Child sponsorship update from Luque, Paraguay

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village, Luque, Paraguay

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. Every afternoon, when the sun sets in the horizon, the mothers and aunts sit in the front hall drinking terere and watching their children play. They do not have school the next day and one can see this in their faces because they seem to be playing as if time does not goes by.

December is a hectic month. There are many traditions to Christmas time and the families have already started them this year with the cooking of special meals, the decorations, preparing the Christmas scenery and the Christmas tree, as well as making Christmas cards for their friends or to hang them in the trees.

In this happy time, we can also reflect on our dear country, Paraguay, which 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’s Villages 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.

Caring for children in Paraguay

SOS Children’s Villages 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 organization 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.

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.

When a year comes to an end, it is like the path through which we went through is left with our footprints, and a new way is opened with the birth of the New Year, There are always things left to do from last year, but these give impulse to a new start, a new chance to improve.
Currently, the SOS Children’s Village Luque counts with 14 families, and the last one was formed just this year in January. In total there are 116 children and adolescents. The new children welcomed are adjusting to the life at the village with the support and love from their SOS mothers and siblings. In general, the children are in very good health and doing well.

Children's activities

During the past summer holidays, the children went to the country side to spend fun days playing and sharing with their families, which is some cases where the SOS families and in other their biological families whom they visited for a few days.

In February, they started school with much preparation, joy and excitement, especially with the little children who were attending their first day to kindergarten. It was a new stage for them and quite memorable was to say goodbye to mom to get into the classroom. Some cried and others showing a more independent spirit told their mothers not to worry, although inside they were a bit nervous as well.

In May, everybody dressed up for the parade carried out in commemoration to Independence Day. It was very colorful and nice! The SOS mother also celebrated the next day on Mothers’ day. Both the children and they were happy to be able to have someone to love and be loved by. It is always nice for the mothers to be honored on their special day.

Later on in August 16th, as usual, and an event that under any means can be overlooked, Children’s Day arrived! It all started at 10 o’clock in the morning with games, a jumping balloon, a special person that did body paintings on the children’s faces and hands. They loved the little drawings they asked her to do! Then the clown arrived to make everybody dance, sing and play a lot. In the afternoon, the aunts and mothers prepared a variety of traditional games and could not help to participate as well. As a closure, they had cake, chocolate and cookies. It was truly an unforgettable event!

Spring arrived awakening a new air at the Village, the houses looked colorful surrounded by new flowers and green leaves in the mango trees providing a nice shadow to sit under in the warm days. It was a season of rebirth and excitement for youths as well. On the 13th they organized a Tournament at the Hermann Gmeiner School. The purpose of this sports activity was to raise funds for the Youths’ Day celebration. The SOS mothers and Aunts helped at selling meals they had prepared.

On September 20th, they had a party. The girls were in charged of decorating the saloon and the boys were responsible for the music. The mothers and aunts cooked hamburgers and juices. It was a fun night!

Since October children and y adolescents are preparing a musical show for the end of the year celebrations. They have made much progress and are very creative in expressing their feelings and emotions through music.
In October as well, the youth group has started an activity called “Movie afternoon” on Sundays and holidays where they arrange a sort of cinema, projecting movies. They prepare popcorn and sweets for everybody and have a nice time together.

Dance and education for children

The dance, choir and music workshops continue and this year they have had a very good performance in big stages at national festivals and events. The musical band at the village for instance, traveled to a city up north for a festival where participants came from all around the country. This is a traditional festival and one very important in our country. I could say the musical band from Luque shined that day with their presentation, they impressed so much that the organisers of the festival asked them to play one more time to close the event. When lights go on all nervousness and shyness go off and they give their very best to the audience. Very deserved, they received the 1st place and classified to participate in another big festival where they achieved national recognition.

Finally, concerning the other SOS program in Luque, the Hermann Gmeiner School continues providing schooling to the larger community in Luque since not only the children and adolescents living in the village attend, but also children and adolescents from nearby neighborhoods. They have a very complete program with extra curricular activities like dance, music, art, stage acting, languages, and occupational training among other things.
They perform a significant duty in the area by reaching not only students, but parents and the family in general as well. A very important means to change values and built social consciousness in society is by education and the school bears this idea in mind.

Throughout the year there have been definitely 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 children in the SOS Children’s Village Luque!