More African children will start journey from institutions to families due to BEB's Children First Software

BEB expands Africa Operations to equip Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania with technology solution

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas-based software non-profit BEB takes another step of remarkable growth by announcing expansion of its Children First Software (CFS) into four additional African Countries: Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania.

BEB began Africa operations in Uganda five years ago and today over 10,000 children are registered in CFS. Further, over 1,000 children have been placed from institutions into families, primarily through reunification with biological family members. Uganda is proving how CFS can accomplish BEB's mission to equip a country to change its child welfare system. The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development (MGLSD) now requires children's homes to use CFS to track children's identities, stories, and paths to families in order to receive licensing from the government. MGLSD Permanent Secretary Aggrey David Kibenge shares, "We are excited about the roll out of all the system modules to the entire country and children's homes [of Uganda]. We are also looking forward to the building of capacity of our social service workforce who are key stakeholders in the implementation of the system." 

This progress for the children of Uganda is making an impact for other children of Africa as the success of CFS is attracting new partners to begin implementing the software. BEB Africa Regional Manager Kenneth Ayebazibwe shares, "The implementation of Children First Software in Africa is an integrated child service especially for children living in institutional care. With digital profiles of vulnerable children, government and NGOs will provide coordinated and monitored services across the African continent." In Ethiopia, Mulugeta Bekele of Sele Enat charitable organization discusses the lack of statistical data regarding the children they have served for over 20 years. He says, "It was time-consuming and challenging to know statistics like the number of orphaned or abandoned children. But CFS has made that an easy task that only takes a few minutes."

In Nigeria, BEB initiated the first pilot training last week with 12 child welfare organizations that are committed to use the software in their homes. Malawi and Tanzania are next to begin training and roll-out of the software in their children's homes. BEB teams in each country will work alongside these partners to ensure all paper records on children are converted to create digital identities for boys and girls under their care. Simultaneously, BEB will train its partners to use all five software modules which help decision makers realize and execute the best family placements for the children.

BEB was founded in January 2010 as a 501(c)(3) organization to promote systemic change for vulnerable children. BEB works to capture comprehensive digital profiles of children through Children First Software (CFS), a technology designed to identify a child's best opportunity for family-based care. Partnering with countries around the world, BEB transforms the process to move children to their best future, a chance to grow and flourish in a loving family. 

Margaret Elizabeth McKissack
Vice President, External Affairs
214-850-7532
[email protected]

SOURCE Both Ends Believing