International News that has impacted on the street children and on the countries they live in.

Storm devastation in Guatemala - June 2010

"Ana Maria, one of the staff, called this morning. Her family had to flee for their lives from their house last night due to a mudslide. The house is now filled with several inches of water and mud." - report from Red Alert project, Liga de Vida Nueva, Sunday morning (30th May)

Tropical Storm Agatha swept through the Pacific coast, dumping more than 3ft of rain on Guatemala in a 24 hour period. The rains caused mudslides and floods, as well as contributing to the opening of an enormous sinkhole in the middle of Guatemala City which swallowed a three-storey building.

On top of this, Thursday saw the eruption of 'Pacaya', one of the most active volcanoes in the country. The eruption spewed ash, lava and rock down onto the southern area of the capital city, destroying homes, buildings and covering everything in a layer of ash up to 3 inches thick in some places.

More than 64,000 people are homeless and are living in temporary shelter, many sleeping out on the streets.

How has this affected the children?

The community areas where the street teams work in Guatemala have been badly affected with collapsed houses, and many missing children. Our partners there are working on launching a campaign with local churches to get emergency food supplies, clothing and shelter out to where it is needed.

We are concerned that many of the children we have been working with are now even more vulnerable - without shelter and support, and could very easily end up living on the street.

One area in Guatemala City where we work, called 'Las Minas' (the Mines), has been badly affected. This is what the area was like before the storm:

And now many houses have been reduced to this:

UPDATE

The local Churches and teams on the ground have acted fast to provide for the immediate needs of the locals. Although the rebuilding process will take time, the people affected have food, shelter and hope for the future.

 

UN report on violence towards women and girls in El Salvador

A recent report from an independent United Nations human rights expert has warned that violence against women and girls in El Salvador remains prevalent and pervasive. Murders are on the rise and kidnappings, sexual assaults and sexual harassment all too frequent, she told the UN.

A girl at a Toybox supported project in El Salvador

Rashida Manjoo, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, visited El Salvador this month and stressed that the country still faces “significant challenges” in dealing with gender-based violence.

“Of particular concern to me is the growing prevalence and forms of such violence, especially the alarming rise in the numbers of murders of women and girls and the brutality inflicted on their bodies, which is often accompanied by kidnapping and sexual assault,” she said in a statement.

Ms. Manjoo also expressed concern that the violence against women and girls is taking place in so many different settings.

“Domestic violence, sexual abuse against women and children in the home and the community, violence and sexual harassment in the workplace, particularly in the maquila sector [factories operating in duty-free zones] and the domestic sphere, police-related violence and sexual commercial exploitation” are all serious problems.

She said that although El Salvador “has come a long way in institution-building and human rights protection since the end of the 12-year civil war in 1992,” impunity for crimes, socio-economic inequalities and a macho culture “foster a generalized state of violence”.

Ms. Manjoo serves in an unpaid and independent capacity and reports to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

If you would like to support the work of Toybox in El Salvador, click here

 

Happy 20th Birthday to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child!

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition calling for an end to violence against street children.

Read how Erick's Story reflects that of millions of children today

 

New statistics from the streets of Guatemala

A report published at the end of October 2009 by the Office of Human Rights of the Archdiocese of Guatemala has revealed some harrowing statistics about levels and consequences of violence on the streets of Guatemala.

More than 10 children die every week as a result of violence, 52% of these from gunshot wounds.

Gang culture and crime due to drug dependency are common occurances on the streets of Guatemala. Gang cameraderie and companionship may seem appealing to children looking for a sense of belonging, but in many cases, gang behaviour leads to dangerous and, as these new statistics show, potentially fatal situations.

Guatemalan officials state that there are an average of 17 murders a day in the country, most of which they attribute to youth gangs and organized crime related to the drug trade.

During the first nine months of 2009, “an average of 1.46 deaths of children occurred each day” reported Efe, a leading Spanish language news agency.

To read more about street children in Guatemala, click here

 

Malnutrition in Guatemala

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom has declared a state of national calamity because so many citizens are lacking proper nutrition in the country. His announcement came this September, as an attempt to lever international support and avert crisis in the country. Mr Colom said in a nationwide broadcast that

“Guatemala has had high indices of poverty and malnutrition for decades, provoked by a long history of inequality. There is food, but those who go hungry have no money to buy it.”

Ana Maria, Toybox Red Alert Director in Guatemala City said that "here in the urban areas in Guatemala City, we have not yet felt the effects of this problem. For the moment, everything continues as normal, but we think that the Red Alert Network could see an increase in children migrating from the countryside in order to survive.

A short-term response to this situation is not the solution, nothing seems to guarantee sustainability."

According to the United Nations World Food Programme, Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world, and almost half of all Guatemalan children are malnourished. Plans are being made to send 20 tons of nutritional biscuits and emergency supplies for 54,000 families.

Sadly, as Ana Maria suggests this is not a new problem with simple solutions for Guatemala. Malnutrition has been around for many years - a product of structural problems in the country, inequality and a legacy of the civil war.

Worst hit are the rural areas, where Toybox is not directly working. Nutrition and health are a small part of the work of Toybox projects that are operating across Guatemala City. Street teams hand out food to the children they meet living on the streets, one of the main marginalised groups that could be affected most by the food shortages.

Toybox projects in the city continue to reach many children, however time will tell how much the price of foodstuffs will increase.

Please pray for everyone affected by the food shortages in Guatemala

 

Abandoned babies in Guatemala - shocking statistics

In the last year alone, a child was abandoned on the streets of Guatemala City every 4 days. Over three quarters of these children were babies.

20 abandoned children found on Guatemala City's streets were already dead.

Guatemala City

Guatemala City continues to be a crucial place of need for so many children. Still a hot-spot of violence and corruption, the city is no place for a child to be alone, let alone without food or shelter. Guatemala has often been under much scrutiny and criticism following many allegations of child trafficking and corrupt inter-country apdotion. Children living on the streets and specifically very young street children, are in danger of being trafficked to meet the demand from the US for adoptive children.

Many families and parents in Guatemala abandon children because they feel they have no other option. Poverty and large family sizes mean the children simply can’t be cared for. Other children are abandoned because they are physically disabled or have learning difficulties. Without social services to help them, these children and babies are struggling to survive on the streets. The more fortunate ones are cared for by older children or street families.  

The good news...

... is that Toybox is trying to change that. One of the projects Toybox supports is called 'La Gran Comision' - The Great Commission - is tackling the issue head on. The children that are part of the project are under 1 year old (pictured), and have all been abandoned. One of the boys was abandoned at a hospital, two were left on the street and one was abandoned by his mother after she mistreated him. Without the care and love that the babies receive at the project, they would be still exposed to great danger and at the mercy of those they came into contact with.

You can make a difference in their lives

Toybox refuses to stand by and let such situations continue. If you would like to provide support for projects like 'La Gran Comision' across Latin America, please click here.

 

 

 

A Refuge for Cochabamba

Two years ago the Toybox team in Bolivia recognised the need for a refuge centre in Cochabamba. The building has now been purchased and is currently being renovated for use!

Many of the street children that the Cochabamba team work with are in need of a safe place to stay, away from the streets or from a dangerous family situation. However, there is an important transition stage between the life on the street and a long term solution. The children must be carefully supported as they make the decision to leave their past life behind and take the opportunities offered to them for a hopeful future.

There is a great need for this refuge, or transitory centre, because there is no other project of this kind in Cochabamba that fulfills the same purpose.

It has taken many months for our partners Viva Latin America to find and purchase a suitable building. The initial plan was to buy land to build on, as a joint venture with the local authority, who are fully supportive and still involved in the plans. However, it would have taken too long to build from scratch, and the high cost of the land and materials, along with long-term ownership issues, meant it was preferable to buy a house instead. After viewing a whole range of properties the house pictured above was considered the best option within the budget for its location, rooms, facilities, condition, and its proximity to schools, health centres and police stations!

How will it work?

The refuge will be the only project of its kind in Cochabamba. It will work through a partnership with the authorities, churches and the general community. The team who make contact with children around the city, living on the streets or at high risk in a home will be able to offer temporary accommodation to those who need it.

Their time at the refuge will focus on rehabilitation and personal development. A social worker and psychologist will be available to help provide the chance for inner healing from their difficult childhood. The children will receive heath care and be loved and cared for in a way that they may not have experienced previously from their own parents and family. They will have the opportunity to attend school and start vocational training.

Once family situations have been resolved and relationships between the children and their parents restored they may return to their family homes. If they return home, they and their families will be given ongoing support. If, however, the relationship with their parents is irresolvable or it is still unsafe for the child to return, an alternative long-term solution will be sought. This may involve finding extended family members with whom the child can live, or finding a place in a long term shelter or a foster family where the child can make a fresh start in life.
Inside the refuge

This is a large property in order to accommodate all of the needs that the refuge must fulfill. There will be separate bedroom areas and bathroom facilities for boys and girls. There is a communal kitchen, dining area, lounge and patio and a laundry room and garage. A study room, games room and a play area for sports are planned. There will also be office space and a separate living area for the couple or family who will serve as the house parents. There are still some adaptations and decorating to be done before the refuge opens, such as wall repairs and room divisions.

We are so thankful to all those who gave in order to enable this project to reach the stage it is at today, so many children’s lives will be transformed thanks to the generous giving of these people. However, the refuge will now start to incur running and maintenance costs and staff will need to be paid.

Please continue to support this project both in prayer and financially if you are able.

Julia Marcia Goytia Ferraz - Project Director

Julia has been appointed as project director of the refuge. She is very excited about this new venture and to see the work of so many people both in Latin America and the UK coming together to help make a huge difference to the lives of so many street children.

Julia says: ‘I thank God for people who pray, people who offer, people who are mobilised to publicise what is being undertaken, people who give their time and effort to make this a reality for many Bolivian children. For me this is an answer from the Lord to the problem of great need here.’

 

Socks for sisters

Earlier this year Alastair Welford, Toybox’s Chair of Trustees, met a lady in Escuintla, a particularly deprived area of Guatemala. She was the grandmother of Ingrid and Dinora, two girls rescued from street life when they were very young. She handed over two pairs of socks.

Ingrid and Dinora have lived in homes run by El Castillo – our partner project - for a few years now. Found wandering on the streets with no shoes, scraps of clothing and little hair on her head, Ingrid was taken into Salem home and her sister, Dinora, followed later. The girls had been living, neglected, wandering alone and fending for themselves, learning to fight for survival. Their mother and grandmother weren’t caring for them; they were, and still are, living in extreme poverty and with many of the problems which come with it. They had no idea how to look after the girls.

With hard work and loving commitment, Ingrid and Dinora are thriving in the care of El Castillo. Ingrid, now 12 years old, was one of 8 girls who in April moved to Torre Fuerte, a new home established after Salem took in more and more girls from the streets and became overcrowded. She finds it hard being the youngest in her new home, but is getting used to it. Dinora still lives in the younger girls’ home but gets to see her sister regularly; they have a more harmonious relationship living apart!

At first glance, it seems like these sisters will never live with their family again. El Castillo is their family for now, and Torre Fuerte and Salem their homes, where they receive the love, care and healing they need.

But in September, a lady sent socks to her granddaughters. Though they may not seem much, those socks symbolise gift, intention, willing, care. She is thinking about her girls. She can’t look after them and they won’t be moving out of the El Castillo homes any time soon. But they are still part of her life – they still feature, and the El Castillo team is working to make sure that they do so more and more each day.

No one would suggest these children should go home to their family in its current state. But El Castillo doesn’t want Ingrid and Dinora to be cut off from their mum or grandmother. The team believes in families and in the love, friendship and loyalty that family relationships – when working - can bring. With dedication and support from El Castillo, and with God’s power and grace, perhaps even this family will be reunited again one day. God’s hope isn’t limited or contained. His light, love and transformation break through even the most hopeless of situations. The miracle of this family began when Ingrid and Dinora – and recently their little brother Alex, too – were given a place of safety. It is continuing with the love and healing they receive each day, and it will go on with El Castillo’s support and education of their mother and grandmother, and with small gestures, like two pairs of socks.

A pastor, his daughter and their project in Oruro

There's a church in Oruro called Hosanna. There's a man in that church called Pastor Cleto.

Pastor Cleto has a large family and not much money. He lives in the unfriendly climate of high-altitude Bolivia where the nights are cold and the rain abundant. Families struggle to survive and often leave the town in search of a better life. Children work on the streets or are left alone all day while their parents go out to earn money.

But Pastor Cleto lives to serve God and doesn't let circumstances dissuade him. He has seen the need of children in his community and, along with his daughter, runs a project called 'I am the Child in your Eyes.'

Most of the world has no idea that this project exists. Most of Bolivia has no idea that it exists. The story of Pastor Cleto and his daughter, like so many people that Toybox partners with, is of local people seeing a local need and, with little support and even less money, doing something about it. They are quietly choosing a way of life that, instead of serving themselves, looks to God and to their community.

Around 150 children know and love Pastor Cleto and his project, flooding from around Oruro to the church every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to eat, play, sing, draw, chat, catch up with schoolwork, and generally just be children.

These are children from 'high risk' situations; some of them work on the streets of Oruro, others are orphaned or have been abandoned. Others simply don't have anyone to care for them while their parents are working long hours to provide for their family.

Pastor Cleto and his daughter saw a need in their community. They saw a chance to be God's love to these children, in a quiet, little-known, but hugely significant way. And through the Red Alert network in Oruro they are receiving the support, training and funding they need to take their work even further.

If they see a need in their project - a way that Toybox can help to improve its facilities and resources - they can apply for funding via our Leapfrog grants. They might want a new toilet block or roof. They might want school equipment and stationary. They might simply want some new cups, bowls and plates for their kitchen. Whatever it is, with your help, we can provide the money to enable Pastor Cleto and his daughter to further their invaluable work in a church in Oruro.

People who care about my future

Increasing numbers of people from rural areas in Latin America are moving to the cities in search of employment and a better quality of life for themselves and their families. Luis arrived in Lima with his parents and siblings after they left their home in the Peruvian mountains.

One day while Luis' father was on a bus, he was stopped by the police who found drugs in his luggage. They arrested him and went to look for Luis' mom, and along with her husband she was taken to jail. Luis and his siblings were alone.

The children joined around 2 million others in Peru who have to work to survive. They started cleaning cars and selling candies on the streets, while struggling to keep up with their education each day.

Four months passed by until, from jail, Luis' mother asked the courts to help her children. They were taken to a shelter, one of the projects forming the Red Alert network that Toybox supports in Lima.

Luis' hope is that his parents leave jail so they can all live as a family again, but he knows that it could be a long time before this happens. Now he just foccusses on his dreams; " I would like to be a Peruvian Air Force pilot, when I grow up.”

Without the help they received, Luis and his siblings would still be working on the streets everyday. Street- working children are often only a few small steps from becoming street-living children - and this is why Toybox believes in reaching children as soon as possible, before they have to experience the horrors of living on the streets.

Although quite a shy child, Luis is settling in to life in the home. “ I have felt happy since I came to the shelter, because I know that my brothers here protect me, give me love and worry about my future…”

Update on Bolivia

Thursday 25th September 2008

After a week of political upheaval in Bolivia the central government and the nine regional governors are in the midst of peace talks, discussing policies that include the distribution of natural-gas revenues, autonomy for several of the eastern provinces and the president's plan for a new constitution.

Those negotiations may offer one of the final chances to reverse Bolivia's slide toward violent instability. Five of nine provinces in Bolivia have declared autonomy from the central government in referendums this year and Morales has said that these moves could cause Bolivia to disintegrate.

The five eastern governors have long opposed a decision of the Morales government to divert some revenue from oil and gas produced in the region to pay for government programs for the elderly. They have also opposed his plans to revise the constitution to give greater rights to the indigenous majority.

Hope after a difficult week for Bolivia

Friday 18th September 2008

The past week has seen an escalation in the political unrest which has plagued Bolivia for almost a year.

The indigenous leader, Evo Morales', pro-poor approach to running the country has been a source of much dispute, and the past few months have seen five of the country's richer regions declaring themselves autonomous from the main government.

The situation in Bolivia worsened when Morales held a recall vote in August to decide whether he and the nine governors should stay in power. With all but one of the governors, and Morales himself, re-elected the vote failed to improve relations between Morales and his opposition.

An already precarious situation deteriorated significantly this week with several violent clashes between pro- and anti-Morales Bolivians, the worst taking place in the northern region of Pando - one of the five wealthier departments - where around 30 people, most of them indigenous peasant farmers, were killed. Morales subsequently accused Pando's governor, Leopoldo Fernandez, of inciting racial hatred and stirring up violence. The governor was arrested on Tuesday.

Despite these problems there is hope that the violence might come to an end, at least for now. Morales has been meeting with some of the regional opposition governors to try and make steps towards overcoming the current tensions. Agreements have been made not to discuss Morales' proposed new constitution, the cause of much of the unrest., but instead to focus on resolving the crisis and bringing a level of peace to the country.

Mario Cossio, governor of the Tarija province, has said that this "may be the last chance to solve the country's problems in peace."

Relations between Bolivia and the US have also been strained since Morales accused the US of inciting hatred aginst him and threw the US Ambassador out of the country. The US responded by ordering the Bolivian Ambassador home, and Venezuealan President Hugo Chaviz, in solidarity with Morales, subsequently gave the US Ambabssador to his country 72 hours to leave.

Morales wins recall vote

Evo Morales is to remain the President of Bolivia after unofficial reports suggest he won around 60% of the vote following Sunday's recall referendum.

Bolivia has been deeply divided over the past few months as governors from four of the country's richer provinces have declared themselves independent from the main government.

Earlier this year, the departments of Pando, Beni, Tarija and Santa Cruz voted for autonomy from Morales' goverment. The president declared each of these votes to be illegal and separatist and refused to allow the regions the autonomy they requested.

Opposition to Morales' leadership has been increasing since the end of 2007 when he proposed a controversial new constitution which, if approved, would give the government more control over the country's wealth and allow Morales a longer stay in power.

Following the struggles between himself and the four regions' governors, Morales arranged a country-wide vote to decide if he, his vice-president Alvaro Garcia, and the nine departmental governors should stay in power. His hope was that this would calm the opposition and prove a step towards a resolution of the recent disagreements.

Having been re-elected, however, Morales seems no closer towards leading a peaceful Bolivia. His strongest opponents in Santa Cruz, Beni, Tarija, were also victorious on Sunday, and so it seems Bolivia is in exactly the same position as it was before the vote.

The prefect of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa, was voted out of power but says that he will ignore the outcome as the referendum was illegal. The remaining opposition governors have declared themselves determined to continue resisting the reforms Morales is freshly resolved to push through following Sunday's vote of confidence in his leadership.

Since coming to power as Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2006, Morales has shown himself to be a 'president of the people', popular among the poor and historically oppressed indigenous majority but disliked among the richer minority, who claim his rule is undemocratic and leaning towards dictatorial.

Four new boys are welcomed into a home in Guatemala

We are pleased to bring you the news that four new boys have entered a Toybox home in Guatemala. When children are first found living on the streets and are befriended by Toybox street teams they are invited to visit a day centre. Here they can spend time in safety away from the streets, have a meal, a shower and get a clean set of clothes. Once a trusting relationship has been built between the team and the child and they begin to experience life off the streets they may choose to move into one of the Toybox hostels. This is a huge step for the children as life within a home is completely different to the life they have previously lived. Children may then enter a Toybox home as part of a family where they can be given everything that any child should have: food, shelter, a bed, comfort, warmth and love. The children attend school and begin to learn skills that in the long term will allow them to reintegrate successfully into society, leaving life on the streets in the past.

These four boys grew up with little care and love. Their parents and relatives were caught up in lives of drug and alcohol abuse which frequently fuelled physical abuse against the children. Some of the children themselves took drugs as this was the only way to mentally escape the situation. Many children are forced to work from an early age and are punished if they did not work well.

Despite this difficult start to life, the lives of these boys have been totally changed since entering the Toybox scheme! They have joined a dance club at the church and have all developed their relationship with God as they are keen to learn more about Him. One boy has been given the gift of prophecy and is always first to pray for someone who is sick. There is less aggression amongst them, they are learning to get on well together and have begun to show their individuality and personalities. Most of all, they are aware that these positive changes in their lives are thanks to God.

New Children's home in Guatemala

There have recently been some big changes to the organisation of Toybox-supported homes in Guatemala. This is due to the addition of a new girls’ home called ‘Torre Fuerte’ which translates from the Spanish as ‘Strong Tower’. This now brings the number of homes in Guatemala to 7, with Salem housing 5-11 year old girls, Torre Fuerte 12- 14 year olds and Shalom older teenagers and those in their early twenties.

These changes were implemented in order to allow more children to be taken into the homes and for age ranges to be more suitably separated. As a result some siblings are now in different homes, which is hoped to have a positive influence on their behaviour and on their relationships with each other!

We hope that the children will adapt well to these changes and that they will be beneficial to all in the long run. These changes will also have an affect on the house-parents as they get to know the new children living with them and build a trusting relationship.

A recent story from the Guatemalan homes that has been reported to us is of 2 young boys aged 4 and 5. Pedro had been moved into a temporary foster home for a few months. During his absence both he and his best friend Juanito were very sad to be parted. The boys have now been happily reunited in a place of safety in the Jireh home and are glad to be living back together. However, Pedro is now jealous of the friendship that formed between Juanito and another boy called Alex whilst he was away from the home, so there is now competition over who has the closest friendship!

Bolivian divide widens

Following the Santa Cruz autonomy vote on 4th May, another two Bolivian departments have subsequently declared themselves independent from the central government.

On Sunday 1st June the provinces of Beni and Pando held autonomy votes in which over 80% of participants voted 'yes'. The Evo Morales government dismissed the polls as 'illegal and separatist'; a position supported by intellectuals and leaders from the US, Latin America and Europe, who sent a letter to Morales in May stating their support of his government and concern about the nature of the right-wing pro-autonomy opposition. The letter bore 300 signatures, among whom were writers, human rights activists and indigenous leaders from 20 countries.

This latest autonomy vote is the latest mark of a politically, economically and racially divided country.

Following the previous autonomy vote, Morales arranged for a meeting to take place between his government and the nine regional governors; but the leaders of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija refused the offer. They have stated that they would consider dialogue with the Morales administration only if the government recognises the legitimacy of the recent autonomy votes.

Latin American analysts suggest that underlying the autonomy statutes is the question of the control and use of natural resources like natural gas, iron ore, water and forests. Since Morales came to power he has undertaken the nationalisation of a number of oil and gas reserves, in order to ensure Bolivia's poor benefit from the country's natural resources. A controversial draft constitution put forward by the President at the end of last year proposed further land and wealth redistribution.

Despite the recent problems in Bolivia, Morales still commands the popularity of the indigenous majority. Confident that they will remain loyal, he has agreed to hold a recall vote on 10th August this year, in which the people of Bolivia will decide whether Morales, his Vice President and the nine departmental Governors should stay in office or step down.

Jhoseline

Jhoseline is an orphan. She lives with her grandparents in Oruro, Bolivia, and they used to send her every day to the dump, with only one small piece of bread to eat. Her job was to look through the rubbish and find anything that could be recycled, returning with it at the end of the day.

There's a project in Oruro called Agua Viva de la Roca ('Living Water of the Rock'). It works with children who are at high risk - who have been orphaned or abandoned, or come from migrant families and often, like Jhoseline, have to work on the streets or the rubbish dump. At the project children are encouraged to go to school and can get help with their homework, have a decent meal and some time away from street life.

Someone contacted Agua Viva and told them about Jhoseline. They met her grandparents and offered Jhoseline a place in their project; but they refused to let her go. They argued that it would be a waste of time because Jhoseline never spoke to anyone.

However, with a bit of perseverence they were persuaded to let Jhoseline go along to the project , where she has become a talkative, happy child with many friends.

To add to this, the project has also been working with her grandparents, and they have learned to love and treasure Jhoseline. We believe in families, and it's great to see a relationship transformed and a child valued as she should be.

Lives changed through Red Alert

"Boys, girls and teenagers have rights an obligations. We also have the right to be loved and protected." Alejandro, project Alalay, Cochabamba.

There are 14 projects allied to the Red Alert network in Cochbamba, Bolivia. Each is individual, with unique children and staff and varying resources and ideas. The one thing they have in common is the difference they are making in this Bolivian city. They are united in making their community a better place for children.

From April 2007 to March this year, around 1160 children were helped through Red Alert Cochabamba, and churches city-wide are being mobilised in the campaign to change Bolivia for children. But it is also a campaign to change Bolivia with children...

...because children themselves are immersed in the work being done. In each of the allied projects, two children are elected by their peers to be Ambassadors. They promote children's rights among the people of Cochabamba and are involved in various campaigns, training workshops and activities. They are leaders of the future, but also of today - they really are giving a voice to the children of Latin America.

Richard is 11 years old and Ambassador for Esperanza Feliz, a Saturday project for around 250 children.. He says: "Here they make me feel very important and i am trying to be a good example to everyone at home and in my project."

The projects in Cochbabamba are providing for children's immediate material needs - with food, clothing, education. But they are also giving them opportunities to explore their talents and gain valuable experience and confidence in their roles as Ambassadors.

Bolivian Unrest

Bolivia has been experiencing considerable political tension since December 2007, when Bolivia’s President, Evo Morales, first proposed a controversial new constitution. As a culmination of recent events, the Santa Cruz department of Bolivia will hold a referendum on Sunday 4th May to vote on proposed autonomy from the country’s main Government based in La Paz.

Bolivia is made up of nine provinces or departments, four of which have been fighting implementation of the new constitution since it was first put forward by the President. They declared the new constitution to be illegal, suggesting that Morales’ rule is gradually sliding from democratic to authoritarian.

The four departments opposing Morales are the richest provinces of Bolivia. They are demanding more autonomy from the government, including greater control over their taxes, security forces and land. This isn’t a new issue; these provinces have been seeking autonomy from the various ruling parties for many years.

Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous president, has claimed that the departments’ objections to his new constitution stem from a desire to protect their wealth and privileges rather than from a genuine concern for the good of the country. He has declared Sundays’ referendum to be illegal.

Ruben Costas Aguilera, the prefect of Santa Cruz, argues instead that autonomy would improve democracy in Bolivia, and is essential to the people’s liberty. The issue is not about rich versus poor, he claims, but rather about the decentralisation and redistribution of power in Bolivia.

Rallies in favour of ‘national unity’ will be held on May 4th in every city across Bolivia, apart from Santa Cruz. The outcome of the referendum, whichever way the people vote, will almost certainly increase the problems in an already unsettled country. If it is successful, it is likely that the other three Eastern departments – Beni, Tarija and Pando – will follow suit.

A family reunited

'Miguel' lived on the streets of Guatemala City. He came from a very poor background, with an abusive father and little hope for the future.

When he was just seven years old Miguel was spending most of his time on the streets and eventually stopped going home altogether. He hung around with his new friends on the streets and started drinking and taking drugs.

Thank God, Miguel's mother contacted El Castillo, our partner organistion, because she was worried about him. She realised that she couldn't control him and that he had material needs she was unable to meet. In 2000 Miguel moved into a home for boys, where he quickly settled in and made a lot of friends. He was able to go to school, where he proved to be an intelligent and enthusiastic student.

It's been eight years since Miguel first came into the care of El Castillo, and the time has come for him to be reunited with his family.

It's going to be difficult - his mother is still very poor and also quite ill; Miguel is helping to care for her. She is very happy to have her son with her again. Miguel is working during the week and continuing with his studies at the weekends; he is receiving extra support from our partners, El Castillo to help him with his studying.

It’s great that the family are together again. We believe in families and wherever possible children are reunited with their parents and siblings. The family will continue to receive support from the team in Guatemala as they adapt to life together again.

Mobilising the Churches of Cochabamba

Our partners in Cochabamba, Bolivia are passionate about getting the local churches involved with their work. It’s very much a community-based organisation, educating local people about street children and helping them to become part of the solution. In their words, "this way the church can become the salt and light of the world."

Recently, PET (the Early Encounters Project, part of our partner, Viva) held workshops during the Sunday morning services of 13 different churches. The workshops were called “God’s Dream: Children, Church and King” with the aim of impressing upon people the importance of children to God and to His kingdom. The participants (around 40 at each church) were encouraged to take concrete actions in their community to ensure better treatment of children.

Since these workshops, pastors and leaders of the churches have shown a much greater interest in supporting the various projects working with children in Cochabamba. Added to this, they have taken action themselves to support children in their neighbourhoods. For example, the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church has decided to open a new church in an area populated mainly by children and migrant families. It will be a pioneering fellowship focussed much more on children than on the adult population.

The Pastor has said that “working with PET… has changed my life. Now I can truly understand the real mission that God wants me to do. I have taken the decision to work primarily with children, so I am going to start working with my congregation to focus on children. This excites me very much because I see that the kingdom of God belongs to the children.”

At Toybox we know that the real change for children in Latin America will come as the local communities become interested and involved and we’re really excited to see this work beginning to take place through the churches in Cochabamba.

Sisters find safety

A few months ago, Reyna and Linda were spending most of their time on the streets, surviving on fruit and vegetables thrown out by market stall traders. Their parents are alcoholics, and any money earned is used to buy drink so the family gets neglected.

Thank God, Reyna has moved into Shalom, our home for teenage girls, while Linda is living with the younger girls in Salem. We have been tracking their progress from the streets to the day centre and hostel, and now finally into loving families. Both girls have really persevered in leaving the streets; it has been a long process but they are both happy to be in homes.

It takes a lot of courage to leave street life behind. Here at Toybox we have seen many lives turned around - but it is always hard work. These girls and the adults now caring for them will have to overcome many obstacles; but we know that with God anything and everything is possible.

Meet Alex

Alex is the newest addition to Bernabe, one of our boys' homes in Guatemala. He is four years old, and has quickly made friends with 3-year-old Juanito!

Alex had been living on the streets of Escuintla, a particularly poor part of Guatemala. His parents weren't able to care for him and often left him alone in this very dangerous area. Like any child, Alex just needed someone to care for him.

The Bernabe house parents say that to start with Alex had difficultly communicating and was very serious and sad, but now he is surrounded by people who love him and is becoming a typical mischievous 4-year-old!

Alex's older sisters, Ingrid and Dinora, and brother Rigoberto have already been in our homes for a few years and we have seen their lives turned around. We are so thankful that Alex has now also found safety with El Castillo and pray that he will know God's love and presence in his life.

Update on Bolivia

On Monday 7th January President Evo Morales met with the governors of Bolivia's nine provinces to begin an attempt at resolving the conflicts of the past few months.

The aim was to discuss the new draft constitution and the other issues that have been causing huge rifts between the President and the wealthier of Bolivia's provinces.

After ten hours of negotiations that ran into Tuesday morning, Morales stated that 'the people want us to stay together.' The meeting was broadcast live on national television, and observers have said that there seemed to be a genuine desire among the various groups to decrease the divide.

Since then special commissions, consisting of people from both sides of the debate, have been established to follow up on the proposals put forward at the meeting.

The areas that they are working on include the new draft consitution, the process of autonomy for Bolivia's richest regions, and how revenues from Bolivia's oil reserves are distributed.

A divided country

The situation in Bolivia continues to be unstable, although it has improved over the past few weeks.

Four of the country's nine provinces have declared autonomy from the main government in protest to the new constitution proposed by President Evo Morales. They are four of the richest provinces whose inhabitants are the wealthier of Bolivia's population, and who are unhappy with Morales' plans to redistribute the country's land and wealth.

Although support for Morales has slightly increased since he was elected, the President is being criticised by some of the international community for his close alliances with controversial leaders Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. There is a fear that Morales' leadership will sway from democratic to authoritarian, especially if, as he wishes, he is able to serve a further two terms as the Bolivian President.

Although he stresses his desire for unity and compromise, Morales has said that he won't hesitate to use military force against the rebellious provinces if he considers it to be necessary. The movement against Morales is headed by four right-wing governors in the eastern regions of Beni, Pando, Santa Cruz and Tarija, as well as by various business and land owners.

Morales has agreed to meet with representatives from the opposition in order to discuss the contents of the proposed Constitution and try to ensure that the country remains united; however, there is little optimism that an agreement will be reached. Morales' party, MAS (Movement Towards Socialism) accuse the opposition of being concerned only with their wealth and priveleges, rather than with the good of the country as a whole.

There will be a meeting between the opposing sides on 7th January, which will hopfully help to avert further unrest and potential civil war.

Unrest in Bolivia

There has been increasing violence in Bolivia as the president, Evo Morales, pushes forward radical changes to the country's constitution.

Bolivia has a long history of political unrest between the poorer indigenous population and the wealthy minority. Evo Morales, the country's first indigenous president, has vowed to give greater autonomy and political representation to the marginalised people of Bolivia.

Morales is a 'president of the people'. The poor majority voted him in as someone who was on their side and would give them a voice. As soon as he was elected in 2006, Morales cut his own salary in half and began working for the indigenous population. The new constitution represents the first major step towards him keeping his promises.

After numerous violent clashes between opposing sides in which at least three people were killed, a special assembly, boycotted by the main opposition party, approved a draft of the constitution. The changes include allowing two consecutive five-year terms for presidents, bringing the economy more under state control, and giving more autonomy to indigenous communties.

However the draft is only the beginning; the constitution must be finalised and the opposition has promised to fight it every step of the way. Their objections include the president's potential to be in office for ten years and the additional power the main governing party will have.

Meanwhile, the moderate parties between Morales and his main opposition seem to think the new constitution does have some good aspects, but are worried that Morales failed to listen to other people's opinions when drafting it. Like the main opposition, there is the feeling among them that Morales' socialist rule could turn authoritarian if he is able to serve two five-year terms.

Bolivia is a very divided country and the differences between the rich and poor have become more apparent than ever in light of the recent changes.

Living in Valle Hermoso

Valle Hermoso - 'Beautiful Valley' - is a family-style home caring for orphaned and abandoned children, and part of the Red Alert network in Cochabamba.

Cristian is eight years old and the newest member of Valle Hermoso. Here, he goes to school and has the security and protection he needs. His younger brother and sister, with whom he lived on the streets, are also cared for.

Cristian has been in and out of various homes and projects over the past few years. Like many children in Bolivia, he was abandoned by his father and has had a very unsettled life. Sadly, although his mother is around she is an alcoholic and has no idea of how to care for her children. Each time her children were settled into a home, she would come and take them away by force, saying she wouldn't harm them any more but soon breaking her promise.

Cristian is settling into Valle Hermoso, but won't go near to the gates of the home as he is afraid his mother will take him again. Please pray for this young boy - ask God to calm his fear and keep him safe. Please pray that God will work in his mother's life and that one day the family will be reunited.

God can use any situation

Douglas has spent his whole life on the streets, getting involved with drugs and never going to school. He is 15 years old, but can't read or write. His life so far has simply been survival.

It may be that no-one has offered help to Douglas before. Or perhaps they have, but he found it too difficult to trust them. Whatever help is offered, it is ultimately down to the individual child to take the first step and decide they want a different life.

One night, a gang that Douglas had refused to join threatened to kill him. The El Castillo street team removed him from the centre of Guatemala City to the relative safety of his Aunt's home. However, the next day Douglas returned to the danger of the streets. He was with a group of street children when they were caught by police. Because one girl was armed, the whole group was arrested.

Douglas has been in a juvenile correction centre for a few weeks now. The street team have not given up on him; they visit twice every week to encourage him and show their commitment to him.

Although the juvenile centre is not the ideal situation for Douglas, he does seem to have reached a turning point. He wants to learn to read and write, and the street team are sure that God is going to change Douglas' life. Through his arrest and detention, Douglas has come to realise that he needs a different path.

A new president for Guatemala

On Monday 5th November, Alvaro Colom was announced the winner of Guatemala's recent elections. His victory follows a particularly violent few months with around 50 people murdered, 14 of whom were from his own party.

Colom is the centre-left leader of the National Union of Hope Party. He has promised to tackle the violence and corruption which have marked Guatemala's history and which have been escalating in the past year. He has a huge challenge ahead of him; there are on average 17 murders per day in Guatemala, only a handful of which are investigated. Addressing the culture of impunity will be a particularly difficult task.

While his rival, General Otto Perez Molina, had pledged to tackle the country's problems with increased military force and a hard-line approach (his slogan is 'firm hand, head and heart), Colom will be taking a softer approach. The way to reduce crime, he says, will be to address the poverty in which a large majority of the population live. At the same time, though, he will be looking to reform and strengthen Guatemala's police and military and getting tough with criminals.

Colom wants his country to be a model of social democracy with a 'Mayan face'. He says he will 'build a great nation that will generate hope here in Guatemala and bring hope back to Guatemala.'

We will be praying that Colom is able to bring change to Guatemala and to the many people there who live in poverty.

The 'bootblack' boy

Samuel is a bootblack boy in Cochabamba, shining shoes for a living. He leaves the house at 7am every day and starts shining shoes an hour later. All the money Samuel earns helps his family; his mum sells candy in the park and does laundry for a living, but his dad has abandoned the family. Samuel and his brothers have to work for the family to survive.

Samuel says, “Sometimes I get good treatment from people, sometimes I don’t. There are also dangers in the streets, like when I got mugged in a parking lot; they took away my polish waxes and brushes”.

After work each day Samuel goes to Jireh, one of the projects in the Red Alert network. This project is specifically for ‘bootblack’ children; a place for them to get away from the streets, to have a meal and to learn. They are taught basic computer skills and crafts. Samuel says, “Here at the project they help us with our homework. They feed us and give us everything we need. Brother Tomas and the people that work with him are very kind. They teach us about the word of God.”

Samuel is a street working child, like many other children in Bolivia. The Jireh project is his first step towards breaking out of the poverty he has grown up in; despite spending so much time working, he fits in his studies and homework and dreams of becoming a teacher. We hope and pray that he will achieve this dream.

A birthday on the streets

As part of our Child Sponsorship scheme, we invite supporters to send a card or decorate a balloon tag for their sponsored child's birthday. The effect that these small gestures have is incredible, helping the children to know they are loved.

For a child still living on the streets, a birthday is likely to be just like any other day; a struggle for survival. Many street children don’t even know how old they are, let alone the day of their birth. However, the street team makes every effort to bring what joy they can to the children they work with.

Brayan has been living on the streets for 4 years. He is known as Gatillo (Cat) by his friends because of his cat-like eyes. Recently it was his birthday, and he was looking forward to seeing what the street team had in store for him! On his birthday the team brought Brayan a cake, which he shared with all of his friends on the street.

Brayan had tears in his eyes as he was surrounded by people who loved him. After living on the streets for 4 years, he wants to move on. The street team is encouraging him to commit to the process of leaving the streets; please pray that God will give him the desire and the strength he needs to be able to do this.

We thank God for Brayan and his friends, and for the street team who show such love and care to all of the children they work with.

Looking out for one another

The high risk team in Guatemala has been working with a young boy called Victor. He lives in Escuintla, in a shack along the railway line. Victor is supposed to be living "under the care of an aunt", but in reality he spends a lot of time on the streets.

Victor is a very responsible and caring boy. Until quite recently, he cared for his younger sister, Josselin, as she had no one else looking out for her. Victor wanted her to be safe, and so asked if she could be taken into the protection house. Thanks to her brother's concern, Josselin is now in a secure place away from street life.

Although he is happy that his sister is protected, Victor is also sad because of his own situation. He really wants to make something good of his life; he likes to study, and to sing to God - he has a lot of good qualities. We hope and pray that as the team works more with Victor, he will be able to achieve his goals.

A place to be safe

Claudia and Pamela, aged 10 and 12 years, were in a very difficult situation when the high risk team first met them a year ago. Their parents are alcoholics and didn't care for the girls at all, so Claudia and Pamela were left to look after themselves. They would often go for days without food, and had no one to care for them.

In Guatemala, the high risk team have a protection house - a temporary refuge for children living in dangerous situations. Because of the situation the girls were living in, the team really wanted them to move into the protection house; unfortunately, at first their parents wouldn't give their consent for this to happen. The team hoped that the parents would work to improve the situation, but sadly, things just got more dangerous.

Once again, the girls' father was asked for his consent to put them under the care of the team, and this time he agreed, along with their mother. We thank God that these girls are now safe and that they have the opportunity to receive the love and attention of the staff in Guatemala. Please pray that their parents' lives will be transformed, and that the family might one day be reunited.

Aury - a true star!

Aury is a young lady whose life is truly inspirational. She has lived in one of our homes for the past 6 years, after being rescued from a terrible situation with no hope. When she came to us, she expressed an interest in nursing

For the past two years, she has been studying the profession. Just recently, Aury finished her nursing course and graduated!

It was a wonderful day for her as she was surrounded by her Toybox family and some of her biological family, and as she walked with confidence across the stage to collect her certificate.

She has done so well and we are all very proud of her. Her dream of becoming a nurse has come true. We hope that her achievement will inspire the other children living in the homes and that they, too, can make it!

God doesn't forget His children

Oliver, 17, has been living on the street for some years. The street team have tried working with him throughout this time, trying to encourage him to leave the street life. At last, it seems that now is his time to start to build a future, proving the importance of not giving up on these children, however long it takes them to respond!

After visiting his family which is made up of his mother and four younger brothers, who are extremely poor, Oliver has decided to move back home with them. We have been able to support his mother to improve the family’s circumstances by helping her set up her own fruit stall so that she can earn more money to support her family.

Also, Oliver told us his interests and goals for what he would like to do in the future – which is to be a car mechanic. Amazingly, we found a business near his home who were willing to train him in mechanics. He is so happy and enthusiastic. We are so thankful to God that Oliver is now safe and with his own family. God doesn’t forget His children. He didn’t take His eye off Oliver and our prayers have been answered.

Rescued from another country

Our high risk team in Guatemala has recently been involved in rescuing a little girl from the abuse and mistreatment of her uncle in another country. The team learnt about the story of 12 yr old ‘Paola’ from her mother and sister whom they are helping in one of the high risk communities in Guatemala City. Her mother desperately wanted to rescue her daughter and bring her back to live at home but she had no way of doing it alone, as she is desperately poor. Her partner was no help at all, so the team was asked if they could help.

Gladly they got involved and 4 days later, Paola was living in safety, together with her mother and sister once again. “It wasn’t easy” said the team, as they had to deal with death threats from the abuser but it was worth it, to see this timid little girl, obviously traumatized by what she has been through, now back together with her family who love her.

She has started to study and is changing every day. The team will continue to support her and help her deal with what she has been through.

Dealing with the past

‘Samuel’ comes from an extremely poor family in a neighbouring Central American country. He was abandoned by his father when he was just 2 days old which has affected him greatly. He ran away from home and came to Guatemala with a friend of his – looking for a better life.

But instead found that street life was just as bad as life back home. The street team made contact with him and he was invited to come to the day centre and then the hostel, where he started to open up to staff about the mistreatment he was receiving from his family back in Honduras. The staff listened and helped him deal with the pain he was going through.

Now he has moved in to one of our boys’ homes and is adapting so well. The house parents and other boys in the home are showing him the love and care which he desperately needs. Pain doesn’t disappear overnight - Samuel will need a lot of attention to help him deal with what he has been through – and we want to support him for as long as that takes. Please pray for ‘Samuel’ and the many other children who are dealing with different hurts from their past.

Reunited

'Anabella' is a girl who was living on the streets. The street team built a relationship with her and in talking to her about her family, she shared with them that she would like to go back home but didn't know if her family would take her back.

They worked through this with her and were able to take her back home which her family were delighted about. She found it very difficult to stay there though, struggling with giving up drugs and many times she wanted to leave home for the streets again because of this. But the team visited her regularly, encouraging her to stick at it.

That was months ago and she is still living at home! A few days ago she rang the team to tell them that in June she will be turning 15 yrs old (an important birthday in Guatemala) and that she would be expecting a visit from them! It’s wonderful when families can be reunited.

Floods in Bolivia

2,800 families have been affected in Cochabamba, the city our partner organisation works and lives, due to heavy rains causing flooding. The rains have caused landslides and road obstructions and it has been predicted that the heavy rains will continue through to next month.
Here I am happy!

“I used to roam the streets because life was difficult at home” says Gustavo (12yrs) from Bolivia. He was rescued from the streets and introduced to Angel and Cristina, loving house parents of a small boys’ home, which is where Gustavo now lives. He says:

“Here I am happy. I can study. I have new friends. I like music, especially the song that says ‘you have a friend that loves you, His name is Jesus’

More than 30 children have now been rescued from the street and high risk situations through our partners in Bolivia

Street kids benefit from important partnership

The Street Team are working in partnership with Guatemala City social services in providing a group of street lads computer training.

The boys from the run down Plaza de Berlin area of the city are taken to the El Castillio office for a shower, driven to the course where they can learn valuable computer skills and then taken back to the office for some lunch. Also one afternoon a week the team organise football matches for the boys. The Plaza de Berlin boys include Jose, the team are helping him look for a job and to move into social reintegration, Marcus a 17 year old boy, Juan Peter(who used to be in one of our homes) and Daniel. Unfortunately we have observed that there is an abusive and exploitive man who is trying to control Daniel. The situation is very difficult.

Please give thanks for this partnership and the training it provides these lads. Also we would ask you to join us in praying for these boys and the street team that God would protect them and give them strength.

Finally we ask that you might join us in praying for David and the difficult situation he is in and that the street team would have wisdom in dealing with him.

News

Click here to read latest International News

Click here to read latest UK News

 

Member of the Press?

Go to our Toybox Media Centre for latest press releases and information