Child sponsorship update from San José (Tres Rios), Costa Rica

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village San José (Tres Rios), Costa Rica from April 2008.

Dear Sponsors and Friends,

Receive cordial greetings and best wishes from our families and from the SOS staff of the SOS Children's Village Tres Ríos.

We are very pleased to inform about our major events during the first quarter of 2008 in benefit of the development of our children and youths of our SOS Children's Village in Tres Ríos.

We want to express our feeling of deep gratitude for your generous help and important commitment which makes possible to offer our children and youths, an affective long lasting family and the hope to a better future where they can contribute to the development of their communities.

Actually, our SOS Children's Village is a community with thirteen SOS families and a youth ladies community. The whole population is about 104 children and adolescents installed.

During this year we hosted two new boys and a girl. Now we are in the process of receiving 6 boys and girls more, so the new SOS family is preparing to welcome them.

SOS Mothers
The families are headed by seven SOS mothers. SOS mothers are those who have complied with the levels of training to assume full empowerment with their SOS sons and daughters. We also count with eight affective mothers, which likewise assume responsibility for a SOS family and who are in the process of continuous training in order to become a SOS mother.

However within the group of seven SOS mothers, three of them were conferred the appointment in an official act last April, at a special event which generated great enthusiasm, motivation and commitment to the SOS mothers.

The SOS mothers are responsible for their family and their home and lead to an autonomous development of their children and youth in family, education, health, nutrition, recreation and cultural integration areas, also they defend and promote the rights of their affective children.

The SOS families during the Christmas time and other holidays do activities to strengthen their family ties like family trips, activities involving cultural, religious and community service. For example, Ana Idalí, a SOS mother from our community, took advantage of holidays and took their children to the beautiful beaches in Guanacaste Pacific. When they came back they were cheerful and had a lot of stories to tell.

School, Sports and Recreation

Regarding to the 2008 formative process, the 98% of the children and youths join to schools with enthusiasm and energy. Also we are very proud because thirteen children from our SOS Children’s Village Tres Ríos had some of the best academic performance in their study centers. For this reason they also won scholarships to study in private educational institutions. Moreover four youths are attending to United World College Costa Rica and three youths are attending college, they chose careers as Industrial Chemistry, Medicine and Criminology.

Also, most of our children and youth are integrated into extracurricular activities that contribute to their own abilities and interests and generate high motivation and confidence in their personal development. Among the most common activities that children like there are painting, decoration , Sport (soccer, tae-kwondo, swimming), dance, computing, foreign language, spiritual training among others.

At the beginning of this 2008 three youths of the SOS Children's Village Tres Ríos began their independent life. Now we are in a monitoring process where we accompanying them and supports them with their house rent while they give their first steps on the business world. As well, three other youths are being prepared for the same process and start their own lives by their own. In addition four youths are improving in their technical studies on woodwork, styling and marketing.

Development in San José, Costa Rica

Spiritual Area
On the other hand, during holy week some SOS youth participated actively in a walk organized by the parish community (church), where they also share with other youths from the local community. Besides walking, youths also participate in various fun activities and competitions, but at the end that left a spiritual teaching on them.

SOS youth also have been involved with much enthusiasm on the improvement and maintenance of the Village in order to keep it clean and beauty.

On the other hand thanks to the support of the catechists and the priest of the parish community, several of our children and youth are able to receive the baptism. This is a significant issue for children and youth and community SOS. After the celebration, all children returned to their respective family houses, where they shared a lunch.

Mothers Development
As part of the process of continuous training, the mothers of our community have received different training sessions, both inside and outside the Village. Also the SOS National Office is providing the Educated Mother course. This training last one a year and it is divided into three stages.

There is much more to share about our experiences in the Villages, but in order to finish I would like to share with you dear sponsor this quote:

"The issue is to create a strong coin of love, allow that material aid we provide become spiritual aid"

With great appreciation and sincere gratitude,

Marvin Flores Maya.
Director,
SOS Children’s Village Tres Ríos