31 Jul 2024
A NEW PATHWAY FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN
MSCs in Brazil established a shelter for the care of young children in the Niterói region 35 years ago. Here, they have been working on their Pro-Child Movement, which aims to promote positive change in the lives of children from 6 to 14 years of age. There are currently 60 local children in care here over the course of two daily sessions, morning and afternoon. Each session lasts for four hours and caters to 30 children.
The services here are provided by professionally trained staff who help the children across a variety of disciplines, including motor skills, tutoring, sports, cultural awareness, and spiritual guidance. With a positive, productive outlook, the Pro-Child team aim to broaden horizons for these children, and minimise the very real threat of their being drawn into the drug trade.
EDUCATING FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW
The team here help the children with homework, also assisting with learning difficulties, and run educational activities including workshops, cultural trips, and games and films that stimulate learning and development.
Monthly meetings take place with the parents, strengthening contact with families. Many of these children come to the shelter from diverse backgrounds; they are often being raised by their mothers and/or relatives, as they have been abandoned by their fathers for various reasons including alcoholism, drugs, domestic violence, and unemployment.
The team at the shelter have now started a programme welcoming mothers to regular round table discussions, which is a very helpful way of finding out about the reality of the daily lives of the children in their care, enabling them to build stronger and more effective supports.
The house is located close to local communities, but it is very old and in need of constant repair. A wall separates the house from a hill, and in rainy season, this suffers severe water damage and requires constant maintenance to avoid collapse. Repairs are also continuously being made to the ageing electrical and plumbing infrastructure.
MSC Summer Appeal 2024: Working towards a brighter future in Brazil
MSC Summer Appeal 2024: Working towards a brighter future in Brazil
