AND FACILITATED A PROCESS OF ACKNOWLEDGING, VALUING, AND UPGRADING THOSE OF OUR CBO GRANTEE-PARTNERS THAT ARE DRIVEN BY AND CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN RESOURCE OR WORKFORCE SCARCE ENVIRONMENTS. ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, WE ROLLED OUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, CONSULTANTS, AND GRANTEE-PARTNERS.

ENDING CHILD MARRIAGEWITH FUNDING FROM MULTIPLE DONORS, FIRELIGHT HAS BEEN SUPPORTING A CLUSTER OF 10 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND TWO LEAD PARTNERS FIGHTING TO SYSTEMATICALLY ELIMINATE CHILD MARRIAGE IN THE SHINYANGA REGION OF TANZANIA, WHERE 59% OF GIRLS UNDER 18 ARE STILL FORCED INTO MARRIAGE.OUR GRANTEE-PARTNERS ARE DEPLOYING A VARIETY OF HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO END CHILD MARRIAGE IN THE REGION. THEIR APPROACHES INCLUDE ECONOMIC STRENGTHENING FOR FAMILIES, PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN RESCUED FROM CHILD MARRIAGE, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN RESCUED FROM OR AT RISK OF CHILD MARRIAGE, SKILLFUL PARENTING ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES, CULTURAL AWARENESS-RAISING, LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTIONS, STRENGTHENING LOCAL CHILD PROTECTION TEAMS, ESTABLISHING YOUTH CLUBS FOR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL, AND TRAINING TEACHERS ON CHILD PROTECTION. COMMUNITIES HAVE ALREADY REPORTED REDUCTIONS IN CHILD MARRIAGES AND PREGNANCIES. THEY HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN LOCAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS OF CHILD MARRIAGE AND IN THE COMMUNITIES' DESIRE TO STOP THIS PRACTICE.

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