Give a child a bed this Christmas
After receiving an anonymous tip-off about a young people´s home in Portimao that would benefit from some charity this Christmas, Tomorrow Magazine was keen to help. We sent reporter Sophie Sadler to find out more.
On arrival at the The House of Our Lady of the Conception, I am met at the door by Ana, the in-house psychologist and Fernando, the vice-president. They give me a lovely welcome and I am shown into the family liaison room for a chat.
We are immediately interrupted by the arrival of their longest resident, Ana Sofia, who has Cerebral Palsy and now, aged 59, has lived there since 1968. She has no family and the centre is the only home she knows so she is allowed to carry on living there despite her age. She cuddles up to Fernando before taking a seat to observe our interview. Apart from Ana Sofia, I learn that they currently house 36 at-risk children and adolescents aged from four to 21. It is a private institution and has a similar function to CASLAS in Lagos.
The next interruption is from a beautiful seven-year-old girl, who have come in see who the strange visitor is! She has beautiful glossy brown hair and stares at me with big eyes as she hugs Fernando and I try to get her to tell me her name. She eventually whispers that her name is Francisca. She is at home from school today as her class teacher is away and immediately my heart melts as she is the same age as my daughter and she does not have a proper home.
While we are not allowed under Portuguese law to discuss individual circumstances and the names of residents have been changed, she has been assigned to the home by the court as she has suffered either abuse or neglect at home. She has been living at the centre for two years and it is hoped that she can return to her family, but if not she can remain in the centre until she is 21.
Ana, who has worked at the house for eight years, gives counselling to the girls or sometimes this is outsourced depending on the case. Many of the girls have behavioural problems and the centre tries to work with the families, however, as Ana explains: “Sometimes the family does not match our goals so it is not possible.”
A second girl the same ages enters the room and sits on Ana’s lap, she is called Barbara and has lived in the centre for a year. Both girls attend a school which is located just across the road from the centre. After school, the home tries to organise extra-curricular activities the girls such as dancing or swimming, some of which are done onsite or through external clubs. They currently have a dance teacher who gives their services free of charge but they would love to hear from any other people who would volunteer to teach a fun activity.
The charity was originally established in 1949 by Manuel Vitorino Correia, then Parish priest of Portimão, however the home in its current incarnation was established by Dra Mercedes Leote who was president from 1949-1967. It was run by the five Dominican Sisters of Santa Catarina de Sena who lived with the girls but all of the nuns became too old to continue and with no young novices to take over, the centre is now run by a committee, a staff of 18 and volunteers with help from the community. Fernando is an architect and is one of the people who gives his time for free. He tells me: “I have children of my own so when I come here and am able to help, it gives me a good feeling in my heart.”
The home has been located in the current building, in the area of Coca Maravilhas near Portimão Acqua shopping centre since 1990. The building does feel institutional and Ana points out it would be built differently now, however, all the staff are incredibly vibrant and friendly. When the charity began families would have brought girls there if they were too poor or unable to take care of them but now all are sent by the commissions of protection of minors, juvenile courts and Social Security.
Ana tells me: “Of course it can be hard sometimes when you understand what some children have been through but on the whole, it is a happy place but of course all these children deserve a family and sometimes we cannot make this possible.”
Some girls return to the family environment, others go to host families and others may choose to leave at 18. Ana says: “We do not have as many opportunities for fostering children in Portugal as you do in the UK so if the children cannot return to their families or find another family to host them they remain here until they are adults. We try to give them skills which will make them successful adults. What is hardest is when by law they are allowed to make the decision to leave at 18 and we wish they would stay longer, but most retain a relationship with us after they leave.”
We visit the dining area where there is a delicious smell of fish emanating from the kitchen which will be Francisca and Barbara´s lunch. On one wall is a behavioural chart which the girls move up and down and which reminds me of the star chart I have for my kids. There is a chapel where the residents would have had a daily service but now that they have different religious denominations staying including Muslims and Christians, they no longer have in-house services but residents can choose if they wish to go to churches in the area. They now use the room for events and parties and they have a big summer event for the community every year. Upstairs there is a cosy library and computer room so the girls can interact on social media at weekends.
I am then given a tour of the bedrooms. There is a common room with TV at the end of one of the living quarters. The younger girls can be in rooms of up to three with the older girls having single rooms. I am lucky enough to be shown one of the single rooms by its occupant Catia, an 18-year-old, with a beautiful smile. The walls are adorned with photos of her with friends so she is obviously very popular and social. I try to talk to her in my pitiful Portuguese but she replies in excellent English. I ask her what she would like to do when she leaves the home. She tells me it is her dream to be in the army so she can travel and see the world.
Although the centre tries to give the girls normal experiences, they took them camping this summer and they visit the beach, these girls will not have the opportunities to travel or see new places that other children have so I imagine how Catia must dream of having new experiences from this small room.
The lady who wrote to tell us about this home said: “The local community seems to not know very well the great job that is done with the girls in this house and usually only helps with shoes clothes and food. but they need lots of things that if donations don't come in they can't afford.”
The Social Services pay about 85% of the cost of keeping each inhabitant and the rest must come from the community. I ask Ana and Fernando what they need. Fernando immediately gives an impassioned plea for new mattresses to replace the old ones which are in a very bad condition. The cost will be €14,700 for 46 new mattresses as they need to take more girls next year.
Ana adds that they also always need hygiene products as it is incredibly expensive providing, soap, shampoo, toothpaste sanitary items etc for 36 girls. They also always need volunteers. The social services just cut the budget they had for teachers to help the girls with homework and extra tuition that they needed, so help from teaching professionals would also be appreciated.
We wander into the playground and one of the cats the girls looks after runs in front of us. There is a basketball pitch, play centre and climbing frame but Francisca and Barbara are doing what most kids do, ignoring the expensive toys and playing with a bowl of dirt! I am shown a large overgrown area which they would love to make into a vegetable patch for the kids to grow their own food, although Ana laughs that the children want a swimming pool!
Having been moved by the tremendous efforts being made at this home to support and help children and young adults Tomorrow Magazine would like to ask readers to donate what they can to our Charity Trust bank account. Details are below and donations should be labelled “Bed Appeal.”
We will also have a box located in Sadler's Real Estate Office on Rua do Poço, (next to André Spinola hair salon and Madrugada charity shop) in Praia da Luz where you can donate any new and un-opened hygiene products for the girls. Residents of Portimao can take anything directly to the home which welcomes guests.
I ask Ana what the girls Christmas will be like. “We try to make sure that the girls go to family or friends for at least Christmas Eve so they get a normal experience.” Sadly what most of these girls want from Christmas is a family but if you have any money to spare after buying presents for your own family please think of making a donation to these girls who through no fault of their own need our help.
http://www.cnsc-portimao.pt/index.php/contacto
