Sponsor's update from San Miguel
11/03/2008
Update from 2007
Dear Friends:
Receive a warm greeting from El Salvador. It is a pleasure to write to you and tell you more about the life at the SOS Children’s Villages San Miguel. We hope you enjoy reading and knowing more about the families and their lives at the Village.
Up to date we have provided a family to 117 children, of which three of them have been embraced this year, Rudy, Alicia and Elsy. All of them have been provided with everything they need so they can feel part of the family so they can later overcome the trauma of losing their environment, friends and family from where they come.
At the same time we are studying 5 more cases to see if they really need the support of a family and if not they can be referred to the Family Strengthening programme. This program is inside the Village and has 3 common homes in the rural areas of the department.
Simultaneously we are preparing the boys and girls that at the end of the year will go to the SOS Youth Facility, among them are Ernesto, Angel, Miguel, Santiago, Lety, Griselda, Maria Cruz and Tere. Here they will receive the adequate orientation and preparation to face a new stage in their lives, which sometimes they fear. First, they will not be with their mothers all the time and they will also move to a new environment. They will also learn to sustain themselves by their own means. They will learn to manage their own budget and this represents an opportunity for them to grow.
This year 6 SOS aunts initiated their formation obtaining good results. They have excelled by their dedication, willingness and study habits. 5 of them are already in charge of a family. Ana Cecilia still is a SOS aunt in rotation with the opportunity to be in charge of a family in short time. They are also attending the Social Centre whenever they practice the different early stimulation activities. They also receive feedback so they can reinforce they knowledge they have acquired. Also 4 SOS aunts have finished the three month induction process and now are becoming SOS aunts.
Keny and Lilian, current SOS mothers, assisted the mother actualization course that was held near the capital city. It was hard for them to get away from their family for a week, but at the end they have acquired new knowledge in medical attention and other areas that will be of much help in their homes. In September Marlene and Ester will attend this course.
A lot of effort is being made to achieve a retirement plan for Felicita and Carmen. These two SOS mothers have been working at the village for more than 20 years now. They are not certain if they want to retire because of the love they have for the children.
We have continued developing shops about the protocol to prevent physical, psychological and sexual abuse. These shops are for SOS mothers, SOS aunts, collaborators, support team, and children over 10 years old. The SOS mothers have gotten together to watch out the children in leisure areas in the afternoon, this way the children are not alone.
As part of the Independence process, some teenagers have started to work. Jesus for example, he works in a mall, Ernesto, Angel, Adonaldo and Saul are working in a bakery shop; and Alejandra and Maria Cruz are working in a shop.
In the SOS Boy’s Youth Facility there are 10 teenagers that are facing the same challenge. Among them are Virgilio, Mauricio and Omar, who study in Universidad de Oriente. They have chosen careers such as System engineering, Law, and Civil Engineer. Daniel finished his specialisation in Air conditioner maintenance and has already found a job. He is in an internship in a prestigious company. Julio is working hard in a bakery shop. Salvador and Melvin study at night and have a part time job as newspaper deliverers. Luis has learned a lot making stoves and ovens. Ernesto is working part time in a repair shop and Armando continues studying and waits for an opportunity to work. On weekends they all visit their SOS mothers and siblings.
In the Girl’s Youth Facility, Beatriz, Jacqueline and Carmen live alone in a house that satisfies their needs. They are under a support program in which little by little they will start assuming more economic responsibilities in the house and their own expenses. Elsy and her sister Julia are also in the same situation. Sandra, Angelica, Dina and Carolina live in another house but they live with Griselda, she is in charge of the group, since they are underage. All of them are employed, some full time others part time. It’s a pride to us and we admire Sandra since she is almost professional stylist. She goes to the Village and cuts everyone’s hair. Jacqueline has almost everything she needs, her closet, the stove, her refrigerator, stereo, iron and necessary clothes. She will be ready at the end of the year for her independance. She is thinking in requesting a scholarship to the Village so she can continue her Law studies. Elsy graduates next year in nursing, Carmen studies Law and Beatriz psychology.
This year we began building two more family homes. With these 2 new homes we will have capacity for 18 more boys and girls. At the same time we begin the selection and induction process, and hiring of the new SOS aunts.
We are also making big efforts to locate relatives of the boys and girls, for it was very fulfilling seeing Noemi and Cristina get in contact with their brother Rudy. Four years had passed since they lost contact; the good news is that they live together now.
We want you to know that we are very happy and thankful to you because of your help and support to the Village in San Miguel. With your help we are able to give all these children a life full of happiness and love among their SOS families. Thank you for making all this possible. God bless you always.
Yours sincerely,
Angel Adalberto Argueta
Village Director
SOS Children’s Villages El Salvador
Child sponsorship update from San Vicente
Update from 2007
Dear Friends:
Receive a warm greeting from El Salvador. It is a pleasure to write to you and tell you more about the life at the SOS Children’s Villages San Vicente. We hope you enjoy reading and knowing more about the families and their lives at the Village.
It is a pleasure to share with you all the advances accomplished with every one of the children and the activities that have been going on throughout the year.
An important objective that was traced for this year was to complete the population according to the capacity of the program. We embraced 3 babies between 3 and 4 months old, and a 5 year old girl. Every day they are happier of belonging to the Village and are part of our family. Everyone of the mothers has been making a big effort to improve the baby’s health.
We continue coordinating and making case studies in order to take in more children. We have projected to build another home. The candidate to assume this new home is Maria de los Angeles; she is in the process of specialization and she is eager to support the children.
An important accomplishment is the educational performance the children are having. For example Fernando, was advanced one grade, now he is studying 7th grade and is very motivated. His performance continues to be good and his grades are outstanding. Marbelis Estela just graduated from a dress making and wardrobe, and Guadalupe del Carmen who just graduated from cosmetology. Thanks to these achievements there is a group of 3 children interested in studying cosmetology.
This year 10 SOS aunts have incorporated the mother specialization process. 9 of them already are responsible of a home. They are all very enthusiastic in learning and doing a better job. It helps them to realise the importance of her work.
Regarding the advances that the program has had, in every home there is a new laundry room. We have also started to build a water canal for rain water next to the Village. This is to prevent damages to the wall that surrounds the Village on the south.
The team of collaborators and SOS mothers that form the Direction Committee are having monthly meetings in order to achieve a better team job and support each other. They are taking strength and commitment to the community.
Regarding daily life in the Village, it is a pleasure to inform you the advances Fatima Guadalupe has had in relation to her health. She suffered from heart deficiencies and after being under control and strict treatment in the Benjamin Bloom Hospital she is no longer taking medicines. Her health is now much better thanks the support and special care of her SOS mother. Fatima has started early stimulation courses in Universidad de El Salvador.
Dear friends we want to thank you again for your contribution to the welfare of the boys and girls of this Village. It is thanks to your contribution that we have the possibility to provide them a better environment free of social or psychological dangers. It is because of you that these children have a home; happiness and an education that will help them forge a better future. God bless you.
We want you to know that we are very happy and thankful to you because of your help and support to the Village in San Vicente. With your help we are able to give all these children a life full of happiness and love among their SOS families. Thank you for making all this possible. God bless you always.
Yours sincerely,
German Alberto BenÃtez
Village Director
SOS Children’s Villages El Salvador
Relevant Countries: El Salvador.