Preschools & Homework help
At the islands, Boipeba and Barcelos do Sul in the northern Brazill lives the people of a poor fishing community. We support them through homework help and preschool functions that are run by the local organization Missao Pescadores. The children that come to the preschools and the homework help come from poor families where the parents often are drug abusers and even illiterate.
Before a child is registered at the preschool or for homework help, a home visit is made. The reason is to gain a picture of the child’s situation and try to start a dialogue with the parents. A dialogue that is continually built upon. Thanks to the homework help and the preschools the children gain a safe place to spend their days at. When the children have been registered they get clothes, food, health check-ups, and school material. Even toothbrushes are handed out as many have bad oral hygiene at the islands.
There are around 220 children enrolled within the different functions. Children with a single parent, children that live with drug-abusing parents, and children whose parents do not have an income are prioritized. The goal with the preschools is that the children will be given stimulation, care, and basic knowledge to start school. The children come from poor families where violence and physical abuse is common, many are under-stimulated, and apathetic when they arrive at the preschool. At the preschool the children are affirmed and seen, they make progress thanks to the educated pedagogues.
Create a dialogue
The homework help exists for children that attend school, but who do not have a grown-up at home that can help them with their homework when the school day is over, as many parents on the island are illiterate. This resource is very important to make sure that the children do not end up in the wrong company and to give them the support they need. At the Homework help, there is the opportunity to receive conversational therapy if a child needs it. The staff regularly makes home visits for the homework help registered children as well, to see their domestic environment and situation. In this way they are able to help the child in the best way possible.
Child prostitution
Sadly child prostitution occurs on the islands. The parents have been informed about the risks of sexual abuse when they leave their children alone at home. Sexual abuse has increased due to the increase in tourism. On several occasions the staff has informed social security and police when they have discovered organized child prostitution. Sadly it is not uncommon for the parents to see an opportunity to make money through using their children in prostitution. We do everything we can to protect the children as we also inform the parents and the community that prostitution is illegal. The co-operation with social services has worked well and they have carried out regular campaigns and provided information about the criminal offense to buy and sell sex by children.
Everyone must work together to protect the children – the staff, the authorities, the school and the church.
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