Child sponsorship update from Draria, Algeria

Update for child sponsor supporters from the SOS Children's Village Draria, Algeria from Winter 2008.

Dear sponsors, dear friends

Our meeting of the year end will be held in the context of the financial world crisis and all of us wish better times for our children. Still, we are happy that we can guarantee for you that our children and our youngsters are fine and are constantly made sensitive about the fact that they have to be well prepared concerning the intellectual side so that they can be able to face the different current, in particular the challenge of being competitive in the world of working.

Our capacity of reception is in a constant progression: in our 10 family houses, there are 97 children, 04 children among them have been integrated in 2008 because of the danger that they encountered: they were abandoned because of the fact that the parents were separated or single-parent family; this delicate issue is still a taboo in our society and when the mother refuses to abandon her child who will be adopted in the Muslim way (kafala), SOS Children becomes the only alternative for the child when the mother is homeless.

The children's school performances are progressing with a percentage of success of 93% for the village children, 60% for the youths of the framed apartments and 100% for the youngsters who are having professional training and these performances clearly exceed the national average. All the means are available to procure an effective education for our children that are benefiting of extra sessions and the psychological support according to their needs.

The return to school of 2008 - 2009, after the holidays that the children and the youths spent in the beach, has been particularly marked by the coming of Ramadan month (the Muslims' month of fasting). That month was spent in serenity, calm and the meditation in our country: many events were organised within the framework of funds search and were materialised through many agreements and partnerships with companies. An important agent renewed again, this year, his partnership with the village that consists of pouring back the whole returns of the different parties that are organised under his capital. The village also organised an exceptional gala on the 27th day of Ramadan and a big fashion show done by our children and youths. This nice and easy-going gala received a real success by gathering 300 friends and donors for the village who were enthusiastic during the auction to by the T-shirts that were painted by our children. This sacred month has ended with the Aid feast (rupture of the fasting) during which our donors did not forget to bring clothes for children which is a tradition in our country.

Our community of youths is becoming bigger and at present it includes 42 youths studying in high schools, middle schools (21 youths) and also in the professional training in: the audio - visual domain, hostelry, pastry and fishing for 11 youths. We have varied the Professional trainings with a consideration of their wishes in order to offer them an additional chance because the world of working is facing certain difficulties to integrate young people.

Children growing up at Draria, Algeria

A program of personal development for the youths has been established. Many meetings were organised to discuss some subjects such as drugs, nicotinism, flights and transmissible illnesses; for the world peace day (21st September) 02 days have been devoted to the learning of peace within the theme of 'peace is learned' thanks to an active participation of the department of the youths that has elaborated a rich program made of different activities with the competition of the national constabulary services.

Three of our youths are now married and have their own family life: the wife of the young Mohamed is having a baby soon; Nadia and Yasmine are happy mothers and are still in touch with the village.

Finally, concerning the practicing of sport by our youths, the young girl Sarah continues her brilliant career in athletics; she has been selected as a member of the Algerian national team to participate in the world junior championship in Poland in July 2008. In Algeria, she won two gold medals in the 3,000 metres steeplechase and 10,000 metres.

Our SOS mothers are fine and multiply each one of them, micro-projects and initiatives. Groups of choral and theatre, family gardens, and projects of evasion and holidays are also nice moments that weave family links and dynamism inside the village community; it is the same SOS mothers that stay faithful to our organisation and we did not notice any departure for the last three years; our mothers continue to improve themselves and develop their abilities in the domain of the family taking in charge. Two SOS mothers were congratulated, by the regional director, in November, for their commitment and their faithfulness to our organisation. For the end of the year, we are going to point 4 new SOS mothers, trained to occupy the 04 new houses in construction.

Our program PRF is becoming larger and is extending to the other towns like TIZI OUZOU and TIPAZA. At present, 300 children of needy families benefit from this program. We are discussing with the Ministry of national solidarity the application of this programme all over the country, within the framework of the reform about the taking in charge of the children living in institutions.

Our commitment for the children's rights continues to prove itself: in addition to the continuation of the shared actions with associations for the preservation of the children's rights, we daily work to make people inside and outside the village sensitive so that these rights will be truly and daily applied for all the aspects of the social life. During November, we have organized, with the presence of numerous professional people, a press conference was organised in the press center 'El Moudjahid' newspaper and a day of study at the international press centre IPC in Algiers to commemorate the days of 19TH and 20th November pointed by the United Nations as "the world day for the prevention from bad treatment of the child and the world child's day' a national document is currently being finalised especially the recommendation and the speech for the defense of the child's rights within the framework of our participation in the different forums.

Thank you for your actions and your commitment, we can give a new life for the children who are deprived of their families. We thank you for your faithfulness and the children as well as as us wish you a happy new year and for all your family also.