Mission babies and Kinship Care

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Almost at the end of my second week - the time has flown and I have done so much, had so many new and incredible experiences it is hard to know where to start but a highlight of this week has been a visit to the Mission for Hope crisis nursery was a highlight. The nursery cares for babies in crisis, where the family are unable to care for them, some have been abandoned or their mothers have died in or shortly after childbirth. Where possible, the nursery aims to care for the babies up until they are about 2, working during this with then the extended family for the child to return to them. Responsibility for the children of extended family is strong in the culture of Malawians and many of the families I have met with at M'buka care for and/or support the education of other family members.

Some children will return to their birth parents where this is possible, usually where a mother has been ill following the birth and is unable to care for the child. Where children go to the care of extended family the Mission supports them with a programme to help them grow the food needed to feed the child, seeds, fertiliser etc and also follows up on the care of the children after they return to their family.

If children cannot be cared for by the family they go forwards for adoption with a small number of children being adopted in California where the Mission has strong links.

There is no legal process for children being cared for by their extended family in Malawi - it is the cultural norm and expectation that family care for relatives children where this is neccesary.

There are many good news stories of babies who have come to the nursery very weak and through the care received at the nursery become strong and healthy within a short time. There are also some sad stories of babies for whom the help came too late.

The story of each baby is well documented in a life story book. One baby was found by a guard, late at night floating down the river in a basket. He was aptly named Moses. He survived the experience and was subsequently adopted in America as no family was ever traced.

Malawi does not appear to have many families who comeforwards for adoption, possibly because of the very high level of extended family care provided as itseems that thsoe in aposition to often care for brothers, sisters, grandchildren, nephews and nieces.

The centre can care for up to 17 babies at any one time and has a partner centre that provides care for a further 16 babies. It provides a very calm and loving environment in which the babies grow and thrive. The babies are extremely well cared for with a lack of running water being no barrier to this and being there and dispels the notion of poor instutionalised care of babies in Malawi.

The centre is run through the Church Mission and relies on charitable funding and other donations.

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