My loving home at SOS Children's Village Estelí

Twelve-year-old Wilber lives at the SOS Children's Village Estelí, and he is in the first year of his secondary education. Eight years ago he came to his current home where he now lives with five brothers and sisters: Luis Felipe, Jhony, Angélica María, Joshua David, Christopher and his SOS mother Carolina, with whom he plays, does various home activities and gets up to pranks. He gets along well with everyone, but his best friend is Luis Felipe because they share secrets, advice, games and help each other.

Wilber is a child with a good appetite. He likes all types of meals and he is also interested in learning how to prepare them. He likes to play football, walk along the river, swim, climb mango trees and eat mangos. He says that he likes to visit his biological parents* because they are blind and in need of help. He also enjoys helping his grandfather to grow maize during the winter. His parents live in a town near the city of Estelí. He leaves school in a hurry and it's because he's got something on his mind - it is time to take some pictures. He has taken the task seriously and has taken many photos to capture various moments of everyday life in his family that symbolize his idea of "home". Wilber was chosen to participate in a photography project titled "A loving home for every child" as part of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of SOS Children's Villages, along with eleven other children and twelve young people from Estelí. The day he was told that he had been chosen Wilber was delighted.

With an air of pride and satisfaction, Wilber says, "I was chosen because I like to participate in all kinds of activities and because I like taking pictures. I hope I'll do well." He adds: "It's a good idea for the project because I get the chance to learn to work a camera, to take pictures of my family and have fun." Wilber is excellent at school, is very dedicated and gets good marks. His SOS mother Carolina proudly says: "My son is an excellent student. He is tidy, he likes to keep the house in shape and to help with the housework. We are a united family."

Wilber is full of optimism and hope because he will be able to express how much he loves his family and share this with many people from around the world through his photos. He will show how he sees his home, what it means and represents for his present and future life. With eloquence, he declares: "I like my home because we talk, laugh and do nice things. My mum always listens to me and gives me lots of hugs." Wilber has many hopes for the future. He likes challenges. When he sets out to do something, he invariably achieves it and he never gives up on things. On the contrary, he is always looking for opportunities that will enable him to develop.

*SOS Children's Villages believes that maintaining ties to family members is crucial when it comes to a child's well being and promoting his/her further development if the SOS child still has biological parents and/or close relatives and if there are positive emotional connections between the SOS child and his/her relatives. This is why we support SOS children in keeping in touch with their relatives.

Article written by Josefa Esperanza Lopez, social worker from SOS Children's Village Juigalpa