Tutela Feed
The central theme to all of Tutela’s work
October 2023
Tutela’s Director, Jonny, shares a bit of his journey with safeguarding and how his approach is changing. He writes:
“Until recently, whenever I would hear someone say the word ‘safeguarding’, I would shudder and feel a rise of trepidation and discomfort within me. I’m fairly sure I’m not alone in this reaction. The mention of safeguarding in a discussion can cause one to shrink back, look away and hope the topic changes soon. It’s not a fun or light-hearted topic and doesn’t generate warm and cosy connotations when we approach it. Sometimes, it is easier just to keep your head down and try not to get hit by the radar beam of the safeguarding experts. When we open ourselves up to the issue of safeguarding, it inevitably involves the realisation that the care and support we are giving isn’t good enough; it could be better. If we are looking for nice and easy things to wrestle with, then perhaps safeguarding is not the one to go for. Thankfully, my approach is now significantly different to what it used to be… “
Developing a plan to reach more children
September 2023
The district of KaMavota is one of the poorest and is the most populated district in Maputo. This is where we need to focus our energies and efforts for the next five to ten years…
Here is what I see for Tutela during this time - to become a locally led, vibrant change maker in the poorest areas of Maputo, facillitating transformation for many children and families who are struggling.
Tutela’s Director catches up with the foster families
August 2023
The alarm went off at 4am but I was already awake and ready for the adventure. A short taxi ride to the coach stop was followed by five hours on the National Express all the way to Gatwick Airport. It had been almost two years since I had got on a plane so I was full of excitement for being in an airport again and to feel the buzz of the departure lounge. As I dragged my two cases into the terminal, the surroudings did not disappoint as I was confronted by thousands of other travellers bustling and chivvying for the check-in and bag-drop. Time was on my side thanks to the extremely early coach ride, so I could take it all in and absorb the travelling vibe around me…
A short blog by Honor Wakely
3 May 2023
Jonny and Becky’s daughter, Honor, 13, recalls her time living in southern Africa:
“One of my favourite things about living in Mozambique was probably the heat. It was usually sunny, and if it wasn’t, it was raining. Not feeble, inconsistent english rain, but hard, strong rain that stayed for a few days, often strongest at night. We had the rainy season and the warm season, but realistically, the temperature rarely dropped below 13 or 14ºC most of the year. Some of the best times were in the hot evenings when we would have a barbeque in the garden, all of us covered in bug spray to avoid mosquito bites. We would play outside, bare foot and in shorts and t-shirts to survive the heat. As the night got cooler we would layer up, but only in two layers and perhaps shoes. We would eat under the dark sky, sprinkled with shining stars that could still be seen despite the dense light pollution… “
A wonderful Easter gift
3 April 2023
It’s been a long time coming, but at last this chap is starting a new chapter in his life.
Sitting on his new bed, next to his new foster mum, Zito is quietly absorbing the new circumstance in which he finds himself. The photos were taken friday afternoon, on the last day of March, after the Tutela team spent a number of weeks organising his arrival. He completes Fabio and Isabel's big family and the bed in the picture has been ready for more than a year, waiting for this placement to happen. Obviously there is more than just a bed. It's a whole new family experience that Zito will being getting to know. And it will take some time to adjust.
Zito has missed two years of school and has been neglected on multiple fronts over the past two years in the home of elderly relatives who have no desire to make life work for him. As a young teenager, he already has a number of years of rejection and pain to deal with. Fabio and Isabel's task is to give him stable and attentive care so that Zito can learn to build trust and confidence in himself and others. We can't think of anyone better than this foster couple to demonstrate the love he needs.
The road to a happy and stable future will take some years to unfold for Zito. The biggest thing he needs right now is a consistent family home with a routine and caring adults with whom he can be himself and find peace.
We have a grade 12 leaver!
10 January 2023
The eldest child in our first foster family has recently completed her final year of education, the equivalent of A-levels - and has passed!
Seb and Rida, her foster carers are really pleased, after a lot of hard work offering support and getting the extra tuition that was needed. It feels like a milestone for the Tutela families as we now help her focus on what is next, navigating the options for higher education. Entrance exams for this next phase will soon take place, so we are hoping and praying that plans come together for this new season.
It is exciting for her carers and all of us at Tutela, to help steer a young adult into the next phase of life, providing the kind of input that’s needed to help realise the dreams and ambitions for life and
Tutela is in a Maputo newspaper
21 November 2022
The headline of the article is ‘New home, new life’, written by the Domingo newspaper and we are proud of how our foster care is portrayed. As Mozambique is a portuguese speaking nation, the report is not available in English, but you can see from the top image that the children from our first foster family are gathered around a table playing a card game. Then the image below shows two boys from our second family in their bedroom. The article describes the stories of a few of the children in our care, (including the story of Santos) and emphasises the protection these children benefit from in their new families.
The way this report came about was when the Domingo journalists approached the Director for Social Services to ask for access to a child protection organisation. The Director recommended Tutela as a good example of child care in her district! This was a wonderful endorsement of what we have achieved so far.
Interestingly, the article underneath is about how the National Director for Children in Mozambique says ‘We have many children who need support’. Tutela is keen to reach more of these children, particularly the ones who are severely vulnerable.
A wonderful evening with our supporters
2 July 2022
Here is what one of our long-time supporters had to say about our work:
“Just to say a big thank you for Saturday evening, I felt you really got the balance and mix spot-on; focussing on the work and outcomes enabled by Tutela.
As you know I have some experience of dealing with Charities - especially with those involved in supporting work overseas and I wanted to commend you and the Trustees at Tutela as you give a real air of confidence and competence in all you are doing and in your gate and governance activities.”
Here is one of the video’s we shared with our supporters:
Women’s Day in Mozambique
20 May 2022
It’s an important day in the annual calender of Mozambicans - the chance to show admiration and recognition for all that women do for their families, community and country at large. The tutela team celebrated in style with day away from their responsibilities having lunch in town and donning new capulana skirts!
Why 7th April? This is the anniversary of the death of Josina Machel, the first wife of the first president of Mozambique, Samora Machel. Josina is considered a heroine of the Mozambican revolution, when they overthrew their colonial powers.
As you can see from the photo, there are seven women in our Tutela team. From left to right, we’ve got:
Alquerida and Isabel - foster mums
Celestina and Dulcia - social worker and Team leader
Ivone - community worker
Vitoria and Ilda - our care assistants to the foster mums
Tutela is hugely blessed by these ladies and so thankful for the way they invest their time, energy and emotion to love and care for the foster children.
Back to school after the long summer
5 March 2022
In Mozambique the academic year starts in February and runs until November. The children in our foster homes have been back at school one month, but are still only attending two days per week due to Covid restrictions. Mask-wearing and regular hand-washing are still mandatory too. We are hoping and waiting for the government to allow students to attend every day as the children’s learning has really suffered during Covid.
Life with our second foster family is ticking along and the children are settled into a solid routine and home-life. The daily structure that parents provide in the home is essential and the boys are enjoying having responsibilities in the family life - daily chores, errands at the shops and homework. They are realising that these aspects of life are really needed because their experiences beforehand were very unstructured and almost street-wise.
Celebrating Christmas as a new family
19 December 2021
What a joy to see the boys at Fabio and Isabel’s house setting up the christmas tree this year and putting on the decorations. This is the family’s first Christmas together and for all seven of them (including parents), their lives have radically changed since a year ago. Last year, four of the five boys were rejected and forgotten, but this year, they are loved and cared for. Our hope and prayer this Christmas is that they begin to realise their value and worth.
Santos’ story
15 August 2021
This blurry photo was taken on the day Santos* was placed with Fabio and Isabel, last month. Our Social Worker was capturing a moment where the placement was about to break down because of the sheer vulnerability of the situation. Amazingly, the placement came together and Santos is now settling in to his new life with his new family. He is one of five boys who have been placed with Fabio and Isabel this year and his story epitomises why family-based care is so needed in Maputo.
(* = Name has been changed to protect confidentiality)
Lifting up the vulnerable
4 July 2021 (by Becky)
As a Tutela team, we find it so inspiring to witness the resilience and perseverance of everyday mums and dads in the Maputo neighbourhoods who are overcoming multiple challenges to provide for their children. One such example is single mum, Dorca*, who cares for her severely disabled daughter, Delfina. We first got to know Dorca when she lived opposite the City rubbish dump, over ten years ago. Her daughter was around 18 yrs old at the time, unable to walk, talk and with limited cognitive function. In 2018, the municipal government flattened a long row of houses that were adjacent to the dump for safety reasons, and Dorca lost her home and was relocated to a temporary shelter. Today she has a more permanent living space and although it is small and simple, she is able to take care of her daughter and settle in her new neighbourhood. Tutela have supported Dorca through the turbulent years of her life and we are privileged to know a lady who is so committed to caring for Delfina, night and day, with very little respite or professional help. Delfina’s needs are not straightforward and it is difficult to find the kind of specialist in Maputo who might be able to help. Dorca does a great job of keeping going in the day to day and as a team, we are glad to offer her our support and care.
(* = Names have been changed to protect confidentiality)
WATCH: Second foster couple arrive
10 March 2021
Having completed an in-depth recruitment process, our new foster carers, Fabio and Isabel are ready to move in to Tutela’s Casa 2 where they will begin their foster care journey…
Big day out!
9 December 2020
Thanks to some of Tutela’s generous supporters we were able to take the children from our first foster family, along with a few of their friends to the Zoo in Maputo! It was such a fun day out and everyone had a brilliant time. The children saw giraffe, lion and zebra for the first time.
WATCH: Moving house day
23 October 2020
The family from our first foster home are moving house. We have found them a better equipped home, in a quieter neighbourhood with more space both indoors and outdoors!
Joana’s story
20 July 2020
For girls like Joana*, finding a home of safety and acceptance is the beginning of having their circumstances transformed. Joana was placed with Tutela’s foster carers Seb and Rida in early 2019 as a nine year old girl and since then she has learned what it means to belong in a safe and happy family. Life had not always been this way for Joana, in fact it was anything but safe, settled and caring…
(* = Name has been changed to protect confidentiality)
Schools closed but learning still going
10 June 2020
Schools have been closed since the beginning of April as the President of Mozambique has decreed numerous restrictions to help reduce the spread of Covid. Seb and Rida’s foster children are among the more lucky ones in this fragile country as we have been able to offer them home tutor sessions to keep their learning going. For most kids in Mozambique they are unable to learn anything during these months of lockdown as schools are very limited with what they can provide without access to the internet for most families.
Seb and Rida receive sixth child
18 March 2020
Some good news during these turbulent times... Yesterday we placed a sixth child with foster mum! He is a young lad with a severely neglected background. The girl in the middle is his older cousin who has been raising him and two other children on a very low income for over two years after their mother passed away from sickness. The whereabouts of the father is unknown, as is so often the case with vulnerable families. The cousin cried tears of relief yesterday to finally have the support she's been so desperate for. Despite seeking help on numerous occasions from her local Welfare department, no support was given. Foster mum’s first task now is to restore Jose’s nutrition and begin to build a bond of trust with him.
Lifting up the vulnerable
17 February 2020
We have been investigating a case of a young boy, Roberto (name changed), who is in a very vulnerable situation. His mum had died a couple of years ago and his dad is an alcoholic who had rejected his son. The boy was sleeping in an abandoned church for many months and was finally reunited with his uncle, who has been able to offer him a roof over his head and place at school. Roberto is in 6th grade. At Tutela, we wanted to encourage this family reunification and empower the uncle to keep up the care of his nephew. Our community worker, Ivonne (blue tshirt) visited Roberto at school to give him new school uniform, a rucksack and some school books. Not only was Roberto pleased with the gifts, but his teacher (in the white lab-coat), head teacher, and community leader were all super keen to express their thanks. We will be checking in on Roberto and keeping in touch with his uncle during this year and beyond.
Tutela host a team from England
25 November 2019
This has been a plan in the making for a couple of years. Our dear friend Bob, from Aid International in England, originally suggested bringing some Tutela supporters to visit Mozambique and see first hand what we are doing. After many months of planning and preparing, the team of four arrived earlier this month and stayed with us for a week. There were many special moments during their visit and really wonderful to see two nations coming together, for the sake of foster children in Maputo.