Abandoned migrant mothers with accompanying children face many hardships and are particularly vulnerable. For most of these women, the husband or father has died or abandoned the family. Often the women only had rights to live on plantation or factory land through their husbands and they are often evicted and find themselves homeless and forced to wander looking for food and shelter.
These women also face huge social pressure to remarry. Previous children are often unwanted and abused by the new stepparent. Women often stay in abusive relationships in order to keep a roof over their head. They can also fall victim to human trafficking activities.
We try to keep families together where mothers with accompanying children can enter our Mother and Child Protection Program. This provides them and their children with immediate shelter, food and medical care. Children of the Forest maintains Mother and Child Protection houses both onsite and in the community.
Often this assistance is only needed for a short time through an immediate crisis. However, we also help mothers and children to find longer-term and suitable solutions for their living arrangements and provide ongoing support where necessary.