Psychological support for orphans and their replacement mothers

 

This volunteer position takes place at an SOS orphanage in Tanzania. There are several such orphanages at different locations and the place where the volunteer will be working will be decided according to the human resource needs of the organisation. Volunteers will have the task to psychologically support the orphans and their replacement mothers.

 

10 to 12 children live together in a family-like situation with a replacement mother. The children’s village provides room for 10 such families; as a total there are between 100 and 120 children and adolescents living in the village. They are raised by replacement mothers and additional women, called “replacement aunts”. To come close to the natural composition of a “family”, children and adolescents of different ages are mixed, as well as boys and girls. The task of the replacement mothers and aunts is to prepare the children for an independent and self-supporting life as young adults and give them emotional stability. The women live around 15-20 years together with the children in the children’s village and are aged between 35 and 55 years.

 

Individuals interested in this volunteer work should be students or graduates of psychology or adults who have experience in working as psychologists or with children.