Date: 3 June 2026
Time: 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. EDT
Spanish interpretation will be available.
Efforts to transition away from residential care services are often constrained by deeply embedded social norms. These norms influence community attitudes towards residential care and the motivations of residential care service operators, most notably directors. In many contexts, they are rooted in broader cultural systems of social obligations, such as patronage and clientelism, or are shaped by religious traditions. If not addressed, they can incentivize the continuation of residential care services and cause resistance to transition.
Understanding and addressing social norms is, therefore, a critical component of the transition process.
This webinar—hosted by the Transitioning Residential Care Working Group under the Transforming Children's Care Collaborative—will bring together practitioners from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern and Southern Africa to explore how social norms shape transition efforts and how they can be effectively addressed.
Moderator:
- Severine Chevrel, Senior Fellow, Georgetown University Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues
Speakers/Panelists:
- Hannah Won, Technical Advisor and Global Partnerships Coordinator, Kinnected Myanmar
- Rev. Joney Thwang Hup, Outreach Manager, Kinnected Myanmar
- Sister Verónica Esquivel, Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, Mexico
- Jared Scheppmann, Executive Director, Ekisa Ministries, Uganda
Speaker Bios
Hannah Won
Hannah Won is the Technical Advisor and Global Partnerships Coordinator for Kinnected Myanmar, a local organization specializing in the transition of residential care services and the prevention of family separation. Over the past 15 years, Hannah has worked alongside dozens of privately-run residential care institutions in Southeast Asia and Africa through the various stages of the transition process. She has 20+ years of experience working directly with at-risk children, young people, and families across alternative care and education contexts in Cambodia and the United States, with a focus on the development of safe reintegration processes and care leaver support programming. Hannah holds a Master of Science in Education with a specialization in early childhood.
Joney Thawng Hup
Joney graduated with a Doctor of Ministry degree in the Philippines in 2005. He returned to Myanmar after his graduation. He worked as a College Dean at Bible College in Yangon from 2005-2007. He founded the local church in 2007. He ran an orphanage in Yangon from 2007 to 2019. Joney has been working with Heaven's Family, USA as Myanmar Coordinator from 2012 to 2019. He has worked as a General Manager at Kinnected Myanmar Child Protection Organization since 2015 to the present. As he has concrete theological background, being Pastor in the Church, teaching in the Bible College, and have many experiences as orphnage' director, and conducting Community Awareness on Child Rights and Protection, Child Development, Parenting skills especially introduce the disadvantages of Institutional Care for the children.
Sister Verónica Esquivel
Sister Verónica Esquivel Rivera is a member of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, overseeing Centro Eudes in Tijuana, Mexico. She earned her nursing degree from the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez and studied faith formation at La Salle University in Mexico. Her training includes psychotherapy, trainers' courses, and Ignatian immersion in Spain. With extensive experience working with vulnerable children, adolescents, and families, she has held leadership and pastoral roles across Mexico and Latin America. Her work combines professional skills, pastoral care, and child protection efforts, aiming to shift residential care towards family- and community-based models. Her background encourages critical reflection on social norms, beliefs, and cultural practices that have historically supported residential care, promoting a care philosophy rooted in rights, dignity, and family and community growth.
Jared Scheppmann
Jared is the Executive Director of Ekisa Ministries and advises on issues related to children with disabilities. Ekisa works to change the lives of children living with disabilities in Uganda. Their work focuses on family permanency, filling the gap of needed services, and ending stigma. Jared is passionate about seeing all children in families regardless of the barriers they have to overcome. He believes in providing holistic solutions that address the deeper, root causes of the problems that families face. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion and an MBA with emphasis in Leadership.
Severine Chevrel
Severine has over 20 years of experience working in the field of child protection and care in development, early recovery, and humanitarian settings at country and global levels. Her policy and programming work includes family strengthening and alternative care; child protection systems and social service workforce strengthening; case management; and prevention and response against violence against children. She is currently a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues and provides high-level technical assistance to UNICEF Malaysia and UNICEF Rwanda. Previously, Severine was the former Global Senior Technical Advisor with USAID Children in Adversity team supporting care reform and social services. She has also worked with the Better Care Network, Catholic Relief Services, International Rescue Committee, Maestral International, Save the Children, UNICEF and Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict.