“When a tyre on a bus bursts, sometimes the passengers must be carried in another safe car until the tyre on the bus can be fixed and the passengers can get back in the bus”.
Akany Avoko
We assess and approve temporary foster families that provide safe and loving homes for children whilst the crisis in their birth family is resolved. What is foster care? Foster care is formalised “taiza”, the ancient Malagasy practice for caring for children who are not your birth children. We are constantly inspired by the many thousands of Malagasy families that open up their homes and lives to children in their community in need and have done so throughout history. This is truly a Malagasy solution to Malagasy family crises and is innate to Malagasy culture and heritage. “Foster Care” is a way of empowering, perfecting, supporting, monitoring and formally recognising this practice…all in the best interests of Malagasy children and families in need.
Many years ago, Malagasy community would regularly practice “taize”, which is the practice of looking after other children who could not live with their own family, as part of their own family. Then once migration to cities began to occur, communities became broken, and then came large scale institutional care. Evidence shows that the institutionalisation of children is very damaging, and it is a child’s right and need to grow up in a family. In 2019 all UN countries signed an agreement to end the institutional model of child care.
