Mith Samlanh, DFW’s January 2017 featured grantee, recently updated the project’s progress in its interim report. The organization requested and was granted permission to modify its budget, applying some savings realized from materials and food support to family reintegration, one of the most important aspects of the project.

As of July 31, 2017, the project’s transitional home had already provided safe accommodation to 34 girls who are separated from their families (23 girls ages 0-14 and 11 girls older than 14). The transitional home is equipped with hygiene facilities, bathrooms, a kitchen, a recreational space and a dining area where the daily meal is provided. The girls live in shared rooms and have their own beds and storage spaces. As many of these girls have no possessions, they are provided with clothes, sanitary equipment and everything they need. The home is run by 12 home parents. All the residents are responsible for house chores, homework, and have access to diverse activities inside and outside the center. Meetings with children are held every week in each center so that children can raise concerns about the services and deal with them instantly. Medical services are also available every day. Counseling and case management support is provided by social workers and home parents to assist children when they have problems in the home or in their classes.

Among the 34 girls, 30 girls staying at the transitional home received support to enroll in training at the Vocational Training Center of Mith Samlanh and public school. The other four girls (siblings) stayed in the home for a very short period of time and were reintegrated back to family. During this period, a total of 10 girls were reunified with their families including into direct family, foster care families, and living independently in a group home.

DFW’s grant has also supported 10 girls in a group home, which is similar to a small family arrangement of two to five young people under the supervision of a case manager. The goal of a group home is for the girls to build relationships in the community, to transition to living independently, to develop living skills in a supportive environment, and to learn how to live safely in the community and adapt to adulthood. All the girls living in the group home are currently studying at Mith Samlanh’s vocational training program and receive the same services as all the other students in the center.

All of us at DFW look forward to hearing about the second half of this project and how it will change the lives of marginalized girls.

Read more about this project’s progress and see photos from the grantee here.