Sponsor's update from Huancayo, Peru

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Huancayo, Peru from Winter 2008.

Dear sponsors:

We transmit you herewith the warmest regards from children, youths, mothers and co-workers of the SOS Children's Village in Huancayo, which are now enjoying a warm, sunny, and, occasionally, also rainy weather. Rainy days are also necessary for our gardens to turn green, announcing that Christmas time is about to arrive.

Since January this year, and in the framework of the ‘Integrated Approach’, we have been working with both the Family-based care and the Family Strengthening and Community Development Programmes simultaneously, which should allow us to offer a family to children who for some reason have lost their parental care. At the same time it should serve to take action to prevent more children to be abandoned. This represents a difficult task, which can be carried out through hard work in community development and family empowerment issues.

The Children´s Village, through the Family-based care program shelters at the moment 118 children and adolescents, while 15 young people are living in SOS Youth Communities for young men and young ladies respectively. 9 youths have been reinserted into their biological families, however they continue to be supported by SOS. The Family Strenghtening program assists over 850 children, 121 of them at the SOS Social Centre, and 730 in ages between 2 and 5, at the Childminding programmes in the different communities of the Mantaro Valley. They benefit from the non-formal school program (PRONOEI). The Family Strengthening Programme allows us to interact with local authorities in order to promote the exercise of children´s rights. For this reason, we take part as organisation in different spaces such as round tables and forums, where other similar institutions are present, with the aim of improving the life conditions of children in the central highlands of the country.

In coordination with local authorities, as well as with the Regional Counsil for Children´s Rights we are organising advocacy campaigns to promote the protection of children´s rights. So far we have organised several meetings to make the children elect their representatives, so that in the future they will be able to get together with the Peruvian President and talk with him about topics related to child care in our country.

Growing up at Huancayo, Peru

Rocío, one of our young people in school age, who attends the first grade of secondary level, was the representative of our children in the region at the Regional Meeting about Fight Against Poverty, where the other participants were all grown-ups. At the beginning she was very nervous and with trembling voice she talked about how important it is for authorities and people in general to join and fight against poverty and prevent more children to be affected by this situation. As she talked in front of a full auditorium, she gradually became more self-confident, and at the end she was not nervous anymore. In response to her lecture, the Archbishop of Huancayo congratulated her and invited the audience to applaud this courageous young lady.

We hope that in a near future our Children's Village will be the voice of children an adolescents in relation with respect and protection of children's rights, and that our children will be able to create proposals of policies on behalf of childhood.

Another concern is motivating, training, and developing our human resources. 50 co-workers from different areas contribute actively and with a high degree of commitment to the achievement of the goals set by the organization. A high percentage of the activities carried out along the year aims to encourage the participation of co-workers from both the Family-based and the Family Strengthening programmes in a way not experienced before. For example, this year we took part in the Independence Day school parades. We get together to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries of our Children's Village, Mother's and Father's Day, as well as Christmas and New year.

Events at Huancayo, Peru

As planned, in August took place the 6th SOS Artistic Festival in our city, which offered the 250 children and youths coming from all Peruvian SOS Children's Villages the possibility to show their artistic skills and to get to know each other. It was wonderful to see them saying hello to each other, or contemplating with astonishment the beautiful landscapes of the region. Winners of this event were the participants coming from the SOS Children´s Villages Arequipa, Cusco, Chiclayo…

Nevertheless, our Children's Village offered an outstanding performance, too, and we got the second prize in the category of dance. This was also a good opportunity for the local population to know more about the work we carry out. All the participants of the Festival marched in a colorful parade through the main streets of Huancayo, and on the next day the delegations of Arequipa, Ayacucho, Callao, Chiclayo, Cusco, Esperanza, Huancayo, Pachacamac, Río Hondo, and Zarate presented colorful dances and beautiful songs. Not only the children, but also the young ladies from the SOS Youth Facility and the co-workers performed songs and dances during the festival.

Another event worth to share with you is the camping trip we organized for our young people. They were all excited looking forward to it. We went to the forest of Concepción (20 km away from our Children's Village by bus). One of the highlights was the bonfire we lit in the night, around which we sang out loud accompanied by the triads of a talented guitar player and played very entertaining games. On the next day social mothers, aunties, and co-workers were included in the dynamics, and the young people had the opportunity to talk about their needs, as well as about the support they require for a successful independent life. They assumed the conduction of this discussion, so that the aim of the trip was fully accomplished.

We are looking forward to the visit of Carlos, an industrious young man who last year concluded his school formation and is now a proud member of the National Police Academy. Although he is currently working in Cerro de Pasco (5 hours away from Huancayo by bus), he keeps in touch with his SOS family and will be home for Christmas. We, on our side are very proud of his achievements and of his encouraging attitude towards his younger SOS siblings, for whom he is the best role model.

December is always a very busy time of the year, since we all prepare for the end-of-the year events at school. Some of the children in school age are about to conclude the primary education, while others will soon be faced with the big decision of a professional life. This time over 15 celebrations of this kind will take place among the village families. Of course children and moms are very excited about these big events. However, celebrations do not take place only at school, but also at the university. Lea, one of our loving young ladies, is currently studying to become a Social Worker at the ‘Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú’, and will take part in such an event, too. It´s nice to see how her younger sisters look up to her, and dream of studying at the university,too.

As you can see, the year is about to end, and our work with children and youths is bearing fruit. Abimael passed the entrance examination to the University Alas Peruanas, and now he is following the career of his dreams. We are confident that in a few years we will be celebrating his graduation as a Psychologist.

As Christmas time approaches the excitement and expectations grow in the children's minds. The families decorate their houses with colorful garlands and lights, while rehearsing the representation of a living Nativity scene to remind us the birth of God's son. I can tell you it's touching to see children and families waiting for the Christmas to come, sharing a piece of sweet Christmas bread, a cup of hot chocolate, or a delicious dinner with roast turkey or chicken. This is exactly the moment when we think that all our efforts are worth it. Nothing is most important than watching a child growing in a caring family. And these families exist because of your support. From the Peruvian highlands, we wish you blessings and our kindest regards, hoping that this Christmas will bring you love, happiness, and family union.

Genaro Moreno Espíritu
Deputy Director
SOS Social Project Huancayo