Flexible family help changes lives
By Macheo
Gladys (32) was a single mother of three children and ill. This made it difficult for her to take care of herself and her children. And now? Gladys confidently and ambitiously runs a professional home-based childcare centre. She has already hired one employee and she wants more.
I am so proud to be able to take care of my family again!” Gladys
New family-oriented approach
Gladys’ family has come out on top with help from a new, flexible approach developed by Macheo Childrens Organisation in Kenya: the Family Needs Based Method. It works like this: a social worker works with the client. On average, there is a budget of EUR 300 per family. The social worker and the client decide together how and on what this money is spent. Thus, the client has control over the budget, and together, they look for the best solution in this specific case. Conversely, for the social worker, this way of working leads to more freedom and responsibility.
This new approach provides more flexibility
Until a few years ago, Macheo was used to providing assistance from tightly labelled budgets per assistance measure. But: all too often, the measures families need do not fit into neatly defined and predictable pots. The new approach, therefore, allows for more flexibility. Every effort is made to do as much as possible with the 300 euros. The social worker can respond much better to the circumstances: what does this family need in this specific situation? Right now, and later? Is there a government policy that can contribute? What other organisations and parties in the neighbourhood can be collaborated with?
This is how it worked in Gladys’ family
Social worker Beth acted quickly after her first visit. She discussed with Gladys what her needs were and what needed to be arranged first. This revealed that there was now behofte cash for basic necessities. Gladys also received mental assistance, to deal with her traumas due to her illnesses.Her eldest son also received mental assistance.
To waive most of the bills for operations and treatments, Macheo lobbied government and doctors. They also made sure Gladys could enter the National Basic and Health Insurance Scheme. She regained her self-confidence and ambition after her treatments: she wanted to start a home-based nursery. Macheo helped her on her way. Thanks to Gladys’ hard work and dedication, the daycare became a great success. She now earns enough to take good and loving care of her children.
Trust
The new family-centred approach also requires new trust from donors. “It feels easier to donate to one specific measure, for example school uniforms, than to a total budget for a family,” says Marnix Huis in ‘t Veld, founder of Macheo. “But we can guarantee that two-thirds of the families we help through the new method achieve the desired result. We have already helped a thousand families this way in a year and a half.
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More about Macheo
Macheo helps vulnerable children in the slums and rural areas around the city of Thika in Kenya. The organisation in Kenya (146 FTE), founded in 2005 by Marnix Huis in ‘t Veld, has consisted entirely of Kenyans since the beginning of this year. The Macheo NL Foundation supports the organisation in Kenya through a board consisting entirely of unpaid volunteers. Macheo provides aid to 45,000 children annually according to a self-developed method, whereby these aid measures are closely monitored and reviewed. When providing aid, Macheo takes a very focused look at what is needed for children to grow up in a healthy, safe and loving environment.