Christie Chafunya- Seed Cohort 2023-2025

During my placement as an Assistant Children’s Welfare Officer, I did the following:

• Case Management & Reintegration: Coordinated individualized care plans and managed the sensitive process of transitioning children from institutional care back into safe family environments.
• Psychosocial Support: Provided daily trauma-informed counselling and crisis intervention to help young survivors of exploitation and trauma heal.
• Community Advocacy: Partnered with grassroots networks to strengthen local child protection systems and support survivors’ educational re-entry.

Professionally, SEED allowed me to put critical social work theories into practice, deepening my skills in trauma-informed frameworks and case management. Personally, the program completely reshaped my perspective on community development and peacebuilding. I learned the true value of presence, active listening, and decolonial approaches to social medicine, understanding that the best solutions come from walking alongside a community rather than imposing top-down answers.

One of the most meaningful moments of my time in SEED was witnessing the successful family reintegration of a young survivor who had endured severe trauma. After months of providing intense psychosocial support, case management, and preparing the family environment, seeing the child safely reunite with a supportive family network was incredibly powerful. It completely redefined my understanding of “accompaniment”,  showing me that healing is not just an individual journey, but a deeply communal one.

I saw a tangible shift in how local safety networks wrapped around vulnerable children. Through consistent psychosocial support, advocacy, and community engagement, we weren’t just providing temporary shelter; we were actively helping to rebuild broken trust and heal familial fractures. Seeing survivors regain their confidence, return to school, and transition back into safe community environments was proof of the lasting, grassroots impact of the program’s collaborative approach.