International Development - Change 4 Change

The Salvation Army’s International Development department (SAID UK) and Children’s Ministries Unit (CMU) have just relaunched Change 4 Change, a fundraising campaign created by children, for children who have been trafficked away from their families. Children like Sekelani. 

Sekelani lives in Malawi. He is 14 and comes from a family of 8 children. Sekelani and his brothers were running a small food business to support their family. To help run the business, Sekelani wanted to buy a bike, so when a man offered the boys work on his farm, Sekelani agreed. The deal offered to the boys was that they would attend school during the day and work for a few hours on the farm in the afternoon. Instead, Sekelani was forced to work from 6am until evening with only a short break for lunch. He and another boy were the only workers on the farm and they were made to sleep in a dirty shed. They had no clean water or soap for bathing, the employer did not speak to them unless he was demanding work, and the boys received no wages.

Thankfully, Sekelani was rescued and taken to The Salvation Army’s anti-child trafficking centre in Mchinji. He plays in a football team with other boys and would like to attend school again when he returns home.

Each year, the centre in Mchinji supports up to 120 children like Sekelani who have been trafficked. They are brought to the centre to be cared for and supported as they come to terms with their experiences. The children are fed and clothed well, given psychological support and rehabilitated as individuals with rights and an identity. They attend the local school, live in a caring environment, play with their peers and prepare to be re-united with their families. Some older children will also learn vocational skills such as bike maintenance, tailoring, carpentry and gardening. These skills help them become productive members of their family when they return home, reducing the likelihood that they will be re-trafficked. 

Together, we can make our small change have a big impact on the lives of children who need to see change happen.

Our brand new Change 4 Change Fundraising Pack will help children’s groups learn about the issue of child trafficking and work together to bring about change. It includes a video case story, kids church session plan, poster, activity sheets and collection boxes to collect up your small (or big) change.

If you fill a Change 4 Change box with 1p, 2p and 5p coins you’ll be able to feed a child for a week. If you fill it with 10p, 20p and 50p coins you could not only feed them, but also buy clothes and send them to school.

Together we can see change happen.

Contact Children’s Ministries Unit on 020 7367 4949 or children@salvationarmy.org.uk to order your fundraising pack, or visit here  to find out more and download the resources.