Lusubilo Community Care has helped 12 children from Lusubilo Children’s Village prepare emotionally for their return to family care through a three-day psychosocial counseling session designed to support their successful reintegration. The sessions provided a safe and supportive environment where the children reflected on their experiences, developed coping skills, built resilience and gained confidence as they prepared for the next chapter of their lives.
Facilitated by the Karonga District Social Welfare Office with support from the Lusubilo Reintegration Team, the counseling sessions focused on promoting emotional well-being while helping the children understand the changes associated with returning to family and community life.
Throughout the three days, the children participated in interactive activities including storytelling, role plays, group discussions, games, team-building exercises and reflection sessions. These child-friendly approaches encouraged them to openly express their emotions, share experiences, support one another and strengthen healthy relationships.
The sessions covered topics such as understanding and expressing emotions, building self-esteem, positive communication, coping with change, staying safe, seeking support and setting goals for the future. Through these discussions, the children gained practical skills that will help them adapt to family life, build positive relationships and confidently navigate their new environments.
The closing session was filled with emotion as the children took time to reflect on their journey at Lusubilo Children’s Village and express their appreciation to the caregivers who had nurtured them over the years. One after another, the children thanked the caregivers for the love, protection, guidance and support they had received since they were young. They acknowledged that the care they experienced at the Children’s Village had shaped their character and prepared them for the future.
The caregivers expressed their pride in the children’s growth and encouraged them to remain respectful, resilient and hopeful as they reunited with their families. They reminded them that although they were leaving the Children’s Village, they would always remain part of the Lusubilo family and should continue applying the values and life skills they had learned.
The psychosocial counselling formed part of the Reintegration Project being implemented by Lusubilo Community Care with financial support from Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The project supports the gradual reintegration of children from institutional care into safe and nurturing family-based care.