Spring 2016 - Callao, Peru

SOS Children's Villages started working in Callao in 2004 with the aim of providing care, support, health and education to families and children in the area.

Family strenghtening

Some of main reasons for children's admission to SOS Children's Villages' programs include abandonment and parents' problems with addiction and violence. Many children and adolescents face difficulties such as falling behind in school and various health and behavourial issues. The SOS Social Centres in Callao offers health care and initiatives to combat malnutrition, and a day-care centre that allows single mothers to leave their children in safe hands while they are at work. The aim of all initiatives is to guarantee a holistic and sustainable approach towards family strengthening.

Development courses are offered on the topics of self-esteem, leadership, women’s rights and gender equality, as well as reproductive health and related issues. All aspects of the SOS Family Strengthening Programme are organised and run by the community itself, with SOS Children’s Villages providing training and support. So far, nearly 700 families have already benefited from the childminding services, for example.

Health and Nutrition

• SOS Children's Villages Callao has developed workshops to combat abusive practices and problematic sexual behaviors for children and youth.
• Children with behavioral, emotional and other problems received specialized attention and therapy.

Recreational, Sports and Cultural Development Area  

• SOS adolescents, mothers and aunts participated in the ''Creative Drama'', which involved the development of theatre workshops aimed at providing the keys to solving conflict situations that could appear between them.
• Children and adolescent participated in recreational and sports activities to promote physical and mental wellbeing, healthy competition and control of frustrations and emotions. 
• All children and adolescents participated in the Arts Contest to mark the anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Educational development

• 20 children attended mathematics reinforcement workshops arranged by volunteers from the National Engineering University.
• 50 children and adolescents in the program were placed in formal education at different educational institutions to reestablish their rights and educational development.
• SOS-mothers were counseled to improve the educational development of children in their care.

The Little Farmers of Callao

In the framework of the Family Strengthening Programme, the Social Centre is developing a project called "Little Farmers" with the support of a private company. The project aims to encourage the preservation of nature and health. The crops will be used for the preparation of the food provided to the children at the Social Centre.