Samuel with his aunt
“I like living with my aunt at home,” Samuel says. “ I love playing football with my friends after school,” he adds with a smile.
At just one year old, Samuel’s mum had to make the heart breaking choice of placing him at Smile Africa Ministries’ orphanage. She could not take care of him due to mental health challenges she was facing.
Samuel had been living in the orphanage for 8 years before we started the process of reuniting him with his family. Our social workers together with Smile Africa Ministries social workers placed radio adverts in the local radio stations to trace for Samuels’ family. Luckily Samuel’s aunt Betty responded to the adverts and was willing and happy to care for Samuel as her own.
Our social workers visited Samuel’s aunt to prepare her to take care of Samuel at home. Samuel’s aunt also began visiting him at the orphanage to form a relationship with him. After a couple of bonding session, Samuel was ready to go home and live with his family.
We supported the family with a care package including school requirements like books and school fees to help Samuel continue with his education.
Samuel is now 9 years old and he is living at home with his family. He has been home for almost four months now. “He loves being home and has made a lot of friends in our neighbourhood,” Samuel’s aunt told us.
