Child sponsorship update from Hohenau, Paraguay

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Hohenau, Paraguay from December 2008

Dear Sponsors,

We feel glad to write you again now very near to Christmas time; a very happy time in our country as it might be all around the world! Since summer holidays have started there is much noise, joy and fun around the village. Not time to waste since before they know it, school starts again. Although most of the children like school, they sure love summer as well.

In general, our dear country, Paraguay, has faced many changes in 2008. We now count with a new government; a new administration that broke with 60 years of the Colorado party administration. The latter was a time of growth for an opulent minority and poverty for a vast majority. Because of the many disappointments gathered throughout the Colorado governments, very hopeful the Paraguayan families embarked in a new period of what they thought there was optimism and change. Nevertheless, so far, some are starting to lose hope before the many conflicts that are emerging in the country, involving peasants who do not own a land to work and invade private properties, corrupt politicians and state workers, insecurity and crimes among other issues. People want an immediate answer from the government, which does not seem to have a clear one yet. The general, situation affects every city as everything is linked so the villages and every SOS program are concerned with the improvement of our country, that the wealth is equally divided and that each Paraguayan can have the opportunity to progress and build a better reality.

Within this situation, the village has also found its way to create new opportunities for children to continue growing within a healthy and embracing environment. A project called Inter campus of the Italian football team Internazionale Milan will sponsor the Social Integration Football School in allegiance with SOS Children Paraguay. The beneficiaries will be 100 boys and girls from 6 to 12 years old in an underprivileged area, Zeballos Cué. The children will have the opportunity to be part of the Football School as an encouraging factor to continue their education and finish it someday. They only have one condition for the children to be part of the project; they have to remain in school for the whole year. It is certainly a nice venture and hopefully the children can take advantage out of it.

Additionally, SOS Children Paraguay has witnessed a significant advance in the work of the Family Strengthening Programs. There are currently 12 community homes and centers working in Asuncion in underprivileged areas where parents have formed family committees to run the homes. The organisation tries to be a guiding factor in the whole project allowing the committees to have autonomy and desire to progress. They need to show interest to overcome the difficulties in their area and work in synergy towards building a safer and healthier community. They are given the tools so they can work for the outcome and its benefits themselves. In addition, it is scheduled to open 3 more homes before the end of the year. The parents’ committees are already working for these new homes and the constructions continue to soon be able to welcome the children. The program is designed for children from 0-5 years old whose parents work in the morning or afternoon. They stay in the homes and centers with the community mothers, which is how they are called. These mothers cook and give some basic nursery level activities to the children.

Moreover, to widen the coverage the organization is now gathering information and carrying out the community diagnosis in another big city in Paraguay, Ciudad del Este, which shows important needs in the family and children area. Perhaps next year the project will be implemented there as well.

Activities through the year

In general, this approach, which is in a way different to the village service, is a very important one as it also considers those children who have built bonds with their parents but these are unable to take care of them for various reasons. The programs facilitate parents to work and provide for their children’s needs and strengthen the family which in our society seems to have lost all its meaning of protection, shelter and love.

The SOS Children’s Village in Hohenau turned 37 years old this year with much and renewed strengths to keep working. There are now 17 families with 136 children and adolescents. 41 youths are in the Assisted Living program, walking towards a more self reliant stage. Some attend university studying careers like Psychology, Teaching, Accountancy, Computer Science, Architecture and Agriculture Engineer among others.

The children also keep attending school and high school achieving good grades and in case they some extra help, this is provided by teachers and the mothers. Sports are also very popular at the village. Basketball and soccer are the preferred ones. There were many championships throughout the year. There was much enthusiasm and the kids got to make new friends as well.

In June the village carried out the traditional celebration commemorating the Village Day with a musical festival and Paraguayan traditional meals prepared by the mothers and aunts. The larger community in Hohenau attended this event and spent a great time. There were around 1500 people.
In august 16th, Children’s day was celebrated both at school and at the village community. This year we tried to do something a bit different for the occasion. The families organised a field trip to a camping park 2 kilometers away from the village. They all walked there and even this was exciting for everybody. It is a beautiful place, and the children enjoyed much being outdoors. There were kite flying contests, running races and soccer among other fun games. The SOS workers also went with the children and it was as if they let their inner child out as well, playing with the children and running around.

With spring Youth Day arrived, bringing rebirth of nature and a renewal of hope for every youth and those who still consider are young at least in spirit. A month earlier the youth department already started the preparations for the special day. They tried to involve every youth, asking their opinions, participation to plan a celebration that everyone would enjoy. The event took place in September 21st and was a success, everyone felt happy to have being part of the planning and be able to enjoy the actual party. It was a good example of good communication and reaching out to youths considering how difficult this can be sometimes.

The orchestra and the ballet at the village both participated in a variety of festivals, presentations, competitions where they were complimented on their precision, discipline and overall performance.

Growing support for children and communities in Hohenau

The SOS mothers continue their support training at Ñemity (sowing) Formation Centre where they as the word means, sow on their vocation so that they can grow as human beings and mothers and continue providing a good care to their children. It is also a place where they can share their difficulties, find words of advice and feel that they are understood and listened to as well.

Furthermore, not long ago, the villages in San Ignacio abd Hohenau recignised the achievements of the eldest SOS mothers. The SOS mothers from Hohenau went to San Ignacio for this ceremony in company of her children and where very happy to be honored for their effort and commitment, first to the children and then to the organisation in general. It was very moving and nice.

Concerning the Mother Child Hospital in Hohenau, we can say that they now have turned 32 years of hard work in the community. They put emphasis in the prevention of diseases, lowering the birth rate in those communities where mothers are too young or do not have the resources to have a child, this is achieved through adequate family planning. In addition, the hospital also carries out workshops and talks in the schools around the area; they work with small children’s mothers and also with adolescents in high school, talking about health care and training mothers to take care of their children’s growth.

This year, the hospital has accomplished a long waited goal which is an allegiance with the Encarnación Medicine University. They now receive interns that provide a significant help in the hospital.

They have started to raise funds as well thanks to a local supermarket in Hohenau that now covers part of the cesareans’ costs. The departmental board, the town’s municipality and local committees have also started to pay attention to the work the Hospital is making. This is why the SOS Mother Child Hospital has presented a project to receive financial support from the state and departmental board since the beneficiaries are not just nearby neighborhoods but a larger community in the city. Statistically, the number of people receiving attention at the hospital remains the same, only the number of births’ deliveries has decreased since more people is choosing for a home birth or required specialised attention and must go to other Health Centres.

Finally, we can say that one more year has passed, along with achievements, rewarding experiences, difficulties, newly found courage to keep on and joy above all: joy found in seeing children grow and developing within a sheltered environment considering the hazards and poverty many other homeless children are exposed to.

With your letters, contributions and kind thoughts you have made the day of many children out of the streets and into a warm home. Thank you very much!

We hope that you can have a peaceful and rejoicing Christmas in company of your family and beloved ones, as our children in the village will as well. In a time of giving, we wish that you can receive the same kind love you are granting our children!

Sincerely

Ricardo Mateo Franco Galeano
Director