Mothers & Children Reunion
Background
Single mothers in poverty often find themselves in the heartbreaking dilemma of having to leave their children in orphanages due to the lack of support and resources to raise them. This situation not only affects the mothers but also has profound implications for the well-being of the children. However, reuniting these mothers with their children can bring about positive transformations, benefiting their mental health, sense of hope, empowerment, educational progress, and physical well-being.
Unprivileged single mothers face a myriad of challenges, ranging from financial instability to social stigma. In many cases, these women lack access to adequate resources and support networks, making it difficult for them to provide for their children's basic needs. As a result, some mothers are forced to make the agonizing decision to place their children in orphanages, believing it to be the only option available to ensure their children's well-being.
Children living in orphanages often experience emotional and psychological distress due to the absence of familial bonds and stability. Separated from their mothers, these children may struggle with feelings of abandonment, low self-esteem, and attachment issues. Moreover, orphanages may lack the resources and nurturing environment necessary for children's holistic development, potentially hindering their physical and cognitive growth.
Summary
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Goal: To reunite unprivileged mothers with their children living in orphanages due to financial problems, and to sustainably relieve them from poverty.
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Beneficiary: Unprivileged single mothers and their children residing in deprived neighborhoods
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Start Date: Spring 2024
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End Date: Spring 2026
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Estimated Cost: $30,000.00 CAD
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Source of Cost: Annual rents; Monthly living expenses; Educational expenses; Occasional medical expenses;
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Raised Donation: $10,500.00 CAD
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Source of Donation: Online donation via website; Benevity program; Fundraising events
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Status: In-progress
Objectives
Reuniting the unprivileged women with their children who live in orphanages due to financial problems
Providing the re-united families with the necessities of life, such food, water, and shelter.
Resolving urgent issues of women and their children, such as medical expenses
Supporting the re-united families with their living costs and education expenses for the children for a two-year period
Providing required supports for long-term and sustainable relief of poverty
Identifying opportunities for the empowerment of the supported families
Highlights
Starting from spring 2024, the Afra Charity Foundation has launched a sustainable relief of poverty initiative named "Mothers and Children Reunion" in the underprivileged region of Southern Tehran. The primary objective of this undertaking is to assist single mothers living in poverty, whose children reside in orphanages due to an inability to meet basic living expenses.
Immediate support comprises addressing urgent needs, such as food, water, and shelter as well as providing additional supports for their children. In the long term, the project strives to empower these mothers, enabling them to sustainably manage their lives without relying on external assistance. This empowerment involves identifying opportunities based on the mothers' interests and skill sets. The foundation extends support by facilitating access to well-paying employment opportunities, helping with skill-training course expenses, or assisting in establishing family businesses, etc.
Accomplishments
The following actions have been taken so far:
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Identified two unprivileged families, who have potential to be sustainably relieved from poverty, and in need of assistance to be reunited
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Assessed the unique capabilities and potential of each woman
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Established a comprehensive case file for each family
(see next pages for more information) -
Raised fund for their home rental expenses
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Raised fund for their life necessity expenses including food, water, and urgent medical expenses, as well as their children's additional costs
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Facilitated access to sustainable employment opportunities for the mothers
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Perform continuous monitoring and evaluation of the united-families’ condition to ensure successful progress and effectiveness of the project
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Review new cases of underprivileged single-mothers to select the next families, who meet the criteria and demonstrate strong potential for sustainable relief from poverty
Family 1: M.A. and her two children
M.A., a 32-year-old woman and mother of two, faced significant hardship after the death of her husband. M.A. lived in a poorly maintained basement in a deprived neighborhood, which was unsuitable for children. Unable to care for her 8-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, she had to leave them in an orphanage. Despite her difficult life circumstances, M.A. was a hardworking and capable woman, with the potential to work as a caterer. However, she needed support to cover the costs of renting a better place to live, as well as food and educational expenses for her children, until she could afford these on her own. With the necessary assistance, M.A. could be sustainably relieved from poverty and reunite with her children.
After receiving the supports from Afra Charity Foundation, M.A. was able to rent a suitable place and reunite with her children, who are now happily attending school, having a safe shelter, and receiving their daily nutrition. M.A. has successfully started her catering business, showing promise for yielding a stable income. Our assistance to M.A. could successfully enable her to sustainably manage her family without relying on external assistance.
Afra Charity Foundation continues to monitor and evaluate M.A.’s living conditions to ensure the project’s effectiveness and her continued progress. Following an improvement in her family’s financial situation in 2024, M.A. explored the possibility of purchasing a small apartment unit, with potential donor assistance toward the mortgage down payment.
The most recent monitoring, conducted in Fall 2025, indicates that M.A. is employed at a fast-food restaurant and is providing stable and attentive care for her children. She has successfully purchased an apartment unit and has been meeting her mortgage obligations regularly by renting out the property. However, as her current rental unit is scheduled for renovation by the landlord, she will need to secure an alternative source of rental income and transition into her own unit as soon as possible.
Improved living conditions of Family 1 after receiving the supports (Fall 2024)
Family 2: S.P. and her two children
S.P., a 33-year-old woman and mother of two, faced severe financial hardship after being abandoned by her husband, who was later found dead. S.P. lived temporarily with a family member in a deprived neighborhood. Despite working in a beauty salon, she was unable to provide sufficient care for her 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son and had to leave them in an orphanage. S.P. was identified to be a hardworking and capable woman, with the potential to be sustainably relieved from poverty by receiving support to cover the costs of renting a better place to live, as well as food and other necessary expenses for her children, until she could afford these on her own.
After receiving support from Afra Charity Foundation, S.P. was able to afford renting a safe and suitable home near her new workplace for her and her children. S.P.'s daughter and son are now happily reunited with their mother and are receiving proper daily nutrition. With both financial support and a boost in morale, S.P. is thriving in her new factory job, showing promise of achieving a stable income in the foreseeable future.
Afra Charity Foundation continues to monitor and evaluate S.P.’s living conditions to ensure the project’s success and effectiveness. The Foundation’s objective is to empower S.P. to sustainably support her family without reliance on external assistance. Based on the evaluation conducted in Fall 2024, it was anticipated that this objective would be achieved within the following 12 months.
The Fall 2025 evaluation confirms that S.P. is successfully employed and able to provide for her family. With the support of her mother, who provides childcare in the safe and secure apartment they are renting, S.P. has maintained stable employment. Through her positive attitude and strong work ethic, she has significantly improved the living conditions for herself and her children.
Improved living conditions of Family 2 after receiving the supports (Fall 2024)