For the Love of a Child

IRAQ 2021 APPEAL

Angharad — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 23:04:42 +0000

We are currently fundraising for a new project in a refugee camp in Iraq. We are in discussions with a team on the ground and would like to start as early as January 2021. Because of the restrictions of COVID19 we will offer training remotely then visit once restrictions are lifted. Our aim is to provide either a Sam’s House structure or start a community programme, this will all depend on what is possible.

In 2014 IS launched a coordinated attack across a region of Northern Iraq, the attack came from all four sides and the local population were unprotected and defenceless as IS advanced. In the hours and days that followed 12,000 people were killed or abducted by IS. It is estimated that around 250,000 people fled to Mount Sinjar where they were surrounded by IS for days in temperatures above 40 degrees. IS prevented access to food, water and medical care, and many died before a rescue operation finally provided an escape. Many houses were destroyed leaving them homeless and Refugee camps both official and non official have been set up.

Many children still suffer from the traumatising events that occurred and we want to be able to reach this generation. We want to provide training and support on trauma therapy and offer the listening stone programme to these children. Ideally we would like this to be in a Sam’s House space, providing arts and crafts, toys, games, and music. If you are able to donate please go to our donate page and we will keep you updated as we progress further with this new opportunity to support the children in Iraq.

EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION INDIA COVID19 2020

Angharad — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 22:24:53 +0000

Wow your generous donations totalled £1,500 for the COVID19 India appeal. We were able to provide emergency food distribution to rural tribal villages in India to a number of families who suddenly lost work and income because of the pandemic. It is estimated that 70% of the population in India live on less than £1.50 a day. It was critical to get food to those rural villages so thank you all so much.

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COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMME INDIA DEC 2019

Angharad — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 21:41:23 +0000

In December 2019 Donna Jennings and a FLOC team delivered the listening stone training programme to 12 social workers in India. The project was going to last twelve weeks and involved the social workers going into rural tribal villages and delivering the therapeutic programme to the community. The social workers from were able to deliver the awareness orientation with the parents and children, over 45 children were signed up in one rural village and this was then going to be repeated in four other villages. In the first village the children , parents and the volunteers were divided into 4 groups and played a fun game. The purpose of the game was just to have laughter and fun. The name of the game is “Idly Sambar” and the parents got involved in the game and had lot of fun….. more than the children. This game was designed and practiced by the team during the theatre workshop. Sadly this was in March 2020 just before the covid19 pandemic. This project is currently on hold but we are so excited for when it can be rolled out once more. If you would like to donate to this programme please go to our donate page.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCING OUR NEW TRUSTEES

admin — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 08:55:26 +0000

Julie-Anne Alexander is the FLOC chair and a trustee; she is married to Kevin and they have 2 teenage sons, Daniel and Aaron. Julie-Anne lives in Dundee and is a member of City church. She is passionate about people; particularly children, discovering that Jesus loves them and that He heals and restores.Julie-Anne has worked as a children’s service manager for the charity Barnardo’s for almost 5yrs. Her previous experience includes; local authority foster carer, nurse, college lecturer and young people’s drug and alcohol counsellor. Julie-Anne Qualified as a nurse in Aberdeen in 1994 and has further qualifications in counselling skills from Abertay University and leadership and management in health and social care from Stirling University.

Karen Bennett is Floc Treasurer and trustee. Karen works at Dundee based overseas development charity, Signpost International as book keeper and payroll administrator. She has previous experience of volunteering for charities and is the current chairperson of Dundee Foodbank. Karen is married with 2 daughters and is a member of Downfield Mains Church.

Peter Connolly – FLOC Trustee
BA, M.Phil., CQSW

Peter qualified as a Social Worker and graduated in Dundee in 1989. His career has mainly been involved in Children’s Services and Child Protection in particular. He also spent 6 years as a practitioner and team leader in Child and Family Psychiatry. He has worked as a Senior Manager in the Orkney Islands leading service improvements and child protection services. He was an Honorary Teaching Fellow with Dundee University and later a full time Senior Teaching Fellow with the University of Stirling. He has a global vision for child welfare and has visited Southern India, Palestine and Borneo to extend his knowledge of global issues and different cultural challenges. Peter is committed to making a difference through FLOC for young lives in different places, to help them to restore and rebuild their foundations and emotional resilience.

TRIP TO LEBANON – APRIL 2016

admin — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 08:50:48 +0000

The aim of this trip was to network in Lebanon, identify the greatest needs of the refugee children and to see how FLOC might be able to help. Although it was a reconnaissance trip myself and the two wonderful volunteers Eileen Pickering (primary school teacher) and Lois Pickering her daughter (the photographer) were able to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in.

We visited the Kings Kids Educational Centre for the first 4 days of our trip, which is connected to YWAM Lebanon. The centre is run by a wonderful man, Jihad, who hosted us and along with the inspirational teachers and staff made us feel extremely welcome. The Kings Kids School helps over 100 refugee children who have had to flee the atrocities of the war in Syria; these displaced children have very uncertain futures and have experienced unbelievable horrors. Kings Kids is responding to their need by offering these children an education. The school is run on very meagre resources (including very limited staff) but with a lot of Love.

Whilst there we were able to help out with; teaching, telling stories, and having lots of fun with the kids through drama and games. The children especially loved the parachute and face-painting; which FLOC donated in addition to money for books and resources. Though limited in what I could offer therapeutically; I was also able to assess some of the emotional needs of the children and offer advice and guidance to the teachers based on my therapeutic training. A few highlights for me were; being able to share ‘The Listening Stone’ story with our brand new puppet (made by “How it Felt Puppet Company”) and also the story behind why I set up the charity

BRINGING HEALING, HOPE AND FREEDOM

admin — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 08:47:17 +0000

You may remember from the last annual report that STAAG, the St Andrews University student charity that organised St Andrews to Mongolia 2012, nominated FLOC as its charity for the year. The STAAG Team of University students did a rigorous canoe trip and raised more than £1000, which was made available to us this year. This allowed our first trip to Lebanon in April 2016 to help Syrian refugee children; more about that later in this issue….

This has been a very busy year and now that the charity has really gained momentum we anticipate that next year will be the same! Donna has stepped down from her job as dramatherapist at Dundee Rep to concentrate on building the charity.

DEAR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF FLOC

admin — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 08:35:35 +0000

We’d like to give you an update on the work of FLOC in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon since our visit there in October.

This year we have worked hard, and thanks to generous donations from many individuals, businesses, and churches, as well as trusts and foundations, we have raised nearly £20,000 for the very first Sam’s House!

The Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space in Lebanon will provide a safe, therapeutic space for Syrian refugee children ages 2.5 – 5 years old. Many of these children have lost their families, homes, and friends and are deeply affected by their experiences. They are scared, confused, and looking for a sense of safety and hope, which the Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space will provide. The children will be able to process their trauma through play, art, crafts, music, drama, and stories. It will be a place where they can learn to be children again.

The Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space will provide 60 children with the opportunity to attend weekly. It will be run through a collaborative partnership with LSESD (the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development). Also known as the Lebanese Baptist Society, LSESD was established locally in 1998, and is a well respected organisation that works closely with local churches. Following our visit to Lebanon in 2016, we were delighted to find these wonderful partners who have vast experience and are able to manage things on the ground.

GREAT SCOT “UNSUNG HERO” AWARD 2017

admin — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 08:32:24 +0000

Closer to home, we are delighted that FLOC and the important work we are doing is being more widely recognised. On her return from Lebanon, Donna received an “Unsung Hero” award from the Sunday Mail Great Scot Awards. The awards will be shown on STV. Also, our local government has put in a motion in parliament recognising the work FLOC is doing in the Middle East. We hope to build on this publicity to raise awareness and more funding, so we can continue what we’re doing and also replicate the Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space project to help many more young and vulnerable refugee children.

SAM’S HOUSE PROGRAMME

admin — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:29:09 +0000

Donna, our founder/director, has been busy writing a full year program to go with the Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space. The visit in October included a four day training for the workers, including early development and child protection training.

The programme is therapeutic in essence, to help the children explore and process their trauma in a safe way. The programme includes drama, movement, games, stories, play, and nursery rhymes and music written specifically for this programme.

The Syrian women seen here successfully completed the training, along with the Lebanese project manager, Rachel (on the far left). She is excited about the Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space and its capacity to grow and duplicate in other areas to help more children. The needs are overwhelming, but with your continued support we can do more to help these little ones.

Though we have met the first year’s costs to prepare and rent the ground, construct the tent, and supply it with lots of toys, we would really like for this project to be sustainable for the next three years. As you can see, the camp is beside a road and many of the parents of young children worry about their safety. Parents can’t let the children go out and play. This is why a safe place for them to play and have fun is so vital.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFER

admin — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:23:28 +0000

For a donation of £10 or more we would like to offer a very special one off gift of a signed copy of The Listening Stone, written by Donna Jennings and illustrated by Gillian Gamble. This is a special book about a little girl with no name. She goes on a perilous journey to find out who she is and where she belongs. This book would make a wonderful Christmas gift and you will be helping the little Syrian refugee children. Your gift will go to the Sam’s House – Little Friendly Space budget. To donate please go to – www.fortheloveofachild.org.uk