Shechem Children's Home

Help Children Heal

Project Information

The Philippines is the epicenter of online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC), otherwise known as cybersex trafficking, according to UNICEF. Through this crime, predators pay to watch the sexual abuse of girls and boys. Very often, the adult who has trafficked a child into online exploitation is a relative, neighbor, or friend of the family. More than half of the victims who have been identified in the Philippines are children who are 12 years old or younger.

In response to this devastating situation, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in the Philippines runs an assessment center for child victims of online exploitation — the first of its kind in the Philippines. Children who come to the center find safe shelter and can begin to heal from their trauma through the help of counselors, social workers, and medical professionals. The team of social workers performs a comprehensive assessment for each child to work toward the goal of reintegrating a child into a community setting. When possible, children are reunified with family members; when that’s not possible, the team works toward a permanency plan and the reintegration of a child into a healthy, family-like setting. While staff is working on reintegration plans, children can begin to heal while receiving counseling, education, therapeutic activities, spiritual care, and other psychosocial support.

When you donate to support this therapeutic assessment center, you will help a child begin to heal from trauma, regain a sense of childhood, and experience hope for the future.