Children have faced some unimaginable odds during the lockdown; Jelly Beanz and UNICEF are working to provide a helpful resource booklet to help children.
Cape Town, South Africa (16 September 2021) – Children’s charity, Jelly Beanz, a registered non-profit passionate about children and those working with children at risk. They recently released a book and now, in partnership with UNICEF, a ‘Protect Children and Help them Heal’ resource booklet.
Jelly Beanz works towards giving HOPE to children nationally, although they are physically based in Cape Town.
Children are experiencing horrific levels of violence in the home, either as direct victims or as witnesses of domestic violence. Exposure to violence has a profound impact on the development potential of children, including trauma that lasts throughout life and can impact adult behaviour and relationships.
Patterns of violence across generations reveal that when boys experience violence in childhood, there is a higher probability of repeating violent behaviour during adulthood. For the millions of children who experience trauma, abuse and neglect in South Africa, their immediate and closest support networks are parents and other family members, community leaders, teachers, or someone in the neighbourhood who offers a place of safety and care. That’s why it is critical to provide these caregivers with information and guidance to empower them to protect and care for children who seek their help.
The statistics present a clear call to action:
- 1/3 of children experience some form of sexual abuse during childhood (boys slightly more than girls.)
- 12% of children experience neglect.
- 18% of children have experienced physical abuse
- 26% of children have experienced emotional abuse.
To help tackle these challenges, UNICEF South Africa and Jelly Beanz have produced “Protect Children and Help them Heal,” a resource booklet that aims to assist caregivers to understand better how children respond to trauma and how they can best care for and support children affected by violence.
The booklet will be distributed in both physical and electronic form via the Jelly Beanz and UNICEF websites and on social media, as well as through the communication platforms of other organisations working in this space.
The booklet will be launching on the 22nd of September, 2021. Stay tuned to the Jelly Beanz and UNICEF social media pages for the links to download.
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