Community Homes

At 10 years old, Juan cannot read or write. He’s not the only one. Over half of the children that come to the Community Homes, are behind on their reading, writing and mathematics. They go up in grades, without really knowing the basics.

We did a diagnostic test, with almost 600 children taking part. The situation is hard, much worse than we imagined. Silvia, currently in 6th grade, started crying because she couldn’t do a multiplication; it hurts not to know. It hurts us too, seeing what is happening. It’s not the children that are failing, they are being failed by society, the state, the education system, all who have turned their backs on them. Schools open only 2-3 days a week, with very badly paid teachers, lack of supplies… abandonment growing in silence.

In response to this, we’ve started a support programme in our Community Homes. Through games and activities, the children are learning whilst they play. Teachers from the communities have joined the learning process, as have committed volunteers; the children are given school supplies and personalized support, which they gratefully receive with smiles.

“do we come back tomorrow?”, “Can we stay here all day and get ready for school really early?”. They want to learn, to read, to write, to understand numbers … they want to change their stories. Their families are so grateful.

There Homes, run by volunteering women from the communities, have always been so much more than somewhere to eat: they are spaces for love, care, dignity, future … and hope.