"I learn from every single child that we care for"

Auxiliadora passionately carries out her job as a teacher at the 'Mi Dulce Hogar' community centre in Managua, Nicaragua. Through playing with children, the young mother has learned to raise her own daughter in a more lovingly way and to support the other parents in her neighbourhood.

When Auxiliadora talks she raises and lowers her tender voice. With well-directed moves of her petite hands, she points out what she says and her face talks in impressing mimic. It is clear that this young teacher is experienced at telling stories. Full of enthusiasm, she claps her hands and describes what the children do: ''They applaud when the food is served. The children know their schedule and they are excited about every single meal." The dark eyes of the 22-year-old shine while she tells their story. You can feel that she shares the children's joy.

Mother and two boys at Nicaragua Community Centre in Auxiliadora

A change

It's already been two years since Auxiliadora started to look after a group of children at the community centre in a southern neighbourhood of Managua. The children are organised by age into three different groups, and she cares for the youngest ones. Auxiliadora grew up here: far away from public transport, in a small hut on dusty streets where there are skinny stray dogs, children playing on their own and layabouts wait in the shadows. Here there is no way of legally obtaining water or electricity. At the age of 17 Auxiliadora got pregnant. At that time she lived together with her husband and her now deceased mother in a hut right beside her current workplace. Neither she nor her husband had a job and they made their living doing small odd jobs. Auxiliadora's mother needed to be nursed and the youngest member of the family - daughter Dayana - needed a lot of attention. They had hardly any money.

The community centre caught Auxiliadora's interest right at the beginning, when it was just being set up. A day-care centre for children and the opportunity for further training for parents - those aspects of the family strengthening programme of SOS Children's Villages immediately convinced her to take action. "I started work the same day the programme officially started here in the neighbourhood", says Auxiliadora.Soon after that, a team of facilitators from SOS Social Centre Managua and the teachers selected started visiting families in the area. Based on a range of criteria, they selected families most in need of support. Poverty is something that affects all residents of this neighbourhood, but to varying degrees. There is an increased need for support when children at risk of physical or emotional abuse, where there is a lack of support with regard to education or a child's legal guardian has a serious illness.

The first phase of development also brought the first disappointment, recalls Auxiliadora: "At the beginning some of them didn't want to be involved in the programme. They were afraid that they would have to pay afterwards, or that their children would not be cared for." But the community centre was set up, and step by step even parents that had been sceptical turned up to have a look at the project: "They saw that their children were being catered for. They simply didn't have that at home."

Playing, singing, sleeping

"In the morning we start by greeting each other. Then everyone goes to their seats. Everybody washes their hands before breakfast - and afterwards as well", says Auxiliadora. Washing their hands several times a day is a must where there's dust and earth. Then the children sing, play with a ball or building blocks. Later on they go outside - Auxiliadora shows the place in front of the centre. It's a huge area of dry, dusty earth with only one tree and a latrine on it. "The children feel free and do not have the feeling of being shut up inside all day long", says Auxiliadora. She continues: "After lunch, they take a rest. Then they can choose what to do next. What they like best is to do handicrafts or play 'train'. Each person holds onto the shoulders of the person right in front... the children love that game!"

Auxiliadora uses the evening to prepare dinner, do household chores and to prepare for the next day. Since Auxiliadora's mother is no longer alive, her husband also has a job. "He works as a guard. He works 24 hours and then has 24 hours off." Their family life has improved during the past couple of years - they have less financial worries and communication is better.

A new tone

 There is one thing that Auxiliadora has learned from working with children: patience. She has learned to speak in a tone children can understand and that they respond to. "In the past", she says, a little embarrassed, "all we did was shout at Dayana." "I learn from every single child that we care for. Many of them are raised in difficult circumstances." This experience also helps Auxiliadora to explain to her daughter the reasons and contexts for the rules she makes. "And all of a sudden she started to understand us. She started doing what we allowed her to do and respecting the rules we set", she says.  

A fixed income and the privilege of being near her daughter are two of the things she appreciates about her job. "But the most beautiful thing about it is that I get to play with the children", she says with a bright smile. This is why she has decided to do further studies in the field. "I would like to finish school and then continue to study special education as a teacher. This way I will be able to continue to work with children - even if I am not able to continue working here at the centre", she says. Dayana also seems to be impressed by her mother's job. "Sometimes she comes over to my group and tells them to go to bed", Auxiliadora says, both amused and proud. "She wants to be a teacher, just like me, and if she could, she would start to work as a teacher right now!"