Our Commitment to Child Safety & Ethical Storytelling

Last updated: November 2025

1. Our Commitment

At Encore for Humanity, every program is built on a simple belief:
every child deserves to learn, grow, and thrive in an environment that is safe, respectful, and rooted in dignity.
We work closely with families, teachers, and community leaders to ensure all children participating in our programs in Malawi are protected, supported, and respected. Safeguarding is not an external requirement — it is a reflection of our values, our partnership approach, and our responsibility to the children and communities who welcome us into their schools and lives.

2. Core Principles

These principles guide how we design programs, engage with communities, and represent children publicly:

Dignity First: Every child has inherent worth and must always be treated with respect, care, and humanity.
Do No Harm: Our work must protect children’s wellbeing and avoid introducing any form of risk.
Community-Led Protection: Safeguarding is grounded in local leadership — parents, teachers, and committees guide children’s participation.
Equity & Inclusion: No discrimination or favoritism based on gender, ability, socioeconomic status, or family background.
Transparency & Consent: Children and families understand and consent to how they engage with EFH programs and communications.
Zero Tolerance for Abuse or Exploitation: EFH has a firm and uncompromising stance against all forms of child mistreatment or exploitation.
Responsible Storytelling: Children are portrayed with dignity, agency, and accuracy — never in ways that sensationalize hardship.

These commitments reflect both global child-protection standards and the values that define Encore for Humanity’s mission of partnership and respect.

3. How We Uphold Safeguarding

To maintain safe, respectful environments, EFH and our partners:

Engage with children only in open, supervised settings
Follow guidance from local school leadership and families
Ensure all staff, volunteers, and contractors receive orientation on safeguarding
Maintain strict privacy and data protection practices
Ensure children never feel pressured to participate in activities, interviews, or photos
Avoid situations where a staff member or visitor is alone with a child
Ensure that no child is asked to perform labor, tasks, or favors as part of EFH programming
Design scholarship and support processes that protect confidentiality and avoid bias

These practices help create environments where children feel safe, respected, and supported.

4. Dignity-Centered Storytelling & Imagery

Photos, videos, and stories are powerful ways to connect donors with the impact in Malawi — and they come with deep responsibility.

We commit to:

Obtaining consent from families, schools, and the child before capturing or sharing photos or stories
Showing children in a manner that uplifts dignity, confidence, and possibility
Avoiding images that portray children in distress, discomfort, or undignified situations
Using first names only in public-facing content for adults and pseudonyms for all children
Never sharing identifying personal or sensitive information
Ensuring images reflect the community-led nature of our work, not a narrative of dependency
Protecting children’s privacy by securely storing all media and reviewing it before publication

We avoid:

Photos that sensationalize poverty
Images that expose vulnerability or invade privacy
Content that could stigmatize or misrepresent a child or community

Our goal is to represent each child with the same respect and care we would want for our own families.

5. Accountability & Reporting

Encore for Humanity takes concerns about safety, dignity, or conduct seriously. Anyone — including partners, parents, teachers, volunteers, and donors — may raise a concern at any time. We work closely with families and school leadership to respond promptly, respectfully, and confidentially. No individual will be penalized for raising their concerns.

Concerns can be shared with: info@encoreforhumanity.org.

6. Our Ongoing Commitment

Safeguarding is shared work. As we expand our programs across Malawi, we are committed to listening, improving, and strengthening our practices — always guided by the voices and wisdom of the communities we serve.

Together, we can ensure every child has not only a safe environment, but an encore of possibility.