Child sponsorship update from San Vincente, El Salvador

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village San Vincente, El Salvador from Winter 2008.
Dear friends,

Once again receive a warm greeting from El Salvador and specially from the children of the SOS Children’s Village San Vicente. It is a pleasure for us to greet you in this season of the year to let you know more about the lives of the families and the daily life in the village. We hope you enjoy reading and knowing more about the activities and events of this year 2008.

During this year we have taken in 137 children in our village between 1 to 17 years old, 61 are boys and 71 are girls. We have 13 families in the village facility and one family in a rented house near the village in the city. It is worth to tell you that this family has established really good relation with the community, the oldest boy of the family, a twelve-year-old boy, is in a process of learning bakery.

We have currently nine teenagers, seven girls and two boys between fifteen and seventeen years old, that are in the process of transfer to the first SOS Youth Facility in San Vicente. They are learning trades and are being helped to look for part time jobs in order to help them to be more responsible. During this whole process the teenagers are supported by their SOS families because it can be a little difficult for them. We are trying to help our youth to have a successful independent life since they are still in the village and are going to be transferred to the SOS Youth Facility. Recently these teenagers participated in a trade fair where other teenagers presented their productive products. The impact of this was very successful, a lot of our teenagers returned to their homes with a lot of interest.

To obtain better results in the process of adaptation of the new children that were taken in the village, they have been incorporated to different activities in the village that are developed in coordination with other institutions like the boy scouts, churches, universities, fireman brigades, and others. These activities consist in walks, gatherings, school reinforcement classes, early stimulation, biblical reflection and theory classes, and practices of the firemen functions. We have had five special cases of children that have had significant improvements. They had many difficulties in reading and writing, space location, withdrawal and self esteem that have been overcome. These achievements have been possible with the effort of the SOS mothers as well as the proper orientation of the teachers. Other personalized programs developed by the mothers were also executed; these were aquatic therapies and fine and gross motor skill therapies.

During this year we had a case of a twelve-year-old girl, Yanira, who has muscular dystrophy, sickness that is irreversible. Yanira is receiving all the support of her SOS mother as well as the help of professionals so she can assimilate the disease and learn to live with it. She is also receiving psychological, physical and spiritual attention. There are other fourteen children that are receiving special therapies developed by professionals in psychiatry and psychology to overcome difficulties with conduct and attention deficit disorder. This therapies have reflected very good results seeing the family, community and at school efficiency also. Two of these children have also had very good results in the sport area, they have won first place in swimming in a national competition; they were admired and congratulated for all the children of the village.

Events at San Vincente, El Salvador

This year we have had one gathering with the biological families of some of our children. They shared with the children, and some of them acted in some artistic presentations; there were a very happy and familiar environment. The biological family also participated in the celebration of the children’s day that is celebrated in October, this activity also counted with the participation of another institutions and organisations which we made negotiations with.

During the year the children have had different options to develop their skills and personal growth. A lot of them are incorporated in painting and drawing workshops, other in cosmetology, sewing and mechanics workshop. Other children practice judo or are part of the Boy Scouts, and some other participate in a fireman programs and swimming practices, among others. The SOS mothers are very pleased with the achievements that are been accomplished by the children, not only in personal growth by also in their self esteem development.

Another big goal was to be able to give spiritual growth to the children, the actions that have been made are given really good results, for example, twice a week the SOS mothers have biblical reflections with the children, and they participate in spiritual retreats, hymns and go to church. The promotion and practice of the moral values has contributed to improve the family and community relations.

We are glad to tell you that six SOS aunts participated in the process of elaboration of her monographic work paper to become a SOS mother. This monographic work paper has topics like school stimulation for children with special needs. All the SOS families prepare to this especial event and celebrate with the aunts her achievement. After this process we will count with eight more SOS mothers and there is no doubt that this formation will contribute in a great way in the integral orientations of the children.

Working in the community

In the Family Strengthening Programme we are attending 366 children that are in risk of losing their biological family environment. There are 76 of them that are taken care in the SOS Social Centre and 290 in nine houses of the SOS Childminding programme. Some of the services that are given to the children in each programme in health care are health children control, medical checkups, size and weight control, encephalic control and dental control. 178 families have received workshops in five themes like care education, rights of the childhood, hygienic habits, family violence, between other, and they have also attend two seminaries of living in couple with an assistance of thirty couples.

At the moment we are attending 231 women, 66 are from the SOS Social Centre and 165 are from the SOS Childminding Programme. They have been taught about gender, self esteem, women rights and access to credits. In the health area we motivate these women to do a smear test, submit to the pregnancy control and receive medical checkup. In the matter of labor improvement and insertion about thirty three women have been incorporated to a job, generating incomes to their families. There are also ten family committees that have been prepared in themes like leadership, negotiations, financial controls, functions, conflicts resolutions and empowerment. We count with financial support of three municipal mayor’s office in equal number of SOS Childminding Programme.

The significant change has been made in the woman component because we already have a number of women working in factories making dresses and other kind of clothing, there are other women who have their own small stores or shops settled in their houses while their children are in the programme. The families have also received workshops about child care practices and couple life together, which have been given very good results, especially in the treat to the children.

We are glad to share with you all these achievements and good results of our programmes. We are very happy and thankful to you for your help and support that make us possible to give our children a family with love, respect and security.

Thank you for making all this possible may God bless you always. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Yours sincerely,

German Alberto Benítez, Village Director, SOS Children’s Village San Vicente & Vanessa María Carballo Bolaños, International Sponsorships Coordinator, SOS Children’s Villages El Salvador