Wednesday 25 de August de 2010
Abengoa Brasil sets social project PeyC
Five-year-old Laryssa routine starts early. She is one of the first to arrive at Santa Rita de Cassia Orphanage, where she spends part of her day studying and playing, so that her mother, Zenaide Maria do Nascimento, may go to work without worrying about her daughter. But this is not the reality of other families who also live at praca Seca community, at Jacarepagua quarter in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro. Residents of this area face social problems such as unemployment and essential services, violence, difficulty to access health and education, among others.
Zenayde y Laryssa - Peace with the orphange´s support.
Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of a Piece od Advice Congregation and many volunteers dedicate themselves to support girls aged between 4 and 16, under social vulnerability, in order to give them the right to childhood. When they are not at school, they are at the orphanage, where they develop alternative activities (sports, handicraft, music, dance, vegetable garden); they have their meals, school reinforcement, computer skills, languages, personal hygiene and above all, safety of not staying on streets. Some girls are intern, conducted by Childhood Court for having suffered domestic violence.
The Orphanage is maintained by donation. Director, Sister Maria Mabel, tells us that resources are very scarce, what impedes improvement and enlargement of the service. "We would like to support people with mental or physical deficiency and their families, with measures that go beyond mere assistance , so that they recover their self-esteem. But we need new infrastructure so to be able to carry on new activities" – says the director.
The importance of the existence of Santa Rita de Cássia Orphanage for residents of Praça Seca, the recognition and reliability of the institution, the strength and determination of Sister Mabel, were conclusive for Abengoa Brasil to choose this entity to begin Sports and Body Practices Program – one Right for All (PeyC) .
"The Orphanage unites two dimensions : educational and social. Together with institutional sheltering practices it interferes in family problems of children and teen-agers, by having social workers to visit them and by promoting actions related to income generation, social equality and inclusion. This work meets the objectives of PeyC, which is a program of corporate program of social responsibility, already set at other companies of Abengoa in Argentina and Peru", explains Daniel Zucchi, director of the project.
During the next three years, Abengoa Brasil will invest in the institution improvement : renovation of existing facilities; donation of computers and of new equipment for the kitchen; construction of a new building for classes and lectures and a covered sports court. Besides that, the company will contract and assume salaries of new teachers.
With this investment in the orphanage, other children will take advantage of benefits that little Laryssa already receiving today.
Irmâ Mabel - dedication and affection full time.
