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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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Travel on International Mission, meet local leadership and work alongside them. Exchange knowledge, learn from one another and be open to personal transformation. Step into a 25 year long story of change for children in some of the poorest regions on Earth.

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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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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone. Your small monthly donation, prayers, attention & caring is essential. You advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

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