LIST OF SELECTED PROJECTS PROPOSED FOR …unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0010/001036/103648E.pdf · ... Save The Children Fund - Street Project 16- THAILAND: ... not yet solved. As of

LIST OFSELECTED PROJECTS

PROPOSED FORFUNDING SUPPORT

UNESCO’S PROGRAM ME FOR STREET CHILDREN AND WORKING CHILDREN

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) document. WARNING! Spelling errors might subsist. In order to accessto the original document in image form, click on "Original" button on 1st page.

Target per project: $50,000

Africa:1 - CAMEROON: «Foyers de l’Espérance»2- COTE D’IVOIRE: « Centre Social de Bouaké»3- KENYA: Undugu Society4- SENEGAL: «Daara» of Malika5- SENEGAL: «HLM Montagne» - ENDA6- SIERRA LEONE: The Boys’ .Society of Sierra Leone7- SOUTH AFRICA: Ons Plek Shelter for Girls8- TOGO: « Atelier Bon Conseil»9- UGANDA: Uganda Africa Foundation Inc.

Asia:10- BANGLADESH: ARBAN11 - INDIA:« Buddhivantha Bosco Yuvodaya»12- INDIA: The Ambu Illam Society13- PHILIPPINES: The Community of Learners - COLF14- PHILIPPINES: START - Concordia Children’s Services15- SRI LANKA: Save The Children Fund - Street Project16- THAILAND: KAMLA

Latin America:17- ARGENTINA: «Hogares Don Bosco»18- BOLIVIA: ENDA - Bolivia19- BRAZIL: «Força Jovern»20- COLUMBIA: « Ciudad Don Bosco»21- ECUADOR: «Chicos de la Calle»22-PARAGUAY:«Callescuela»23- PERU: «From Piranha to Dolphin» - CEDRO24- VENEZUELA: «Muchachos de la Calle» Association

Arab States:25- LEBANON: Ghassan Ghanafani Foundation


introduction

Today, over 100 million children throughout the world arestruggling for their survival in complete destitution. They arethe street children and working children. This brochure pre-

sents a selection of original and diverse projects that have managedto train and educate street children and working children in theirgradual reintegration into society. The very variety of projectsshows how an educator’s initiative and a child’s problems can crea-te a positive result. UNESCO actively supports these projects andwishes to encourage all those who believe that the city need notlimit children but rather help them grow into partners for the futu-re.

The funds raised are used to provide direct support for street chil-dren and working children, to improve the training given to «streeteducators)) and the police at national and regional levels in Africa,the Arab States, Asia, Latin America and Europe, to restore premises,to set up shelters. UNESCO also intends to develop its network ofpartners. The active co-operation of other agencies of the UnitedNations system, governments, non-governmental organizations,cities, local authorities and the community at large is essential.

3


PROJECT: «Foyers de L’Espérance»

Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, attracts many childrenfleeing rural poverty, hunger and unbearable family condi-tions. They all believe the city will see to their needs when,

in fact, their situation only worsens. Alcoholism, drug abuse anddisease are common amongst these street children and they soonbecome alienated from the family and the community at large.

4

In February 1977, the Archbishop of Yaoundé set up the «Foyers del’Espérance» to educate and reintegrate street children into society.Children are placed within a guardian family and they graduallybegin the long process of rehabilitation through workshops andschool classes. The centre organizes information campaigns toraise public awareness and diversifies its educational methods byhorticultural and outside activities. The children are constantly fol-lowed and supported by the educators, in their search for jobs, intheir introduction to school and in their familial problems. Throughplaces like the Prevention Club and the Elig Leisure Centre, theproject has a foothold on the street itself and can directly assess theneeds of those children still on the street. Since 1977, some 10,000children have taken part in the organization’s schemes. In 1992,245 children stayed in one hostel alone. A lot remains to be donethough and with further funds the project wishes to increase itsnumber of children and reinforce its educational capacity.


Côte d’Ivoire, Bouaké

PROJECT: «Centre Social de Bouaké»

B ouaké is the second city of the Côte d’lvoire and with near-ly half of its inhabitants under the age of 25, it suffers fromthe chronic effects of poverty and overcrowding, An initial

organization was created in 1984, with the help of the Ministry ofSocial Affairs.

By 1992, the centre, renamed EASEMO, had moved into new pre-mises and increased its number of staff. The project combats mar-ginalization and exclusion and struggles for street children’s rightsto health care, education and protection, Educational, artisanal andsporting activities alternate to help the children reintegrate societyand come to terms with their past. At present 157 children benefitfrom the project’s activities.

The children fast become active members of the centre, joining incommunity projects, helping cultivate the land around the buildingand becoming apprentices in businesses or workshops. Despite thegrowing number of children coming to the centre, the problem isnot yet solved. As of 1989, the project depends on outside contri-butions. This is not easy as EASEMO wants, above all else, to satis-fy the children’s demands for training, education and basic aid. 5


PROJECT: Undugu Society

6

u ndugu means brotherhood in Swahili and this concept offraternity remains the basic ideal at the Undugu Society ofKenya. Set up in 1972 the society manages Nairobi’s

increasing number of street children who live exploited and depri-ved lives as prostitutes, beggars or scavengers on dumpsites.

The society, above all else, wants to rehabilitate the children, drawthem back into communal life and help them develop into stableadults. A reception centre provides the most basic needs for thesechildren who often come from squatter communities lacking in allcomfort. The basic fact is that between 40 and 60 per cent of thechildren living in Nairobi’s poorer areas do not enter primaryschool. Prevention is as important as rehabilitation, not only withinUndugu’s «school for life» programme and «employment cycle»but also on the street.

The street children are provided with basic education and survivalskills and initiated into small businesses to give them a taste of res-ponsibility. So far 106 operational businesses have been setup andsome 400 learners benefit from the society’s programmes eachyear. The budget is stretched to its limit by the number of childrenbut also by the cost of teaching and training materials.


PROJECT: The Daara Association of Malika

The Daara Association is a private, apolitical, non-denomina-tional project. It was setup in 1976 to combat the increasingproblem of children working, living and begging on the

streets. The children mainly come from urban areas where they goaround in gangs, refusing social interaction and living from one dayto the next,

The Daara project aims to rehabilitate these street children and inso doing turn them into active promoters of development in thecountry. In 1980, the Senegalese Government acquired a plot ofland outside Dakar for the association. A hostel with 8 dormitories,2 playgrounds and staff quarters was built. Additions since haveincluded a unit for fowl-raising, a wood workshop and a solar-powered electricity system. In 199o fruit trees and vegetables wereplanted.

At present the Daara centre has 150 pupils. All students are taughtWolof, Arabic and French and benefit from extensive training inmarket-gardening activities, carpentry and metal-joinery. The asso-ciation has formed a working group to research into the problemsof street children and hopes to create further profitable projects.Funds are needed to increase the educational training for thosechildren who are unable to enter secondary school and who riskreturning to the street.

7


Senegal, Dakar

PROJECT: ENDA Jeunesse/HLM Montagne

I n 1984, ENDA and the Senegalese Ministry for Women,Children and Family began a project to aid young girls in thesquatter area of HLM Montagne in Dakar. Most of these chil-

dren and adolescents are of rural origin and have flocked to thecapital in the hope of finding employment as domestic servants andcooks. They live several to a shelter of just 10 square metres withno electricity, water or drains. When looking for work they are for-ced to accept low-paid and degrading jobs with no guarantee oflong term employment. Then begins the cycle of poverty, sexualassault, disease and despair.

The girls were lent a general purpose room in their area and, withthe help of ENDA Jeunesse, it soon became a centre with literacycourses, a theatre and a place to meet and talk. At present 69 girlsattend evening classes and 22 attend afternoon lessons. The girlsthemselves contribute out of their little savings towards the cost ofrunning the centre. The progression towards literacy is rapid andefficient. Discussions on AIDS, illness, nutrition, child care andvaccination have attracted large numbers of working girls and thecentre also tries to provide a balanced meal for these children whooften go hungry. Other girls in the area have taken an interest in thecentre and ENDA Jeunesse now needs a suitable classroom withspecial teaching and learning materials.


PROJECT: The Boys’ Society of Sierra Leone

I t has been estimated that more than 40 per cent of the popula-tion of Freetown is under the age of 15 and that many of thesechildren and adolescents live and work on the streets. The Street

Boys’ Society of Sierra Leone dates back to 1966 when a group ofcity residents clubbed together to help rehabilitate the scores ofhomeless and deprived boys wandering the streets.

The organization set itself various goals and they have remained; topromote the health, social and educational character of each boyand support him in his reintegration into society. The city is dividedinto 16 zones for practical reasons and, currently, some 648 boysare being assisted by the society. In 1976 the Society began leasingsome land outside Freetown. Today there is a nursery with a woodplantation and a rice paddy. These projects managed to generateenough income so that the society now owns a workshop for trai-ning and production in skills such as car mechanics, carpentry andtailoring. The workshops now support part of the running costs andmore workshops are needed to increase the number of children ser-ved and educated.

9


PROJECT: Ons Plek Shelter for Girls

I n 1988, the Child Welfare Society created the Ons Plek Shelterto meet the needs of girls who live independent lives on thestreet. At present there are 176 girls being helped each year.

The project not only provides shelter, food and clothing but stron-gly believes in motivating the young girls by teaching them a senseof hope and belief in themselves. Education (arithmetic, writingand reading) comes as part of the routine activities of the centre.The girls then attend a special project which guides them towardsschool. Through leisure and sporting activities Ons Plek Shelterdemonstrates how one can live as a community and work together.Emotional problems are dealt with carefully and analyzed in detail.Girls are prepared for employment by working in the project shop,attending skill courses and self-employment schemes. A new poli-cy on prevention is currently being developed and funds are nee-ded to strengthen the educational aspect of the project.

10


PROJECT: 'Atelier Bon Conseil'

I n Togo, as in many other sub-Saharan countries of Africa, mostmanufactured goods and machinery, even the most basic, areimported. There is no shortage of labour as is obvious from the

growing numbers of unemployed and young people working andliving on the street but few, however, are trained in the necessaryskills to repair machinery, so simple machines which are out oforder are just left to rot.

This paradoxical situation led to the setting up of a workshopcentre, the ‘Atelier Bon Conseil’, in the town of Kpalime. The work-shop provides professional training in all trades especially foryoung and marginalized school drop-outs and street children andworking children. By training new artisans and craftsmen the centreencourages the local population to create opportunities and guardsagainst the exploitation of children. With the help of Swiss indus-trialists the centre meets the priority needs of the local children,and thanks to an initial load of tools sent from Europe, the centrenow produces many machines of great use. Everything is recycledand an old lorry chassis can, for instance, become part of a bridge.More and more items are now appearing with the label «made inTogo» . 11

The centre is divided into various departments, each departmentrecycles and produces goods from simple coffee-grinders to buil-dings and huts. The students learn and produce at the same timeand are given hope of a better life. The project currently has 120apprentices and 25 staff. Costs are high and further funds are nee-ded to equip the centre with the necessary learning and educatio-nal materials.


PROJECT: Uganda Africa Foundation Inc.

Kampala, the capital of Uganda, has suffered greatly throu-ghout recent years, from both civil war and economic cri-sis. Countless street children too have suffered through

famine, prostitution, parental loss and poverty. The present uncon-trolled urbanization and social crisis in Kampala has further heigh-tened this situation. In 1979 the Africa Foundation was set up tosteer children off the street, provide for their basic needs, their for-mal or informal education and help them rediscover the comfort offamily and human contact.

12

The Africa Foundation, thanks to donations, now owns severalcentres, a profit-making poultry farm, a herd of goats and a horti-cultural concern. Ex-street and working children need more leisu-re time than most and are encouraged to join in all activities. Thereis a high level of success although many children stay on longerthan required. In all some 2,000 children can now read and writebecause of the project and some 1,775 have learnt a trade. Thecosts of running such a project are high and the centres currentlytake care of 1,180 children who lack any form of sponsorship. 52per cent of the population of Uganda aged 18 or more is still illite-rate and the number is rising. The Africa Foundation has to workhard if it is to prevent even more children from joining the street.


PROJECT: ARBAN

The ARBAN development education and extension pro-grammes for disadvantaged slum/street children were set upin 1984 to meet the needs of deprived children particularly

street and working children in Dhaka. 77 staff members of whom45 deal directly with the children are responsible for the non-for-mal and basic education of hundreds of children each year, ARBANhas set itself two main targets; to strengthen the education for allaspects of its programme and to provide for the needs of the chil-dren (food, clothing, shelter, medical care). With further funds itwants to extend its activities to the development of a comprehensi-ve educational methodology with an even greater scope.

13


Bangalore

PROJECT: ‘Buddhivantha Bosco Yuvodaya’

I n 1980 a group of students from Kristu Jyothi College,Bangalore, clubbed together to try and help the 45,000 streetchildren of their city. Many of these children were actually born

on the pavements of the city and the street is their only home, Mostsurvive as waste paper collectors, vendors or shoe-shiners. Theorganizers of the project are well-aware of these children’s poten-tial as individuals and realize that they must be given a chance todiscover a better and educative environment. The youngsters arehelped in various ways but in each case it is the children’s belief inthemselves that can make all the difference.

The project is now in contact with around 2,000 street children andthis thanks to the constant «street presence» programme. A class, ameeting or public awareness group can take place anywhere andlessons have been held all round the city. The city is divided intoten areas with 13 city centres where a child can shelter, find a doc-tor, receive counseling and literacy skills. The idea now is to crea-te a youth village outside the city where children can be trainedand enjoy recreational and educational activities. For this and forthe basic requirements of the children, funds are needed.

14


i’

d


LOCATION OF

LATIN AMERICAArgentina: BUENOS AIRES 17

Bolivia: LA PAZ 18Brazil: SAO PAOLO 19

16 Colombia: MEDELLIN 20Ecuador: GUAYAQUIL 21

Paraguay: ASUNCION 22Peru: LIMA 23

Venezuela: CARACAS 24

AFRICACameroon: YAOUNDÉ 1

Côte d’lvoire: BOUAKÉ 2Kenya: NAIROBI 3

Senegal: MALIKA 4DAKAR 5

Sierra Leone: FREETOWN 6South Africa: CAPE TOWN 7

Togo: KPALIME 8Uganda: KAMPALA 9


E 25 PROJECTS

4 4

ASIA



India,

PROJECT: The Ambu Illam Society

M adras is India’s fourth largest urban area and covers over600 km’. There are estimated to be some 800,000 pover-ty-stricken families including about 30,000 homeless

children. Some are itinerant scavengers, some work as porters andshoe-shiners, others pick up rags or help in stations, The projectseparates the children according to their situation within the fami-ly but all are helped by the organization.

The principal aim is the all-round development of the child and thisis carried out through services in the shelter homes, by reintegra-ting the child into the family, through motivation camps, vocationalactivities and basic education. There are now 16 shelter homesthroughout Madras and a rehabilitation and training centre, In1991 the DBAI or rag pickers co-operative was officially recogni-zed and gave those children engaged in scavenging and recyclinga protection against further exploitation.

The society is currently involved with 500 to 600 street childrenand working children. Prevention programmes are vital as povertyand the ill-treatment of children are such that even more boys andgirls are ending up as vagrants on the street. The society receives 19funds from the local government of Tamil Nadu but in order tocarry on its fight and efforts like the evening schools in slum areasit needs further funds and aid.


Philippines, Manila

PROJECT: Community of Learners - COLF

T he Community of Learners Foundation is a non-profit orga-nization run by young teachers from the PhilippineDepartment of Family Life and Child Development. The

centre believes that education doesn’t necessarily mean schooling.Instruction, therefore, is not limited to classroom studying but com-prises a whole variety of activities. Children from poverty-strickenfamilies and slums can learn about history, act or even create outof clay, water and sand. The older children learn about money,markets and economic development, Slowly a rounded, full edu-cation appears which also assimilates the child’s experiences ofliving and working on the street. Parents, friends and the commu-nity are also involved in the project and some 510 children nowprofit from the organization’s work. The scheme is drawing moreand more children. The team is in need of funds to meet this ever-increasing demand for educational training.


PROJECT: Concordia Children’s Services - START

s treet children in Manila can be divided into four categories,vagrant orphans without home or relatives, begging chil-dren, children escaping ill-treatment at home and young-

sters working for their parents. Such children, regardless of theircategory, are caught up in the dangers and violence of the streetand often have no sense of the community or society. Many suchchildren are from migrant communities and are further marginal i-zed by cultural differences. A recent medical survey showed thatsome 80 per cent of these street children had a vitamin deficiencyand all were suffering from malnourishment.

The Concordia START project was launched in 1989 in response tothe growing numbers of children on the street. The organizationstarts with the basic premise that the special needs of deprived chil-dren are best met by teaching the child «how to be» and where pos-sible by adding the experience of street children to any teaching. Sofar the centre has helped many youngsters return to formal schoo-ling and is preparing many others for re-entry into schools.Concordia is primarily dependent on private donors so income-generating projects seem to be the best answer for future stability —and the education of more and more street children and working 21children.


PROJECT: Save the Children Fund

I n Sri Lanka, it is estimated that about 10,000 children live onthe street. Most have never been to school and have no optionbut to try and survive on the streets. The Save the Children Fund

project was launched in 1986 to see to the street children’s imme-diate needs of food, security and shelter. The aim is to guide thechildren towards a productive community role where they can takecare of their own lives.

22

The project relies on two founding stones, the day shelters and theplay groups. The day shelters provide the children, and if necessa-ry, the mothers, with a refuge during the day in times of crisis.There are also rooms for literacy classes. The play group sessionsare centred around the development of the child through learningand creativity. The children receive nutritional supplements in theshape of milk and snacks. Doctors are regular visitors to see thatthe boys and girls are clean and free of disease. As of January 1993,the Sri Lankan government recognized the Skills DevelopmentScheme at the shelters and the project has managed to establishitself as a viable alternative amongst the children, The project isnow focusing on setting up small businesses as the Save theChildren Fund is slowly withdrawing to allow the project to beco-me independent. Funds are needed to help the children and theproject achieve this important step forward.


Thailand,Bangkok

PROJECT: Kamla

Kamla was set up in Bangkok in 1988 by the Foundation ForWomen, Its main target is to prevent further children andyoung women from joining the street and the ranks of pros-

titutes in the capital. Through work with schools, youth centres,parents and teachers, it informs and depicts the reality of the streetto children at risk. Working children not involved in prostitution,rural migrants and street children are contacted and given adviceand prevention counseling.

The foundation has a workshop for education and small income-generating projects for young girls and women. The idea is to raisepublic awareness through brochures, newsletters and posters andto integrate the national education system so that lessons on childprostitution and prevention campaigns become a standard aspectof teaching in the whole country. This requires funding and the pro-blem of child prostitution is growing daily.

23


24

Argentina, Buenos Aires

PROJECT: ‘Hogares Don Bosco’

T he suburbs of Buenos Aires stretch for kilometres and attractrural migrants, unemployed youths and all those who sur-vive on unstable wages. Many children from such cultural

and economic backgrounds take to the street either to work or tolive. Many too flee ill-treatment, harsh conditions and parentalalcoholism.

In Buenos Aires children like these form gangs known as «rancha-das» and can quickly fall into prostitution, drugs and delinquency.The ‘Hogares Don Bosco’ were begun in 1985 and were created toprotect and take in street children and working children. Childrenare contacted through educators and encouraged to come to theday shelter where they can find a roof, some food and a little affec-tion. Every child is different and various hostels cater for the levelof development in every youngster. The children in the hostels arepsychologically and emotionally surrounded and requested toadhere to certain principles of non-violence and co-operation.Educational guidance and literary instruction are offered as is advi-ce on AIDS, alcoholism, hygiene and nutrition. Some 50 childrenand adolescents now come to the day centres and scores of otherslive in the seven hostels. Many tasks remain to be completed and30 educators are working on the project sharing a considerable res-ponsibility. Funds would greatly help consolidate the project’scapacity and ensure that many more children were housed andeducated.


Bolivia, EI Alto

PROJECT: ENDA-Bolivia

E l Alto, a few kilometres East of La Paz, is, according to theUnited Towns Organization, the poorest town in all SouthAmerica. The town lacks any kind of infrastructure and there

is one doctor per 10,000 inhabitants. Children in such a city havelittle chance of completing or even beginning their education.Many end up working on the street and others still make it their per-manent home,

In January 1988, EN DA-Bolivia was set up to allow children toescape from the street’s cycle of drugs, poverty and disease. Theorganization now owns 2 hostels, a community home and four pro-duction units in El Alto and more than 500 children and adoles-cents pass through the hostels each day. Some 3,5oo children havebenefited from ENDA-Bolivia’s help and the project’s aim is to redu-ce the time spent by the youngsters on the street and gradually letthem socialize and join the community. The children taken on bythe organization are helped to return to the school system, to makeuse of the personal budget and savings program me designed by theproject and to join one of the small businesses setup by EN DA.

There are numerous projects for the future and the most important 25is the founding of an International Centre for the Training of StreetEducators. Funds are urgently needed.


Brazil, São Paulo

PROJECT: ‘Força Jovem’

T he project was started in 1981 when teachers and universi-ty graduates clubbed together to react against the growingproblem of street children and working children in São

Paulo. The project aims to help all categories of children on thestreet whether they be alcoholics, drug addicts, boys or girls.

The organization presently manages some 80 children dependingon the conditions on the street. Contact is made with civil institu-tions such as hospitals and ministries to facilitate the child’s inte-gration into the community. The problem of street children andworking children is particularly acute in São Paulo so the educatorshave to try and adapt to the children’s specific desires, frustrationand way of life. Reading, writing and arithmetic are vital to thechildren’s education but the project stresses the vital nature offreedom of choice and ideas. So the children develop a new lifeby a gradual process of education, dialogue, sports, music andwork. The project needs funds to keep updating its educationalbase and create better opportunities for the deprived street childrenand working children of São Paulo.


Columbia,

PROJECT: ‘Ciudad Don Bosco’

M edellín is notorious for its violence and drugs. Already in1915, a centre was set up to cope with the scores ofstreet children and working children. Finally in 1972,

various services were formed and moved into quarters provided bythe city. The future in Medellín is full of uncertainties, a destitutechild is almost forced by circumstances to become a member of adrug baron’s gang or team up with other vagrant children intogroups.

The ‘Ciudad Don Bosco’ does is best to reintegrate these childreninto the family or the community at large through education andtraining. The rehabilitation programme starts with the TransitionCentre where the child can prepare for literacy training, work andvarious cultural activities. The children then gradually complete thestages of the program me until they reach the last phase where theycan join mini-businesses and become owners of their workshops.Some 567 girls and boys are involved in the projects each year butever-growing demand means that financing is a permanent sourceof worry for ‘Ciudad Don Bosco’.

27


Ecuador, GuayaquiI

PROJECT: ‘ChiCOS de la calle’

There are currently 2 million people living in the city ofGuayaquil which counts 150,000 working children and50,000 street children. Such children suffer directly from

poor diet, illiteracy and prostitution. The situation is particularlycritical in Guayaquil with rural migration and slum conditionspushing more and more children onto the streets. There is a pres-sing need for a rehabilitation and educational centre.

UNESCO is contributing financially to the building of two dormi-tories for 160 children and is elaborating an educational and trai-ning programme at the new centre. However the need is still greatas the aim is to educate more and more local street and workingchildren, reinsert them into community and, if possible, the family.By creating a centre in Guayaquil, the project hopes to create awave of reaction in the city against the growing problem of streetchildren and working children.

28


Paraguay, Asunción

PROJECT: ‘Callescuela’ Programa de Acción

The ‘Callescuela’ was set up in 1983 and now some 500street children and working children benefit from the cen-tre’s help. The project concentrates on the children around

the station and central market where girls and boys survive as shoeshiners and porters. Their work and living conditions are extremeand they have no choice but to work or beg. The educators fromthe project keep a constant vigil on the street and intervene ascounselors and helpers. Many children are alienated from theirfamily and community and the project encourages the youngstersto seek contact with any parents or relatives.

Educational strategies are adapted to the problems and the realitiesof the street and the children are not abruptly wrenched away fromtheir surroundings. The project requires much more educationalequipment to carry on educating the increasing numbers of streetchildren and working children of Asunción.

29


Peru, Lima

30

PROJECT: ‘From Piranha to Dolphin’ - CEDRO

I n less than 50 years Lima’s population has grown from 700,000to 7 million. This rapid urbanization has meant further poverty,a weak infrastructure and the presence of increasing numbers

of street children and working children. Most are the children ofrural migrants who have fled poor conditions and ill-treatment.

In 1990, 2 homes were opened in the areas most concerned by theproblem of street children. Centres continued being built and in1992 the programme had five homes with 144 beds. The projecthas to cope with the specific problems of delinquency, drug abuseand the fact that many of these children have broken all ties withsociety. The project believes that since the children live in groups,positive use of «gang pressure» can mean a quicker reintegrationinto the community. The children can profit from about 2 hours aday of personal basic education in reading, mathematics and wri-ting. When the children eventually join schools, the educators goalong with the children to explain the situation to the teacher,Other children take part in workshops where toys, cloth and bra-celets are produced and put on sale by the children themselves.

The CEDRO Organization now wants to set up similar programmesin six other cities of Peú and for this funds are desperately needed.


Venezuela, Caracas

PROJECT: ‘Muchachos de la Calle’

The Association ‘Muchachos de la Calle’ has been involvedwith street children and working children since 1988. Oneof the project’s primary concerns is to let the children know

that they don’t have to remain on the street. The educators believein accompanying the children throughout their development andthey tackle any behavioral or educational problems with the boysand girls themselves.

At present the project has two programmes - «Muchachos deChacaito» and ‘Muchachos de Baruta’ - which concentrate on twodifferent problem areas of Caracas. In both cases the street isactually used as a workplace although there is a centre where edu-cative games, art and literacy are used to arouse the children’s inter-est and intellect. The project has many plans but requires furtherfunding to achieve them.

31


Lebanon, Saida

PROJECT: Ghassan Ghanafani Foundation

The Ghassan Ghanafani Foundation has been active inLebanon since 1976, particularly in the refugee camps ofthe South. Many children in the project are handicapped or

unable to find a place at school. The street or work are the onlymeans of survival for them. Some 300 children are presently beinghelped in the camp of Ain Heloueh.

The aim now is to set up an initiation centre where the street chil-dren and working children of the area can be introduced to rea-ding, books, culture and general education. By drawing the chil-dren towards literacy and reading, the educators want to facilitatethe children’s entry into education and the community. Most chil-dren in the camp have nowhere to go, no sense of privacy or timeto develop. The project hopes to reach the mothers too and createa general movement of solidarity in an already overcrowded infra-structure.

32


Documents

LIST OF SELECTED PROJECTS PROPOSED FOR …unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0010/001036/103648E.pdf · ... Save The Children Fund - Street Project 16- THAILAND: ... not yet solved. As of