At the Likoni AID for Children Centre, the safety, well-being, and protection of the children in our care are of the highest priority. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of child abuse, exploitation, or neglect.
1. Core Principles
Every child has the right to protection from harm, regardless of gender, origin, religion, or background. All staff members, visitors, and volunteers are required to uphold the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct at all times.
2. Code of Conduct for Volunteers & Visitors
All persons participating in our programs must strictly adhere to the following rules:
- No One-on-One Contact: Volunteers and visitors must never be left alone with a child behind closed doors. Activities must always take place in open, visible, or supervised environments.
- Appropriate Physical Contact: Physical contact must always be culturally appropriate and non-violent, and should be based on the child's comfort level – it must never be forced.
- No Gifts to Individual Children: To avoid favoritism and dependencies, gifts, money, or sweets must never be given directly to a single child. All donations must be coordinated through the leadership.
- No Private Trips: It is strictly forbidden to take children off the premises of the center or school for private trips without official written approval from the leadership.
3. Media and Digital Privacy (Photography & Social Media)
To protect the identity and dignity of our children, we implement strict media guidelines:
- Consent Required: Photographing or filming children is only permitted with explicit approval from the project leadership.
- Dignified Representation: Images must always show children in a dignified manner. Photos depicting children in vulnerable, inappropriate, or distressing situations are strictly prohibited.
- Anonymity in Social Media: When sharing approved photos on private social media profiles, volunteers must never publish the full names, medical histories, or specific personal backgrounds of the children.
4. Reporting Obligation and Enforcement
Any suspicion, allegation, or observation of behavior that violates these guidelines must be reported immediately to the director, Reverend Ernest Ombeva Anzani, or the local authorities. Non-compliance with these guidelines results in immediate termination of volunteer engagement and, if necessary, legal action.