About Us

Shiloh's vision

Shiloh Children's Life Centres are a non profit charity aimed at improving African orphan and disadvantaged children’s lives. 'African children' incorporates all African children, whether in Africa or asylum seeking children in European states. We aim to reach all African children,  regardless of  their  faith, creed or background.  Shiloh advocate the application of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC, CROC, or UNCRC). This is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Convention generally defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen, unless an earlier age of majority is recognized by a country's law.

In accordance with Eglantyne Jebb's (Founder of Save the children in 1923) declaration of children's rights, Shiloh believe that:

  1. The child must be given the means requisite for its normal development, both materially and spiritually.
  2. The child that is hungry must be fed, the child that is sick must be nursed, the child that is backward must be helped, the delinquent child must be reclaimed, and the orphan and the waif must be sheltered and succored.
  3. The child must be the first to receive relief in times of distress.
  4. The child must be put in a position to earn a livelihood, and must be protected against every form of exploitation.
  5. The child must be brought up in the consciousness that its talents must be devoted to the service of its fellow men.

Shiloh are committed to keeping children safe in accordance with the definition of safe guarding:

"The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully."
(Source: Working together to safeguard children, 2006)

Founder's profile

Shiloh's vision was born out of  founders Emily and Trevor Mapfuwa's passion and desire to see the restoration and wholeness of orphan and disadvantaged African children.  Their focus  is that every child is first and foremost loved unconditionally and then reach his/her full potential physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally. The founders are assisted by a strong group of Trustees and board members from various backgrounds and experiences.  Emily has a background  of over 23 years in Healthcare and Law, while Trevor is a well  established Mathematician of 20 years and has taught both at secondary school and university undergraduate levels. Both are Specialists to Masters level.

Shiloh's mission

Shiloh's mission is to ensure that children in the African community are protected and have access to high quality, home-based childcare, play, learning and family support so the children can reach their full potential. Restoration, wholeness, wellbeing is our ultimate goal for each child we are involved with. While children's homes work on a short term basis, it is our hope that every child is raised in a family setting while we support them in the home. Homes are practical on a short term basis as a half way home while we identify suitable families or set up micro families where children are raised by appointed 'parent/s.'

We also feel responsible to reaching children of African asylum seekers in European states. Our goal being to attain access to healthcare, education, shelter and safety for child asylum seekers whether or not they are accompanied by an adult. It is our hope that these children are intergrated in European society without detrimental effects on their behaviour due to cultural differences.

Shiloh's beliefs

Shiloh believes that children of all ages will be loved and benefit from home-based childcare, play and learning because it is:

  • A loving environment - children of various backgrounds and from different circumstances will forever blossom, heal and revive in a loving environment. Love is paramount to Shiloh.
  • Protective - Shiloh will provide the utmost protection for each child against any harm physically, psychologically and emotionally.
  • Consistent - a child is cared for and loved by the same house foster parents/guardian over a number of years.
  • Flexible - Shiloh will provide fieldworkers  who are there to ensure the principles for child safety, protection and provision are being adhered to.
  • Inclusive - Shiloh will provide care for children of different ages and abilities together in family groups.
  • Educational - Shiloh will provide education for the children that is government approved.
  • Community based - Shiloh will reflect the needs of local communities and enable the children they care for to be part of their local community in terms of school and church.
  • Personalised - Shiloh will meet the needs of individual children and such as babies, toddlers, children, teens and disabled children.
  • Supportive - babies and younger children, especially, do best in home-based childcare because they are cared for in smaller groups and by the same foster parent/guardian consistently.
  • Empowering - Shiloh aims to empower/support exisiting extended family members who care for the orphan child. This is by assisting them to be self sufficient in raising the children in their care.

Shiloh's values

Shiloh's values guide all its staff and volunteers in how they make decisions about the work they do to support children, families, registered childminders and nannies.

Shiloh's values are:

  • Provide, communicate and be a haven of safety for disadvantaged and orphaned children.
  • Be a haven of peace and refuge for disadvantaged and orphaned children.
  • Be a haven of education and teaching for disadvantaged and orphaned children.
  • Commitment to children, their rights, wellbeing and development.
  • Inclusion and equality of opportunity.
  • Commitment to high-quality services.
  • Empowerment of all children of all ages.
  • By the time they are an adult, wholeness, well being and restoration will have taken place so they take their place in society as a whole person.

Shiloh's approach

We achieve our vision and mission by working in partnership with:

  • Individuals and agencies with the children's interest at heart.
  • Local governments, churches, schools and the community, so they are aware of, and have access to, high quality, home-based childcare, play, learning and family support.
  • Trained foster parents and trained field workers to ensure they have the information, support and training they need to provide high-quality childcare, play, learning and family support to the children and families in their care.
  • Government, local authorities, regulators and other organisations in Africa and Europe who have the children's interests at heart.

 

 

Shiloh works within the aims of the every child matters (ECM) initiative whose  aims are for every child, to

  • Be healthy
  • Stay Safe
  • Enjoy and achieve
  • Make a positive contribution
  • Achieve economic wellbeing
developing countries, childrens life centre, orphanages