Sponsor's update from Asunción, Paraguay

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Asunción, Paraguay from December 2008.

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! We are now starting summer, a bit apprehensive of the weather it may bring. It seems it is going to be a very warm summer as always. The children are finally free from school to spend a playful and fun holidays. They are very eager for Christmas and New Year’s Eve to arrive and are already making their wishes. Children, adolescents, mothers, and aunts are preparing the Christmas sceneries, Christmas trees and decorations. They have started cooking the traditional meals related to this time of the year and all these activities grant a very good time in family.

This happy time also allows us to reflect in 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.

Supporting children and communities at Asunción, Paraguay

SOS Children Paraguay has witnessed a significant advance in the work of the Family Strengthening Programmes. 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 organisation 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 organisation 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.

Celebrations at Asunción, Paraguay

It is the end of the year and we would like to share with what we have lived in the past 12 months at the village. The year has passed quickly and the families have been carried away with many activities, events, and schools among other things. Nevertheless, there have been many exciting and rewarding experiences that make all the effort worthy.
The village located in the Zeballos Cué neighborhood in Asuncion now counts with 135 children and adolescent who form 16 families.

2008 will constitute a landmark at the SOS Children’s Village Asuncion, as in June 23rd it celebrated its 25th anniversary. The whole previous week was full of artistic events and many games. All the families and workers at the village join forces to dress up the community for a celebration. There were sports’ competitions, musical presentations, dancing shows and a fair. In the final event, the eldest mothers’ work was recognized as well as other workers’ effort. It was very moving to see the hardworking mothers standing up to be honored, still surrounded by many new children, a new generation to their care. In their faces we could see the same willingness to step up to the cause and also the traces that both joy and difficulties have left them.

Another important event was the visit of the SOS Children president. The children have heard about him and there was much enthusiasm in the village to meet him. Both the dance and music groups prepared nice and traditional presentations. They organised a small festival where they showed all their talents and kind feelings to welcome the visit.

In addition to celebrations and holidays within the village community, both the music and dance groups also took part in festivals and competitions outside the village, where they shared with other dance groups, orchestras and the sort. Sometimes they even traveled to the countryside where there is much talent as well in these artistic fields. Asuncion’s children especially stand out in Paraguayan traditional dances and traditional music like guarania and polkas. The first one reflects much of the Paraguayan romanticism and devotion to Paraguayan women’s beauty as well as the land. The second style is more a dancing one, joyful and up-lifting. It is a very rich culture the one we have here and is nice that a younger generation, who are also influenced by new popular trends, is able to appreciate traditional customs and values.

Children growing up at Asunción, Paraguay

Furthermore, there were as usual, new children welcomed during the year. These were children with many expectations, some fears and doubts before a completely new environment, family and community. Nevertheless, the whole family at the village tried and continues working in developing an embracing home for these children. Some of them already have adjusted and others are in the way.

While some take their first steps in, others take their first out, towards a more independent life with the support from their families and the Youth Department. This department tries to work together with the youths, considering their interests, feelings and goals to guide them towards the options they have for their future. Although sometimes youths can be unpredictable, many are moving towards the achievement of their objectives. Others need more time as they feel insecure to step in the adult world. However, they are encouraged and assured that they have a family to count with and they should use their potentials to accomplish what they want for their lives.

There are some youths making a working internship in private or state companies within a Social working program for people with a learning disability. They are working in an inclusive environment where their capabilities are respected and valued.

In general, there are many adolescents and youths at the village, which is why many working dynamics have being constructed to direct a specialized attention to them as well in the same way young children are attended according to their needs and interests. There is a variety of programs and projects in which youths and adolescents are taking part nowadays, like JOPANOVI which stands fro Youths against violence, the SOS mothers and aunts accompany their kids in the activities carried out by the group. In addition, they also are directly or indirectly part of BUILDING A CITIZENSHIP, a space where they can talk about issues concerning them as well as their participation in the society, how they can acquire the right tools to be conscious and responsible citizens.

Not long ago, a workshop on AIDS/HIV prevention was carried out and many adolescents and youths attended it. The event was organized by an institution dependent of the Health Ministry and had much participation. Other training workshops designed to prepare youngsters to have a good start in their adult life, include Accountancy and Budget making courses. Not only kids from the village come, but many other participants are from the larger community in Zeballos Cué.

This is also a way of creating allegiance with other organization working in the same social field in the area. Children and adolescents enjoy developing social skills and it opens a way to creating new connections.

The village counts with a committee formed by some mothers and workers at the village, each one specialised in one area affecting the children and adolescents. They work together, joining knowledge and experience in their work in order to guide the community to wards the accomplishment of the goals, especially new SOS mothers who need much support in their first period at the village. Besides the training organized at the village, they also receive it from the SOS Training Centre called Ñemity (sowing). They keep sowing love, understanding, and care in the mothers so they can, consequently, keep providing an integral care to their children.

Moreover, the dance group at the village has participated this year in many dance workshops carried out by the Town’s Ballet. They had a graduation ceremony where they all got participation certificates.

Finally the traditional celebrations in Mother’s Day, Children’s day and Youth’s day took place as well, each one with its central theme honored. These were characterized by the presence of neighbor communities, friends and the families all reunited in a fun and joyful party with dancing and singing.

We can say that one more year has passed, along with 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 our children!

Sincerely,

Werner Mittler
Sponsorship Coordinator