Information
April 2011. Repair of a vehicle and the purchase of another
Throughout the year 2010, we encountered various problems with the vehicles that we used on a daily basis. The red “combi” had reached more than 25 years of age. It wasn’t reliable anymore and even proved to be dangerous. Repairs were frequent, costly and we were losing much time in garages trying to ensure that everything would be fixed. Finally, it was decided to have a blue “combi”, that had not been in use for two years, repaired. These repairs haven’t been completed to our expectations and this vehicle is not 100% reliable. However, we recently received unexpected donations from two organizations: Enfants d’Arequipa and the Foundation Formons une famille. It allowed us to purchase a brand-new vehicle and in order to save taxes, we decided to make the purchase through the archdiocese of Arequipa. The procedures proved to be lengthy, burdensome at times, and five months later we’re still waiting for the vehicle. However, we were told that it should be in our possession in May.
May 2012. Back to school
All the youngsters resumed their school year more than a month ago. The two youngest (they're both 5) are enrolled in a kindergarten run by the "Pan de vida", at a stone's throw from the Casa. Twelve children have returned to the Euroamericana Niño Jesus, a primary school located in Mariscal Castilla's parish. Eight more youngsters are enrolled in a high school, four of them going to Circa in Mariscal Castilla and four more to the Juan Pablo School located in the historic center of Arequipa.
Six more students have gone back to their university or institution, studying in fields as diverse as accounting, finance, industrial engineering, education, music and oriental languages ...
They all wore their best suits or uniform for the occasion and were given their school supplies (school bags, kits, pencils, notebooks ....) in order to spend a year filled with growth and knowledge.
May 2012. Afflicted by heavy rains
In January and February, during the school holidays, the Arequipa region was hit by heavy rains which led to flooding and road damages ... The Casa Hogar Nino Jesus has been afflicted by these and damages were caused to some roofs and buildings.
With the help received from a "friend" the Casa was able to renovate the roofs. We sincerely wish to thank Heather for her generosity which helped improve the children's living conditions.
The projects
Renovations
The house needs some major renovations and maintenance work: interior repairs, renovating a bathroom, buying and installing a new front door, buying and installing solar panels, painting, and restoring the peripheral wall to prevent theft and increase the overall security of the existing facilities.
Financial help for educational purposes
It is often the case, when kids are admitted to the Casa, that they never attended school with the result that they are academically behind theirs peers. The school they attend present challenges as they have limited resources and large classes where children, like some of ours, with special needs are overlooked. It is for this reason that we have made the decision to send the youngest children (between 6 and 12) to an elementary school that provides a more productive environment.
The tuition fees are high and we are encountering increasing difficulties in assuming the cost for their education. A European organization has stopped providing us with financial aid for education purposes and the major source of funding from the Formons une famille foundation will end in 2011. As a result we have no other recourse but to consider high school options that cost much less, which in the case of gifted children is really a shame.
Creation of a multipurpose/functional workshop that prepares adolescents for the workforce
The idea of creating a multipurpose/functional workshop to help the adolescents of the Casa as well as other young people prepare for their first professional experience, is not a new one. The municipality of Cerro Colorado has given us a piece of land with a total area of 4,000 sq. meters on which we intend to construct a training centre for the young people with special needs who are unable to survive within a traditional system of education and obtain a high school diploma. This training centre could offer courses such as carpentry and construction, artisanal skills, computer technology and cooking.
The financial plans for the project have been submitted to numerous organizations and we hope to receive a positive response and get the construction under way within a few months. Once this has been completed, our focus will be on launching and running the centre and in order to do this successfully, we need immediate financial assistance.
Creating a new house for adolescents
Now that everything at Casa Hogar is working smoothly (that is if we don’t mind the lack of resources and funds too much!) and the children are starting to feel comfortable, Father Leroux would like to create a new center aimed at teenagers (12 and older). This project could prove to be challenging and will definitely require a great deal of time and planning. However, it is important to help these street children in Arequipa who we would like to provide with better opportunities. This project requires material, financial and human resources. Prior to starting the project, we need to solicit the necessary financing required for:
- land purchasing in the Pachacutec area
- construction
- maintenance of daily necessities (clothing, food, school supplies, tuition etc...)
Before embarking on this project, we need to find the right persons or couple who could take over the running of Casa Hogar as Father Leroux will not be in a position to manage both houses.
Buying a new vehicle
The two existing vehicles are over 20 years old and need frequent and costly repairs. Generally speaking, spare parts are more expensive in Peru than in North America or in Europe. One of these vehicles will have to be replaced in the very short time. We consider that it puts the children’s safety at jeopardy. The other vehicle is also expensive to run and has high gas consumption.
Hiring new personnel
Three people volunteer a few hours of their time each week to help Father Leroux. His schedule is extremely busy as he takes care of parochial duties in about 12 different communities that need access to liturgical services during the week as well as on weekends.
These youngsters need to live within well-defined structures and Father Leroux obviously cannot take care of everything single-handedly. We need to find someone who can prepare meals, run the house, provide a positive psychological presence, and act as a link with other organizations. Hiring new personnel is a priority in that recent Peruvian laws have established some prerequisites for each institution providing these kinds of services.
Sending containers with used clothing and school materials from other countries
Many boxes of used clothing and school materials have arrived by container from Canada lately, with the help of Foundation Formons une Famille. According to the shipping cost, we will be able to evaluate the possibility of sending more containers. Some dental hygiene kits are being collected in Canada and the US to be sent to the Casa. We would also like to receive donations for tools that would be used in the well functioning of the workshop.
Maintaining and reinforcing Casa Hogar’s support network
With his connections in France, Father Leroux has so far been able to create and maintain a network of people and organizations that provide Casa Hogar with much needed/essential support. This network originated in the Northwest region of France. However, soliciting funds has always been difficult and there are increasing problems with regard to attracting new volunteers and maintaining the present financial level of support. However, in recent months, a new Canadian network seems to be taking shape.
The volunteers and/or networks are able to send money and sponsor the youngsters. Moreover, it is important that people of all ages visit Casa Hogar to see how their money is being put to good use so that they can in turn, explain to others how things work in South America. We are also relying on the support of local people or volunteers to help us with maintenance and mechanical work, repairing old bicycles, etc. The children and teenagers are always appreciative of any donations whether they be in the form of clothing, food, or simply the nurturing presence of an adult.