Foundation

Safeguarding is a duty that is rooted in the Mission of The Church (Matt. 19:14)

“Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults must be embedded into church life across the globe” (Pope Francis – February 2019. Rome).

Tangaza University as a Catholic Institution of Higher Learning, aspires to the highest standards with regard to care and protection of minors and vulnerable adults and actively promotes justice for and provides   assistance to those who have been abused or harmed.

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Why Safeguarding Initiative

As a Catholic Institution guided by the Catholic Church’s educational ethos and traditions:

Project Coordinator

Sister Dr. Jacinta Ondeng SSND

Sr. Ondeng is a member of the congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame-Province of Africa.  She is an educator and psychologist by profession.

She doubles up as the safeguarding officer for Tangaza University and the coordinator of the Safeguarding Initiatives Office, a project sponsored by Missio Aachen to help create awareness on safeguarding and protection of minors and vulnerable adults within the Catholic dioceses of Kenya and beyond.

A graduate of Diploma in Child Protection from the Centre for Child Protection and now the Institute of Anthropology- (IADC), Pontifical Gregorian University Rome, Sr. Ondeng spearheaded the development and implementation of a core course on Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults at the School of Theology, Tangaza University College.

She is a resource person, committed to the sensitization and training on safeguarding of minors and vulnerable persons. In addition, the safeguarding Initiatives Office focuses on research in safeguarding mainly in the Africa context.

 The Safeguarding Initiatives office targets: training for Church personnel, Catholic institutions, religious communities, formation houses across the Catholic dioceses of Kenya and beyond.

Specific Activities:

Specific Activities in Safeguarding

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Promotion of safeguarding culture within Tangaza University College and other areas of teaching and learning operations

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Sensitization and training/workshops to: Catholic dioceses/parishes, schools, religious houses, health facilities, formation houses etc.

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Academic course on Safeguarding: School of Theology – Tangaza University

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Psychotherapy and other support for victims of abuse

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Consultancy e.g development of Safeguarding policies and dealing with abuse cases

When a minor or vulnerable adult discloses that he/she is being abused or has been abused, the person to whom the disclosure is made should:

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Listen to and accept what the minor or vulnerable adult is saying

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Take the allegation of abuse seriously

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Reassure them that they have done the correct thing in telling you

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Record carefully what you have heard while it is still clear in your mind – include the date and time and length of the conversation and any incident you remember. Let the complainant sign to what has been recorded.

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Refer to safeguarding officer

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Do not promise total confidentiality

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Let them speak freely but do not press for information or excessive detail

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Let the minor or vulnerable know clearly what you are going to do next and that you will let them know what happens

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Let them know that you need to tell someone else.

Extract from Pope Francis letter

The crimes of sexual abuse offend Our Lord, cause physical, psychological and spiritual damage to the victims and harm the community of the faithful. In order that these phenomena, in all their forms, never happen again, a continuous and profound conversion of hearts is needed, attested by concrete and effective actions that involve everyone in the Church, so that personal sanctity and moral commitment can contribute to promoting the full credibility of the Gospel message and the effectiveness of the Church’s mission.

This becomes possible only with the grace of the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts, as we must always keep in mind the words of Jesus: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Even if so much has already been accomplished, we must continue to learn from the bitter lessons of the past, looking with hope towards the future.

Pope Francis ‘Vos Estis Lux Mundi’ (Apostolic Letter issued motu proprio), 7th May 2019