How to keep track of your children - by Mary-Anne Gontsana

Cape Times - 25 November 2009
    "My daughter went missing for one minute, I panicked and when asked to identify her, I went completely blank," says Norah Papanicolaou, founder of a community-based organisation Information Empowers.


   Information Empowers was established in 2001 with the aim of distributing information about child sexual abuse and ways to safeguard children.

   Papanicolaou said: "Not everyone has access to the Internet or can afford books. We are developing workshops and a workbook for children, called CIA Kids because confident, informed and assertive children are less likely to become victims of child predators."

   She said a recent project, the "Smart Kids' Kit" derived from a US-based organisation devoted to preventing crimes against children and assisting in the recovery of missing children.

   The kit is distributed free of charge and guides caregivers on how to keep important information about their children. It includes space for details such as birthmarks, height, age, and photographs.

This article was originally published on page 7 of The Cape Times on November 25, 2009