Child sponsorship update from Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Matagalpa, Nicaragua from Winter 2008.

Dear Friends,

All the SOS houses were full of children this year, 111 children to be exact, besides we have 19 youths that form our two youth facilities. However, we are just trying to follow the child’s best interest on each decision of their lives, we were forced to organize the departure of William Eduardo, in the month of January as his grandmother was looking for him during long six years, his the only one grandson left by her son who died three years ago.

During the rest of the year several children also returned to live with their relatives, Rosa Erlinda and her brother Wilton, Albin who requested living with his uncle, Reynaldo who has re-organised a good relationship with his biological mother and finally Josefa who is a 16 years old adolescent who painfully we could not persuaded her to change her mind as she is still a child to assume the adult woman role and the responsibility that implicates to initiate a family. However, with the departure of all these children we managed to shelter another seven children to live with a SOS family that provides love and protection, and a SOS mother that gives them affection and care. Gradually we welcomed Heyling, Dinora, Darling, Meyling, Jexelin and finally Oscar and her sister Tania who is only one years old. As well at the beginning of 2008 the administration decided the departure of Martha Lillian who is 8 years old to live with her biological mother, although against the freewill of the child, but months later, before the risk that represents being at the side of her mother, Marthita returned back to the SOS village, it was a pleasure to the SOS brothers and sisters as they cried when she was departed.

For each child that live in pour village, SOS families have been getting closer to the conventional family life, girls who likes dance have found artistic groups of the city and its form of integration, Merlene, Fernanda y Ezperanza are integrants of the best dance group of the city and constantly receive invitations to present including in other cities of the country, those who have inclination for music also have a chance which was hugely taken advantage by Sheldon, Yader, Yunieth, Alexander, Ramiro, Heydi, Josseling, Cinthia, Eusebio, Héctor, Karelia, Sheldon and Evelio. Likewise they are taken advantage and seen by SOS mothers learning options for children such as hand crafts, cook, hairdressing, car mechanic and carpentry, looking forward providing education to their children which will help to become adults with success.

The stability that has reached our village shows the existence of 10 SOS mothers named officially, and two aunties, they all in charge to take care of 12 homes that counts this SOS village, including 2 families that are living out-of-facility in surrounding neighborhoods. Now we could face new challenges: Maura and Jeanet have retaken after many years their secondary education for being examples for the family, Jeamilete decided that studying pedagogy at the university might manage better the family formation and is already ending the first degree, on the other hand Blanca and Martha are learning computing to be on the line with the technologic advance, Flor, Elia and Kery are attending classes of handcrafts.

We hope 2009 will be a year of big triumphs; a growing staff for our families, thanks to your support, you are the friends and sponsors that have made this possible.