Sponsor's update from Canchungo, Guinea Bissau

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Canchungo, Guinea Bissau from Summer 2008.

Dear sponsor,

As usual we would like to share with you some information on the SOS Children's Village in Canchungo (Guinea Bissau), which carries on its work thanks to your generous contribution, providing shelter to poor and orphaned children needing support, affection and protection.

Thanks to your invaluable contribution, a third and beautiful SOS Children’s Village has been built and shelters currently 60 children.

For Christmas and New Year’s Day some of our children had, for the first time, the opportunity to attend a great party full of light, music and decoration, in the company of many other children and SOS mothers and aunts. They danced tirelessly. Children were very happy because of the toys they received from the oil distributing company GALP/Petromar and the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Fight against Poverty.

Canchungo mothers participated in a seminar on adult literacy organised by management aiming at improving their work performance at the SOS Village. They are also taking Portuguese and Mathematics courses.

On 18 April 2008, the sponsorship co-ordinator organised a workshop on sponsorship involving SOS mothers, aunts and staff from the Canchungo Village. The event focused on sponsorship guidelines and responsibilities and the sponsorship manual was distributed to participants, who were happy to become knowledgeable on sponsorship issues.

The new Canchungo village took part last February in carnival festivities organised in Canchungo. It was a novelty to Canchungo SOS children, especially for those coming from remote places and had never before seen such an event. SOS mothers dressed their children up, making their wear masks and colourful attire in a very joyful atmosphere.

Events at Canchungo, Guinea Bissau

On 8 March, International Women’s Day, each village organised meetings focusing on the theme “Women’s Rights in Society”. A lunch offered by the Village on behest of SOS mothers and children took place afterwards.

Guinea-Bissau faces currently a deep shortage of electricity, water and foodstuffs. Nonetheless, SOS Guinea-Bissau has been able, thanks to your generous donations, to build water points in each Village, neighbouring populations have been able to have access to this precious liquid.

SOS Guinea-Bissau has taken hygiene measures and forbade trips during school vacation for SOS children in the wake of the government’s official announcement of a cholera outbreak in the south of the country. We are now in the rainy season and this extend or worsen the impact of this epidemic.
Cuban doctors from the National Simao Mendes Hospital provided free of charge a special medical check to all SOS children, mothers, aunts and the remaining staff.

The Ministry of Solidarity and Fight against Poverty visited the new village and gave away presents and uniforms to SOS children.

SOS Children Regional Director and his Assistant paid a courtesy visit to the new Canchungo Village and met the new SOS mothers in Basse, The Gambia.

The Ambassador of Portugal in Guinea-Bissau also donated teaching material and uniforms to our children.

We thank you very much for your generous contribution to the benefit of our children and wish you good health and plenty of happiness in the company of your beloved ones.