Christmas tree at SC Hogar Luz, Costa Rica…
Javier laughs, shares his emotions and advances day by day. When he arrived at the SOS Social Centre "Hogar Luz" for people with special needs in Tres Ríos/Costa Rica, his prognosis was not encouraging at all.
- Lisa
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Christmas tree at SC Hogar Luz, Costa Rica
Javier laughs, shares his emotions and advances day by day. When he arrived at the SOS Social Centre "Hogar Luz" for people with special needs in Tres Ríos/Costa Rica, his prognosis was not encouraging at all.
A Child with Tons of Expectations
"Low expectations." That was the description given by Javier's mother when she left him at "Hogar Luz", a centre for children and young people with multiple special needs in Tres Ríos. Lacking a home and an assured income, the woman did not feel in a position to raise her son who was at that time only a few months old with the proper care. That is why she went to talk to Marvin Flores, director of Hogar Luz - with positive results.
Javier's psychomotor development is severely retarded. By the time he got to the centre, his growth had not matched up to the statistical minimum growth for his age. He also had Hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the blood) and he was not able to eat or suck up food.
"His mother wanted proper care and a home for her son. She didn't have the time or the resources that Javier demanded, since she had three more children to watch for" remembers Marvin Flores.
The Hogar Luz team gave the blond, white and thin boy a new opportunity to live. It was not an easy mission, though. "The boy had several deficiencies and had no contact with the environment, since his head had little movement" recalls the director.
Javier started a productive recovery. He received stimulation and physical therapies, but above all, he received love and human warmth. By the third day in his new home, he started to suck up mashed food.
Nowadays, Javier eats as any other child, and as any other child he has a favourite dish: smashed potatoes. He particularly enjoys watching other kids play in his new home. Ana Yancy, nurse at Hogar Luz, comments: "Our next goal is to see him walking. His emotional progress is considerable: he is very sociable and cheerful; he loves to be held in arms and to be caressed. Fortunately, his mother periodically visits him, which supports his recovery process".
For privacy reasons, we changed the name of the boy and chose a photo which does not reveal his identity.
- Mary
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Boy grabbing a candle - CV Valmiera, Latvia.
May, 2008 Dear Friend, A year has already passed since SOS Village in Valmiera welcomed its first family. This year has been full of events and new experiences. We have received lots of support and met wonderful people on our way, and I would like to share some of our news with you too!
The very first house of Valmiera SOS Village opened its doors in February, 2007, when 6 brothers and sisters of the same family arrived at their new home. Right now children live in 7 houses, and altogether Village takes care of 41 children. We are able to accept more children, of course, and we will do so, as soon as we have more SOS Mothers.
We are happy that not only SOS Mothers work in the Village but Dads, too. It has never been easy to find women, who wonted to devote whole of their lives to becoming SOS Mothers - it is not an easy job at all. Thats why we launched a new project SOS Couples, and we really succeeded! We didnt even believe that it will happen so soon. Now we have 3 SOS families with both parents Mothers and Fathers. Its very good for children, especially for boys, as Dads can teach them lots of things that Moms cant. Children have used to their new homes, the Village life, and have made some new friendships already. Bigger ones attend schools and kindergartens, while the little ones stay at home with their Moms. Villager pedagogues help children with their school tasks whenever it is necessary. Lots of children attend leisure time activities sing, dance, draw and learn some handicrafts. Boys do some technical modeling and go in for sports.
We have discovered some young talents, and now the Village has its very own musical ensemble! Among musicians are also pedagogues and the Village Director himself. He gives children also guitar lessons. Singers are accompanied by piano, guitar and flute, and they are very eager to improve their skills. The ensemble has given its first concerts, and one was especially for Moms - at the Mothers Day celebration, on May 11.
The Village has started to develop its own traditions to celebrate the day when the first home was opened and to have a small welcome party with a cake when new children arrive. And everyone there - big and small - not only celebrates but takes care of their Village, too. A special day was planting of trees in the village territory. We did it together with our long term supporters SEB Bank. We hope that through those trees children will learn how to care for their environment, their home and how to help and care for one another.
The Village Director, Mothers and the whole personnel have done a lot to create a lovely, warm atmosphere. We hope that it will help children to recover from sometimes painful experience they have had before arriving at the Village, and that they will grow up happy.
Yet all that would not be possible without good people like you. We are ever so happy that you help us to create better life and ensure better future for so many children here in Latvia. We wish you all the best in your life, too, Sincerely, Irena Liepina, Sponsorship Coordinator irena@sosbca.lv
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