Optimistic Voices
Vital voices in the fields of global health, global child welfare reform and family separation, and those intent on conducting ethical missions in low resource communities and developing nations. Join our hosts as they engage in conversations with diverse guests from across the globe, sharing optimistic views, experiences, and suggestions for better and best practices as they discuss these difficult topics.
Optimistic Voices
Broken Trust, Brave Hearts and a True Rescue: The Princess Story
Princess was just six years old when someone finally spoke up about the abuse she was suffering. That brave act by a Child Reintegration Center alumnus became the first link in a chain of compassionate interventions that would transform her life.
Reverend Olivia Fonney, Director of the Child Reintegration Center in Sierra Leone, takes us through Princess's journey from trauma to healing. When Princess first arrived at the CRC, she was understandably confused and frightened. Rather than place her in the dormitory setting of their interim care facility, Reverend Olivia made the compassionate decision to take Princess into her personal quarters - recognizing that institutional care, however well-intentioned, cannot replicate the warmth of a family environment.
Despite their best efforts to prepare Princess's biological parents for reunification, initial attempts failed when they couldn't keep her safe from her abuser. This setback led to placement with a foster parent - a nurse who provided Princess with stability, nurturing, and specialized care for her emotional needs. This therapeutic environment became the foundation for Princess's remarkable transformation.
Today, Princess is thriving. She's confident, expressive, and truly connected to her family after successfully reunifying with her prepared biological parents. She attends school regularly, has developed a love for reading, and dreams of becoming a teacher. As Reverend Olivia powerfully states, "No child is ever too lost or too broken to find her way back to love and stability."
Princess's story reminds us of the critical importance of speaking up when we see abuse, the power of trauma-informed care, and how communities working together can change a child's life trajectory. What role might you play in protecting the vulnerable children in your community? Subscribe now to hear more stories of resilience and hope on Optimistic Voices: A Child's View.
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A bible study for groups and individuals, One Twenty-Seven: The Widow and the Orphan by Dr Andrea Siegel explores the themes of the first chapter of James, and in particular, 1:27. In James, we learn of our duty to the vulnerable in the historical context of the author. Order here or digital download
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Thank you. Thank you. Welcome to Optimistic Voices, A Child's View, where we share incredible stories of resilience and hope through the eyes of children.
Speaker 2:I'm Natalie Turner, and this is my co-host, dr Laura Horvath. Today we'll talk about one real kid who faced unbearably tough challenges in her life and the amazing people who helped her find a brighter future.
Speaker 1:Each Child's View episode features a special guest who will take us on a journey, one filled with adversity, compassion and hope.
Speaker 2:Today's story is about Princess, a young child who was the victim of abuse by someone who should have been a trusted protector. There were many who saw this situation and spoke up and took action to get her to safety and to keep her safe. This might not have been a story of optimism without their intervention.
Speaker 1:Let's welcome today's guest, Reverend Olivia Fonney, Director of the Child Reintegration Center in Sierra Leone. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:We can't wait to hear this story of hope Before we dive in. Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to Princess?
Speaker 3:little bit about yourself and your connection to Princess. Well, I am Reverend Olivia Fonny. I'm not only the director of the Child Reintegration Center in Bow, but I was the former head of the United Methodist Church Children's Ministry in Sierra Leone, and I'm also a United Methodist pastor. My job requires me to oversee the work that our social workers do and support families' strengthening and empowerment, as well as to represent the CRC in court proceedings for the interest of child protection in cases brought by the government to remove children from dangerous situations. That's what I do as the director of CRC. The CRC accepts placement of school-aged children on a temporary basis as we find permanent, safe placement for them. Sometimes that cannot be with their families, when dangerous conditions cannot be remedied. We work hard to make families safe, as that is our preference, but sometimes we have to consider other options.
Speaker 1:I think that is kind of a teaser about how we're going to get to the happy ending. Olivia, as the person in charge of the CRC, I suspect that's how you became involved in this story. What was happening when you first met Princess?
Speaker 3:Well, I was called to the Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs of the government of Sierra Leone to take custody of Princess. It was a case of an abusive uncle who injured the child when she was living with the aunt and uncle. It was actually a CRC alumni staying in the same house who was brave and strong enough to report the concerns. That doesn't always happen in our culture. People are always afraid to speak up. I consider this individual as the first hero in Princess's story.
Speaker 2:That sounds awful and quite terrifying. How old was Princess at the time and what was she like when you first saw her?
Speaker 3:You can't imagine. Princess was only six years old at that time. She was, of course Princess was only six years old at that time. She was, of course, confused and frightened. But our social workers and our entire staff actually are very used to working with children who had suffered trauma and deprivation because of a long and violent civil war we had in Saralil. But still, these workers not family these are workers and Princess was not used to living in the sort of institutional setting you will find in an interim care facility where we brought her. Also, there were many court appearances she had to attend, which is also strange for a child, a child of six years.
Speaker 3:I decided to take her into my quarters where I stay at the CRC, instead of housing her in the interim home dormitory. My house is on the grounds of the CRC and I have training as a teacher and I've taken many children into my home over the years. Between the staff at the CRC we managed to make Princess at least feel that she was safe. She quickly became active and comfortable playing on the grounds, in offices around the compound. I mean being at home at the CRC. Still, as much as the staff was kind and friendly, it wasn't the same thing as being in a family. Even though our interim facility is family style, we know it doesn't really feel the same as being at home to a child. We cannot provide a true family setting for a child. We cannot provide a true family setting for a child where at times it was obvious that we needed to find a more suitable replacement. So we immediately began working with a mother and father to prepare them to take her home.
Speaker 2:It's hard to imagine going through something like that home.
Speaker 1:It's hard to imagine going through something like that. She was so young. Melody's told me that she was a tiny thing too. Melody happened to be there and witness her interaction with you and your staff, livia, and she shared with me that she even met the parents, so she saw firsthand how hard the CRC was working to try to get Princess in a safe and loving and permanent family environment. In a safe and loving and permanent family environment. But what happened next?
Speaker 3:We worked very hard, as Melody has said, to attempt and get Princess's family to be a safe placement for her. We helped the families that the father and mother get relocated and went to court proceedings with them. The experience for me was horrible. We also enrolled the family as a family-strengthening client because we knew that was going to be a long-time case for us to manage. Eventually we did manage to place her back home with them out of the interim care status back home with them out of the interim care status. But I'm afraid it wasn't long before we saw issues arise. It wasn't going to keep her safe from the abuser, as the family did not keep him away from her, so we had to find another placement.
Speaker 2:It's sad that she couldn't stay there, given the circumstances. What happened to her next?
Speaker 3:The social workers at CRC do a whole family tree for each child we take in. That includes family, extended family, even friends who foster or adopt the child. They made the best possible placement for children, focused first on safety and then on attachment. Ultimately, it was decided that the best possible placement for prisoners was with a foster care parent who was a nurse at the Mercy Hospital, for so many reasons being that she had a stable home and a nurturing home environment and demonstrated a genuine willingness to care for her for a long time. As a professional nurse, she was experienced in caring for children with medical and emotional needs, and so that was why we decided to have her with us.
Speaker 2:What a kind and loving thing you have done for this child.
Speaker 1:Let's take a moment to celebrate the people who made a difference in this story Our guest, Reverend Olivia, the CRC staff, the ministry officials who brought Olivia to them, and that CRC alum who raised the alarm to begin with.
Speaker 2:So where is Princess now and how is she doing in her new family?
Speaker 3:During the time Princess was with the nurse, she began to heal emotionally and regain her confidence. She began to heal emotionally and regain her confidence. Eventually, after careful assessment and preparation, she was reunified with the biological parent. Today, princess is doing very well. She is happy, attending school regularly and has fully reintegrated into her family. Her parents have been incredibly committed, participating in all CRC parenting training. Princess has also developed a love for reading and has even said that she wants to be a teacher one day, which is amazing. It's been such a joy to witness her transforming and see her thinking and thriving in a safe, stable and loving home.
Speaker 1:What a transformation. It's really amazing what can happen when the right people come together to help. It's such an honestly a tribute to you, reverend Olivia, and your amazing CRC staff.
Speaker 2:I bet that Princess also feels proud of how far she's come. Is there anything that else that you want to Olivia about how she seems to you now?
Speaker 3:Well. Princess carries herself well, so much more with confidence now. She's open, now expressive, she talks and she's in a joyful mood that she's with parents. You can see the pride in her eyes when she walks and talks In school I heard from the teacher and from the case manager and even at home that she helps out. Now at home she looks hopeful and truly connected to her family. It's really a beautiful change from the first time I saw Princess, the mood that she was in to now. It's really the beautiful change from the first time I saw Princess, the mood that she was in to now. It's really the change is really really encouraging.
Speaker 1:I'm sure, before we wrap up, what's one note of optimism, olivia, that you would like our listeners to take away from this story?
Speaker 3:I want our listeners to know that no child is ever too lost or too broken to find her ways or her way back to love and stability. Princess's story is a reminder that, with the right support, children can heal, grow and thrive. Our resilience and our dedication of those who walked along her shows that it is possible when a family, the community, neighbors, when they come together to prioritize family and give them hope.
Speaker 2:My note of optimism from Princess's story is that it reminds me of the importance of living in a world where people and programs look out for each other. While it is difficult to replicate the love a family provides, anyone can provide care and compassion to others. I also want to highlight the bravery and love of the first hero of the story, Anne Olivia, and others in the program who helped get Princess to safety and bring her into this caring environment. This bravery and love is admirable and gives me hope.
Speaker 1:We hope today's story has inspired you to look around. Small actions, make them big.
Speaker 2:Thank you, reverend Olivia, for sharing this incredible story and thank you, listeners, for joining us today on Optimistic Voices A Child's View.
Speaker 1:If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, share it with friends and leave a review. Together, we can bring more stories of hope to light.
Speaker 2:Until next time, remember there's always hope, and every a review Together, we can bring more stories of hope to light. Until next time, remember there's always hope and every voice matters. Bye, for now.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
