CREAR – Social Work in the North of Sao Paulo
Brazil: the non-profitable association CREAR was founded in 1994 in Capão Bonito and helps 92 children and infants in a pre-school age as well as 124 school-kids and teenagers. The work is divided into three different areas: next to the assistance to pre-school and kindergarten children and the work with teenagers there are also aid offers for mothers.
The region around Capão Bonito is mostly covered by forests and agriculture and therefore work is seasonal for the people living in this area. The few workplaces in the tiny industrial sector do not suffice in order to prevent that unemployment is always around the corner for most of the people living in Capão Bonito.
The children and teenagers joining CREAR are usually familiar with the dramatic results of poverty: alcoholism, violence, drugs, prostitution of under-aged, or relatives spending time behind bars. These are realities of their daily life, respectively realities that have already been experienced by them. The co-workers of the initiative put in a lot of effort and dedication mainly just to give the young people a perspective that all these realities do not necessarily have to be part of daily life and change is possible.
The social work of the institution starts with very basic matters. The small children attending CREAR on a daily-basis, have to shower first and are assisted looking after their hygiene, which includes delousing, nail- and hair-care. Then it is time for the little-ones to play. Later on, they attend a pedagogical program guided by a teacher. Next to their school-curriculum, the teenagers participate in hand-crafting and other artistic activities during the afternoon program of CREAR. Sewing, knitting, painting, music, baking, gardening and other handicraft activities are offered by the institution. But here as well, a lot of effort is given into the purpose of familiarizing the teenagers with hygienic matters. Additionally several mothers have found their place at CREAR. They are instructed in hand crafting in order to add a little extra money to their families income with their products.
CREAR works with simple means as money is missing in every corner. Only the teacher’s are paid by the government which means that CREAR has to come up on it’s own with the salary for the educators. Without financial support the daily challenges are barely manageable. For upcoming festivals, which in Brazil are often connected with gifts, co-workers of CREAR start hand-crafting themselves, as the children attending the institution should be able to participate in traditional festivities and should not be left alone with empty hand’s.
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Contact
Projekt C.R.E.A.R.
Rua Jorge Vaz da Cruz, 70
Vila Aparecidinha
18303-420 Capão Bonito - S.P.
Brazil
Tel.: 0055 15 3543 1450
crear@cbonet.com.br
AP: Peggy Rische-Lederer