There is a well-known saying that it takes a whole village to raise a child. It makes sense for any family. And it makes even more sense for a children's shelter, where children and teenagers live away from their families for a while and need many people around them to grow up well.
In this article, we show why the community is an essential part of care and how everyone in the neighborhood, and beyond it, can take part.
The law calls on the community to take responsibility
Brazil's Statute of Children and Adolescents is direct in article 4. Guaranteeing children's rights, with absolute priority, is the duty of the family, the community, society in general and the government. The community comes right after the family.
This means that protecting a child is not only the job of the Guardianship Council, the courts or the shelter. It is also the job of the neighbor, the teacher, the bakery owner, the local football team and whoever is reading this text.
Care is not isolation
The idea of a closed institution, with school, doctor and leisure inside its own walls, does not fit today's rules.
The Technical Guidelines for Child and Adolescent Care Services, issued by CNAS and CONANDA, state that being in care cannot mean losing the right to community life. That is why they recommend that:
- the house be in a residential area, close to where the children come from;
- children stay, whenever possible, in the same school and in the activities they already did;
- they use the neighborhood's health clinics, schools, squares and cultural centers, like any other child;
- they take part in community festivities and events;
- they can have classmates over and go to school friends' birthday parties.
The document also asks for care to keep these children from being marked as different. No uniforms and no vehicles with identification. They should move around the neighborhood like others their age.
Why this matters so much
Children in care have already been separated from their families. If, on top of that, they lost their friends, school and neighborhood, the suffering would be even greater. Keeping these ties helps preserve each child's identity and story.
There is also an effect for the future. Neighborhood activities and friendships continue after the child returns to the family or moves on to adult life. The community becomes a support network that lasts.
The community already helps, and wants to help more
Brazilians have a strong bond with the place where they live. In the Volunteering in Brazil 2021 survey, by IDIS with Datafolha, 92% of volunteers said they like to give part of their time to help people in the community. Families and communities are among the groups most served, cited by 35% of volunteers.
This shows that the will is there. What is often missing is knowing where to start.
How the community can support a children's shelter
Every part of the neighborhood has something to offer. Some ideas:
- Local businesses. Donate food, cleaning products or services, or run a collection drive with customers.
- Schools. Organize campaigns with students and help fight any kind of prejudice against children in care.
- Churches and religious groups. Mobilize regular donations and volunteers, in agreement with the house staff.
- Local professionals. Offer your own work, such as repairs, haircuts, classes or consulting.
- Neighbors. Respect the house's privacy, do not photograph the children and welcome them as part of the neighborhood.
- People who live far away. Donate via PIX, share trustworthy campaigns and introduce the cause to friends and companies.
Any donation of items works best when it is arranged in advance. That way, the help goes to what is really missing.
Perus and PROHACC
PROHACC has been in Perus, a neighborhood of the city of São Paulo, since 1997. Today it cares for about 18 children and teenagers, with no government funding agreement. The community already takes part in many ways. In March 2021, the house held a charity pasta lunch, with pickup at PROHACC itself. In September 2022, it was time for the first charity pizza. And, in September 2021, it publicly thanked everyone who helps, recalling that it accepts money donations of any amount as well as groceries, milk, diapers and hygiene items.
You can be part of it too, whether you live nearby or far away. See all the ways to help on the How to help page. Together, we care better.
---
Sources
- Statute of Children and Adolescents, Law 8,069/1990, arts. 4 and 92, item VII: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l8069.htm
- CNAS and CONANDA. Orientações Técnicas: Serviços de Acolhimento para Crianças e Adolescentes, 2009, item 3.5.6, pp. 50 and 51 (copy hosted by TJDFT): https://www.tjdft.jus.br/informacoes/infancia-e-juventude/informacoes/informacoes/instituicoes-de-acolhimento-1/orientacoes_tecnicas.pdf
- IDIS and Instituto Datafolha. Volunteering in Brazil Survey 2021, digital book, 2022: https://www.idis.org.br/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/Livro-Digital-Voluntariado-no-Brasil-ENGLISH_2022.pdf
- PROHACC on Instagram (@prohacccasa), post of 03/08/2021, charity pasta lunch: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMKLsiHA6ep/
- PROHACC on Instagram (@prohacccasa), post of 09/01/2021, thanks to supporters: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTRzXxrrNc-/
- PROHACC on Instagram (@prohacccasa), post of 08/13/2022, charity pizza: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChNC5C3Arf7/