Sponsor's update from Luján (Buenos Aires), Argentina

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Luján (Buenos Aires), Argentina from December 2008.

Dear sponsors,

Since we are getting closer to the end of the year with its traditional seasons, it is a great pleasure to contact you to share some activities and reached achievements along the year 2008. We are aware of the fact that your generous support allows and makes possible the daily tasks at our SOS Children's Village of Luján, thus providing many boys and girls with a worthy life, - thank you again from the bottom of our heart!

The Village belongs to the suburb of Villa del Parque and the community of Luján, a city characterised by its religious tourism. The Village is composed of 10 SOS families, and by the end of this year another home is to be opened; there are 72 boys and girls under family care. They live with their SOS family and continue, for the most part, relationships towards their biological relatives, with frequent visits.

The installed capacity to take in 126 boys and girls on a family base allows gradually welcome new children, thus every month the Village grows with new admittance procedures. This generates much joy, but also brings along great responsibility for the care and adaptation of the new incoming children; this year 33 boys and girls came in.

All boys and girls go to schools at the city of Luján, most of them to public schools and some of our children point out for their solidarity, good comradeship, commitment and scholar achievement. These schools were chosen by their educational quality and background, as also in relation to the special characteristics and needs of each boy and girl. Otherwise, the children all take part at different workshops, as choreography, Taekwondo, folklore, swimming, plastic arts, sexual orientation, and physical education, inside or outside the Village.

Growing up at Buenos Aires, Argentina

This year was of deep and continuous work on everybody’s side appropriating the new homes, rooms, games and garden. We can already see, feel and perceive this space they are all building up together as their own, and in spite of some difficulties they are all strengthening up and learning together as a community.

The families are led by a SOS mother and supported by the SOS aunts. By this time, the formation of mothers as aunts is very important, they spend long days performing internships, training courses, studies at the Village and supportive tracing workshops.

All SOS families undertake recreational outings on weekends, they specially love to go to the open spaces to have a “mate” (tea like infusion with yerba), spending the evening at the playground. During the winter vacations, boys and girls assisted to children´s attractions offered by the city hall of Luján – now, they are already preparing their summer vacations and planning where to go.

Events in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Along the year there were many important events, experienced with great joy by all the children. By February, they moved into the Village; boys and girls who were living at provisory familiar SOS homes now are growing up in joy and happiness at this new environment, creating their lives day by day together to their SOS family.

The Village got the visit of the Prime Minister of Austria, Mr. Alfred Gusenbauer, who gave them soccer balls and a donation of books for the SOS-families. For football fans like Joel and Sebastian, this meant much happiness! Especially celebrated occasions were the Children's Day, with great games, much joy, happy faces; and then the Mother's Day, where mothers were treated and presented with gifts. Three aunts proudly finished their training period, and 4 familiar homes were opened.

On November, 4th the Village was officially inaugurated. It was a quite emotive moment and very important to everyone. Boys, girls, youngsters and assistants had been working a long time preparing for this great day. The inauguration counted with the presence of local and international authorities; delegations of adults and children from the other 3 Argentine Children´s Villages, and collaborators and friends.

The inauguration started with a blessing, then the addressing speeches, dances and songs performed by our children, and by the end, three SOS-mothers from the Village of Oberá were honored for their noble work with the children.

A moment of special emotion was when later all children in a round sang the song “Que canten los niños” by José Luis Perales, each child giving its best in its emotive voice color and child’s joy, everybody just started to cry. This is how we all feel: as part of a big family!

Support programmes for children and families in Buenos Aires

Regarding our familiar strengthening programme in Luján, we are working jointly with the township center “Aprender a volar”; here 19 families of the Barrio Villa del Parque neighborhood take part, and approximately 80 boys and girls assist. Each day, the children get fed appropriately to their age, the Community mothers prepare food according to a properly balanced diet designed by a nutritionist. They also take part at different activities related to stimulation, recreation and expression. These activities are in charge of the Community mothers, conceptualised and aligned to different ages and interests shown at the children.

When the weather is fine, boys and girls share games and activities outdoors, at the Village’s playground and park. There they get integrated to the children from the nursery as others from nearby neighborhood. The Community mothers get role-related training workshops and are constantly supported by the professionals from SOS Children's Villages.

In General Rodríguez, a location close to Luján, first actions are being taken into practice a new family strengthening programme. The neighborhood to take place has been identified, a social diagnosis performed with the assistance of professionals at the areas of health, childhood and social environment; as the neighbors perceiving the need to work on the rights of the children from Gral. Rodriguez. Nowadays we are taking on the training to the Community mothers and the implementation of the programme.

We would like to thank you once more for your noble support! Thanks to, it is possible to enroot the idea of SOS Children's Villages, and to help many boys and girls to carry lives in dignity, with a chance to get a better future – thank you so much!

With our best wishes for Christmas to you and your family and blessings of peace and love to the New Year 2009!

Kind regards,

Claudia Kurz
Sponsor Adviser