The visit to Casa de Moisés was extremely productive. Despite the fifty minute drive to arrive at Águas Lindas, the conversation we had with Mayza, the juridical coordinator, was very worthwhile. We learned that around 70 children live at Casa de Moises, under Dona Vera's care (she is an old lady who has dedicated most of her life to helping these kids). The children are sent to the orphanage by the Juizado de Menores of the district, and most cases are results of parental abuse, alcoholism, addiction to drugs, lack of care, etc.
The coordinators of CDM are very excited because the orphanage has recently qualified to be part of "Criança Esperança", a Brazilian NGO that, in a partnership with UNESCO, helps out needy children and instituions around Brazil. Criança Esperança is going to provide a specific amount of money and CDM must spend it to improve the orphanage according to their specifications.
Regardless of these helps and of other donations the orphanage already receives, CDM needs materials to help the construction they've started. In the construction area, they have planned to build a tutoring room, to hold psychological support sessions, infirmary, playroom, and much more.
Finally, after talking "business" with Mayza, we interacted with the kids. Since it was our first time there and there are many children, we distributed balloons to each of them as an "ice-breaker" activity and tried to learn new things from them. In most cases, the children were emotionally demanding and needy of our attention and love. We sticked around and played with them for a while and had a tour around CDM to learn the extension of the property and how it was managed.
The trip was very enriching and I'm looking forward to meeting with all of them soon! Even though Águas Lindas is considered a very dangerous satellite city, it was worth our visit and the children really seemed happy with us there. We are now trying to schedule a trip there once a month (since transportation is very expensive to get there: 300 reais! The money we fundraised went almost entirely to pay for the trip instead of being saved to buy materials to help CDM). Anyways, we are also working on solutions to improve security around the orphanage area and also ideas to promote the place, since its location doesn't really help. Next trip will probably be on a saturday in October, tbd :)
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