Sponsorupdate letter from Assomada
25/09/2008
Update for child sponsors and village sponsors from Spring 2008
The first semester passed and with pleasure we invite you to read along and share with us the recent developments that took place at your sponsored SOS Children’s Village Assomada. In the last 24 years, the village has been a home for 228 children of which 103 are presently under our care. 119 children consisting of 53 girls and 66 boys are independent. 89 are employed or have a livelihood, 19 are university students and professional training attendants. Only 11 are unemployed. All of our efforts are becoming a reality only because of your continued support.
Basic information on the Children’s Village, Facilities and Programme
Portugal Telecom provided services and technology to SOS Children’s Village Cape Verde.
In honor of the work that has been developed at national level and since member of a worldwide known organization, the President of Portugal Telecom and the President of Cape Verde Telecom Executive Commission visited and equipped SOS Children’s Village Assomada with access to internet ADSL, access to IPTV Zap (cable TV), an LCD screen and 15 laptops (10 to SOS Children’s Village Assomada and 5 to SOS Children’s Village São Domingos).
Cape Verde Motors Group sponsored campaign on the behalf of SOS children
As a result of a campaign carried out on the behalf of our social cause during last December of 2007, Cape Verde Motors Group donated formally a 1.373.350$00 CVE check, around 14 000 Euros in a ceremony accomplished at SOS Children’s Village Assomada. The campaign aimed to grant 265 Euros to SOS Cape Verde for each vehicle sold during December 2007. The Cape Verde Motors Group performed with the sponsored campaign and the donated amount an important role of partnership in the accomplishment of our mission of assisting the needier children.
SOS Children’s Village Assomada increases its family number
We admitted four new children in need and risk to our village. They were warmly welcomed by the children and by the remaining SOS family. They are already comfortably adjusted and doing well such as at village life as at their respective studies in the nursery school and primary classes.
International Woman Day shadowed by tragic lost
After having returned from Portugal for only a year, one of our 18 year old youth passed away in the Praia Capital Hospital. Victim of chronic renal insufficiency disease, she spent several months in observation and treatment in Lisbon. Very clever, so easy to deal with, docile, sweet, friendly and polite young girl who although has lost two school years, showed great level of academic performance. Her SOS mother and the entire SOS Cape Verde family were devastated. She cared for her since she was a year and 7 months old and they were tightly attached.
Village activities with the children
SOS Nursery School
The village nursery school been carrying out its duties in a proficiently status. At present a total of ninety-eight are running at the first, second and third levels. In line with classroom lessons they are having different outdoor activities to enable them with all necessary skills and develop consciousness more about their environment. The nursery school also carried out activities to commemorate the “Father Day”, for instance, preparation of cards, visits, etc.
Youth House
The youth were really busy during the first semester of 2008. They were in charge of several activities. For instance, youth house painting maintenance, village enclosures (furniture, doors, windows and trees), general cleaning, cutting grass and gardening, long walking to Praia city, sportive interchanges, writing art - calligraphy, visit to drug addicts’ center of recuperation, attendance of workshop on solidarity and tolerance, outing and sociability.
Setting free from a living nightmare
To close our writing exposition, we would like to leave you a human touch story
“Struggling in a pigsty to live” is how the nursery school head and focal point of Family Strengthening Programe of SOS Children’s Village Assomada, described Antónia*’s life when she was first visited.
Living in a granted house which although is still under construction, one would never guess how deepest and despairing Antonia felt in life. Today as a beneficiary of family strengthening program of SOS Children’s Village Assomada who receives a periodic basic basket, she got enough support to search for a livelihood and to increase her narrow means.
Antónia lived with her mother and six children in a very poor part of Assomada city’s suburb. Due to a disagreement, her mother expelled her out of the house and she saw her and her family suddenly homeless. On the first approach, she was immediately recognised as a sick lady. Her physical appearance was marked by a lot of bumps in her body. Later, she was diagnosed with chronic anemia and serious stomach clinic complications after long period of starvation. Her children’s father, a sixty years-old married man was absolutely uncommitted to her problems.
When Antónia was found, she was living in a barrack constructed to raise pigs. The roof was made from plastic bags, clothes and old rags. In order to get in, you had to curve yourself almost lying down. The last rainy season made even worse her already inhuman conditions of habitation. The place became muddy, very appropriate for the pigs that were there but absolutely unhealthy for the resident human beings.
Nowadays, her small children, who never went to the kindergarten, attend the SOS one and she is able to run a small business, raising and selling domestic animals. The story of Antónia and her six children shows that any destiny can be changed when people decide helping each other.
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Antónia* name has been changed to protect her privacy.
Hoping you had a good reading moment and wishing you a relaxing summer holidays, we would like to end our report.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Jandira Freire
Sponsorship Coordinator
Relevant Countries: Cape Verde.