Monday, June 16, 2008
We have had a good day today in the vila centre, (out of the sun it is very cold, and we were not in the sun too much) with lunch al fresco in the sunshine and all the team were at the all-day training session.
We particularly looked at teamwork, and in fact were set the task of making a 4-course italian-style lunch! the teams worked hard, negotiated well, tried new things, and despite the pasta (made from scratch) being slightly on the heavy side, which caused a lot of jokes and laughter, an excellent lunch was enjoyed by all - and only about an hour after the time we said we would aim for!!
This afternoon was spent in exercises emphasizing the need to look after ourselves and one another in this stressful and exhausting work, using many helpful illustrations and activities.
On return home this evening the marathon office has requested a meeting for 9 am tomorrow, before we fly at 12 .15 (arriving in UK on wednesday at 6 pm)
and also a phone call came in from erica, to say that their family is moving back into our casa branca area, and they will all go back to the school which they attended while they were here with us! this will be really good , we hope, for them!
This is probably the final blog before we land again in the UK.
We particularly looked at teamwork, and in fact were set the task of making a 4-course italian-style lunch! the teams worked hard, negotiated well, tried new things, and despite the pasta (made from scratch) being slightly on the heavy side, which caused a lot of jokes and laughter, an excellent lunch was enjoyed by all - and only about an hour after the time we said we would aim for!!
This afternoon was spent in exercises emphasizing the need to look after ourselves and one another in this stressful and exhausting work, using many helpful illustrations and activities.
On return home this evening the marathon office has requested a meeting for 9 am tomorrow, before we fly at 12 .15 (arriving in UK on wednesday at 6 pm)
and also a phone call came in from erica, to say that their family is moving back into our casa branca area, and they will all go back to the school which they attended while they were here with us! this will be really good , we hope, for them!
This is probably the final blog before we land again in the UK.
This post will catch up on 3 days, because each time (if I have had time!) I have tried to post a blog over the weekend, we have had connection problems, which has been quite frustrating!
On Friday we had a superb trip to Fazenda Rio Grande to meet with Mauricio and members of his team there at their socila projects, and we have discussed many ways in which we can co-operate and work together for both our organisations to benefit.
We also had an excellent, relaxed evening at casa dourada, where we learned some portuguese and the children there were so calm and creative, so changed from their destructive days not so long ago.
On Saturday we had an exhausting 9 hours of staff appraisals, during which we went through every high and low possible! And Denise ended the day with a migraine and sickness, this was such a tough day.
Sunday, and Val and Keith went to the feria hipie where many old friends were met, and we made some good buys for bringing back to the UK to sell for VfC in our cafe and shop at :the park. Denise was resting up, and also making preparations for the training day which she is running for 11 people in the vila all day today. The team will be doing team-building, some new team members will be meeting for the first time, and they will also be doing work on the theoretical and practical aspects of their work with the children we have in our care, and also discussing how to be more effective in raising awareness of our work in Brasil, and fundraising here.
We also did some editing on a video which is being made by Thiago at casa dourada, which you are invited to see, when it is finished. Please email us to ask for a copy to be sent to you! The email is bex@dovetrust.com for this, and other comments you would like to make, or if you would like to come out to Brasil and see what is happening here for yourself .. it is very exciting to be a part of this work, and meet these very special people ...
On Friday we had a superb trip to Fazenda Rio Grande to meet with Mauricio and members of his team there at their socila projects, and we have discussed many ways in which we can co-operate and work together for both our organisations to benefit.
We also had an excellent, relaxed evening at casa dourada, where we learned some portuguese and the children there were so calm and creative, so changed from their destructive days not so long ago.
On Saturday we had an exhausting 9 hours of staff appraisals, during which we went through every high and low possible! And Denise ended the day with a migraine and sickness, this was such a tough day.
Sunday, and Val and Keith went to the feria hipie where many old friends were met, and we made some good buys for bringing back to the UK to sell for VfC in our cafe and shop at :the park. Denise was resting up, and also making preparations for the training day which she is running for 11 people in the vila all day today. The team will be doing team-building, some new team members will be meeting for the first time, and they will also be doing work on the theoretical and practical aspects of their work with the children we have in our care, and also discussing how to be more effective in raising awareness of our work in Brasil, and fundraising here.
We also did some editing on a video which is being made by Thiago at casa dourada, which you are invited to see, when it is finished. Please email us to ask for a copy to be sent to you! The email is bex@dovetrust.com for this, and other comments you would like to make, or if you would like to come out to Brasil and see what is happening here for yourself .. it is very exciting to be a part of this work, and meet these very special people ...
Friday, June 13, 2008
On Thursday we made it to the Vila centre, in the favela, where we were able to see the fantastic work of the last Quick Hit team, completed in less than two weeks, it is indeed an impressive structure and thanks and well done again to that team from Norwich. The teachers were saying how wonderful it is that the children are no longer confined to the classrooms when it is raining, as it was on Thursday, so they were under the new roof, playing and really able to let off steam after their lessons.
We met the two new members of the team at the Vila, Karem and Esther, who are assisiting with the programme funded by the City Social works department, to enable Voice for Change to take in 100 children each day - 50 each morning and afternoon, currently Tuesday to Friday.
When Denise handed over letters and cards from some of our fantastic child sponsors to their sponsored children, with all the children gathered round, their eyes lit up and smiles broke out as they realised that they had been sent something from the UK - they were very proud and delighted to receive these small tokens that someone óut there´is thinking of them.
We also went on to sort out our flights home next week, before going to Pinhais, where we visited President Lula (not the president of Brasil, but of the local Ássociation´) at the Comminidade de Taruma II where Luis-Claudio has been assisting for some months with their community outreach projects. These include classes for children and adults, and a solar water-heating project, made from recycled plastic bottles and milk cartons, which is quite creative and very inventive - and it works too!
Denise was presented with a miniature Brasilian flag by the president as a gift!
It was very interesting, and they have a project which we can become involved in, which will bring sport into this deprived community for very little investment in UK terms, but which will transform the community here. The will work with our administration here to put together a proposal which we can use to apply for grants from UK charities. As usual, a little money in global terms will buy an great deal in the favelas of Brasil.
President Lula has worked tirelessly for this community for about ten years, and he is passionate about changing it for the better, and deserves to be supported.
Denise is finalising her training plans, which will be a full day on Monday at our Vila centre, and we are visiting the social project in Fazenda Grande today, before more planning meetings and dinner at casa dourada this evening.
The weather today started off very wet, but it is slowly drying up. It is cool, but not really cold today.
If you would like to sponsor a child, please visit www.vfcbrasil.com
If you would like to come out here to see this work for yourself on one of our teams, which visits Brasil for two weeks, please visit the website or get in touch via email on bex@dovetrust.com
If you would like to run a marathon for supporting this work - we have some spaces left on this November´s team - ask us for an application form and information now!
We met the two new members of the team at the Vila, Karem and Esther, who are assisiting with the programme funded by the City Social works department, to enable Voice for Change to take in 100 children each day - 50 each morning and afternoon, currently Tuesday to Friday.
When Denise handed over letters and cards from some of our fantastic child sponsors to their sponsored children, with all the children gathered round, their eyes lit up and smiles broke out as they realised that they had been sent something from the UK - they were very proud and delighted to receive these small tokens that someone óut there´is thinking of them.
We also went on to sort out our flights home next week, before going to Pinhais, where we visited President Lula (not the president of Brasil, but of the local Ássociation´) at the Comminidade de Taruma II where Luis-Claudio has been assisting for some months with their community outreach projects. These include classes for children and adults, and a solar water-heating project, made from recycled plastic bottles and milk cartons, which is quite creative and very inventive - and it works too!
Denise was presented with a miniature Brasilian flag by the president as a gift!
It was very interesting, and they have a project which we can become involved in, which will bring sport into this deprived community for very little investment in UK terms, but which will transform the community here. The will work with our administration here to put together a proposal which we can use to apply for grants from UK charities. As usual, a little money in global terms will buy an great deal in the favelas of Brasil.
President Lula has worked tirelessly for this community for about ten years, and he is passionate about changing it for the better, and deserves to be supported.
Denise is finalising her training plans, which will be a full day on Monday at our Vila centre, and we are visiting the social project in Fazenda Grande today, before more planning meetings and dinner at casa dourada this evening.
The weather today started off very wet, but it is slowly drying up. It is cool, but not really cold today.
If you would like to sponsor a child, please visit www.vfcbrasil.com
If you would like to come out here to see this work for yourself on one of our teams, which visits Brasil for two weeks, please visit the website or get in touch via email on bex@dovetrust.com
If you would like to run a marathon for supporting this work - we have some spaces left on this November´s team - ask us for an application form and information now!
On Wednesday afternoon we went to various banks, cambios and the mercado, where we sorted out some accounts, changed sterling into Reals and tried to get bank cards to work! The exchange rate contiues to slide against the poundholder, but at least the cambio gives a slightly better rate than the greedy banks, who want their pound of flesh in every way, it seems.
Then we went to casa dourada, where Angelica left 3 weeks ago, and where the other children are doing really well, along with Luiz-Claudio and Darci. Jhonaton (we now have 3 Jhonatons!) has been moved into ´normal´class at school, and he is very pleased about this, and very calm at the moment. Jhuliana is writing really well, and her concentration and behaviour is improving all the time. Carolina continues to be quite regressive, understandable considering the abuse she suffered as a baby and toddler, and does not really seem to make much progress. But she is well cared-for, and they all have adapted well to losing Angelica, who was a very sociable and steadying member of the household.
They will be able to take on another new child in the next few weeks, who will have to be very carefully chosen to fit in at this house.
Then we went to casa dourada, where Angelica left 3 weeks ago, and where the other children are doing really well, along with Luiz-Claudio and Darci. Jhonaton (we now have 3 Jhonatons!) has been moved into ´normal´class at school, and he is very pleased about this, and very calm at the moment. Jhuliana is writing really well, and her concentration and behaviour is improving all the time. Carolina continues to be quite regressive, understandable considering the abuse she suffered as a baby and toddler, and does not really seem to make much progress. But she is well cared-for, and they all have adapted well to losing Angelica, who was a very sociable and steadying member of the household.
They will be able to take on another new child in the next few weeks, who will have to be very carefully chosen to fit in at this house.
We have some news on the children who have left us recently, and on the new children too -
Angelica had a father who was murdered, in a city near the Iguacu falls, and her mother came to Curitiba almost 2 years ago to try to find a new life, bringing Angelica with her. They lived on the street, doing what they had to do to survive, and mum quickly became alcoholic and incapable of looking after Angelica, which is how she came to Voice for Change at casa dourada.
Her father´s mother, Angelica´s grandmother, who felt that she had lost everything in her life, began to search for her, and a few weeks ago managed to trace her in Curitiba, so she applied to take her back. Val took Angelica to a meeting with the judge and her grandmother, and they were both overjoyed to see one another again. She has happily returned to her grandmother´s house, where she will be taken care of very well.
The family has kept in touch so far, to say how happy they all are.
This is a great chapter in the Voice for Change story, and what a wonderful reunion.
On the other hand, Luiz-felipe´s family has cut off all communication with us, and we have no idea how he is getting on with his father.
Erica keeps in touch with Val by telephone from time to time, and says that Fernanda, Telma, Luis-Fernando are all OK. They go to school in the afternoons, we understand, and are ón the streets´in the mornings, left while their father goes to work. We are concerned for them, as they try to make their new life work.
Angelica had a father who was murdered, in a city near the Iguacu falls, and her mother came to Curitiba almost 2 years ago to try to find a new life, bringing Angelica with her. They lived on the street, doing what they had to do to survive, and mum quickly became alcoholic and incapable of looking after Angelica, which is how she came to Voice for Change at casa dourada.
Her father´s mother, Angelica´s grandmother, who felt that she had lost everything in her life, began to search for her, and a few weeks ago managed to trace her in Curitiba, so she applied to take her back. Val took Angelica to a meeting with the judge and her grandmother, and they were both overjoyed to see one another again. She has happily returned to her grandmother´s house, where she will be taken care of very well.
The family has kept in touch so far, to say how happy they all are.
This is a great chapter in the Voice for Change story, and what a wonderful reunion.
On the other hand, Luiz-felipe´s family has cut off all communication with us, and we have no idea how he is getting on with his father.
Erica keeps in touch with Val by telephone from time to time, and says that Fernanda, Telma, Luis-Fernando are all OK. They go to school in the afternoons, we understand, and are ón the streets´in the mornings, left while their father goes to work. We are concerned for them, as they try to make their new life work.
Tais and Jhonaton have come to us from a very sad situation. They have different fathers, both of whom have died, and their mother is suffering from terminal AIDS, now wheelchair-bound and with little time to live.
This situation led to Tais becoming responsible for looking after her mother and her brother some years ago, and she has therefore really missed out on being a child. She is quiet, serious and very responsible. She has been cooking, cleaning and caring for others almost all of her young life, and she is a lovely girl. At present she seems to not allow herself to have fun, or do child-like things, which is of course, totally understandable.
These children are settling well into the house and attending school at the top of the road, with the others at casa branca.
This situation led to Tais becoming responsible for looking after her mother and her brother some years ago, and she has therefore really missed out on being a child. She is quiet, serious and very responsible. She has been cooking, cleaning and caring for others almost all of her young life, and she is a lovely girl. At present she seems to not allow herself to have fun, or do child-like things, which is of course, totally understandable.
These children are settling well into the house and attending school at the top of the road, with the others at casa branca.
We spent wednesday morning catching up with what´s going on here in Curitiba, Brasil, planning our few days here as best we can, and meeting the new children at casa branca - the four year old twins (Kimberley and Jhonaton - who is known here as jhoninho, which means ´little jon´to differentiate him from the other Jhonaton who has just come here to live) go to nursery from 7.30 each morning until 5 pm ... which they really enjoy.
Together with their older brother Fabio, who has had no education up to now, they are part of a six-child family whose house was destroyed by fire. their father had been abusing them, and their grandmother reported this to the police, who removed the children from the family. the mother defended the father, and is now in trouble for giving false evidence to the police, so these children are in all kinds of turmoil. they had been at the government house waiting for a home for several months before we were able to take them. As Denise sat with Fabio, looking at some books, he was picking up things quickly, and is a bright boy, so when he catches up with his schooling, if he can get the right help, he will be able to go on to better things.
Together with their older brother Fabio, who has had no education up to now, they are part of a six-child family whose house was destroyed by fire. their father had been abusing them, and their grandmother reported this to the police, who removed the children from the family. the mother defended the father, and is now in trouble for giving false evidence to the police, so these children are in all kinds of turmoil. they had been at the government house waiting for a home for several months before we were able to take them. As Denise sat with Fabio, looking at some books, he was picking up things quickly, and is a bright boy, so when he catches up with his schooling, if he can get the right help, he will be able to go on to better things.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
this is just a quick blog to say that we arrived in curitiba after an uneventful 20 hour journey on tuesday, and we have been learning a lot about the new children, and also how the óld´children are getting on, which we will share over the next day or so. the weather here was mild yesterday, and sunny, but not hot, but today is cold and wet, and that is the forecast for the next day or two at least.
we are going to look at a few favela projects today.
it is valentine´s day in brasil!!
keith and denise
x
we are going to look at a few favela projects today.
it is valentine´s day in brasil!!
keith and denise
x
