Happy Child's Newsletter 

Spring 2021

 

 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 

Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

Plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29: 11

 

Read about the following in this Newsletter:

 

 

-   Letter from Caroline Taylor, Operations Manager.

-   Opening Up Opportunities - Sayonara's Story.

-   Happy Child's work in the Joana Bezerra district.

-   Latest news about the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil

-   Happy Child's Regular Giving Initiative -

    Make a difference to a young person's life. 

Dear Friends,

 

Thank you for being so faithful in your support for us.  We hope that you will continue to journey with us this year as we continue to help even more vulnerable children, young people and their families in Recife.  We are passionate about pursuing our vision for every child to reach his or her potential and we are happy to bring you a heart warming testimony from a young person, whose life has been transformed and whose family has also been lifted from poverty, through the work of our partner Instituto Solidare.  With great enthusiasm, we are also able to update you about Ammar Transforma's work in the Joana Bezerra district, Recife.   

 

We would like this newsletter to reassure you that there is always hope, even in the darkest times.  We pray that you and your families are keeping safe and wish you a healthy and happy year ahead.  

 

From Caroline Taylor,

Head of Operations.

OPENING UP NEW OPPORTUNITIES -

 

SAYONARA'S STORY:-

 

 

Sayonara Emanuely is 22 years old and lives in Coqueiral, an urban district of Recife in Pernambuco, North East Brazil. Her unusual name means ‘farewell’ in Japanese. She lives near Instituto Solidare and has attended their programmes since the age of seven.

 

"There is a lot of violence in my area, including robberies and assaults. 

Violence and drug trafficking are very common due to the difficulty people 

face in trying to earn money."

 

This is a result of the lack of opportunities which are available for people to generate incomes and due to the location of her neighbourhood near to one of Brazil’s most violent prisons. Research reflects that the main concern about living in Recife is the high level of violence there and that although the majority of victims of urban violence are men, violence against women is a pronounced issue.  

 

Despite these difficulties, Sayonara worked incredibly hard in school and after graduating she was able to get work experience. This is something which she states is very rare for school graduates who are faced with a lack of job opportunities. Official statistics show that over 25% of Brazil’s unemployed are aged between 16 and 18, meaning that support and training programmes are vital in improving their futures.

 

Sayonara started to attend Instituto Solidare’s Mentoring and Skills Training Programme, called Project Pescar, and worked hard to balance participating in the training with her job. She says that the training and mentoring has helped in all areas of her life because she discovered herself through the project;

 

‘I learned to fight for my rights and understood how important it is

to invest quality time in what one likes.’

 

As well as learning transferable professional skills, Sayonara benefitted from the spiritual growth which she experienced throughout the project.

 

Attending the programme helped Sayonara to decide what she wanted to do with her life and empowered her to overcome the barriers which she has faced as a young woman in a disadvantaged community. The mentoring and training scheme gave her access to the job market and enabled her to find work in the field of workplace safety. This is important due to the high and rising rates of unemployment across Brazil. Data from 2020 shows that women represent more than half of Brazil’s total unemployment figures and that the rate of unemployment is 55.1% higher for Black individuals than for white individuals.

 

Sayonara’s participation in Instituto Solidare’s training has helped her to overcome these alarming prospects and has shaped her goals and hopes for the future. She wants to continue her professional career and to complete a degree, as well as spending quality time with her family. Sayonara is also determined to become a volunteer and says that she would like to

 

‘invest time in others in the way that others have invested time in me.’

 

Watch the video below (with subtitles) to hear Sayonara speak:-

x
 
Mute
00:00 00:00

Read about the impact and testimonies from more young people whose lives have been transformed through the valuable work of Happy Child and its partners. 

(Photo:  the Joana Bezerra district where Happy Child is supporting vulnerable families).

HELPING TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES IN RECIFE

 

We are excited about progress being made by grass roots community project Ammar Transforma in the Joana Bezerra district.  This community is 4 miles from the centre of Recife.  Daily life here for residents is tough.  There are problems with sanitation, housing, environment, education, and health. Indeed, some of its children and young people suffer from respiratory problems due to inadequate living conditions. 

 

Research reflects that 57% of the entire population in Joana Bezerra live on a monthly income between £18.00 a month and £34.00 a month. The remainder are in the minimum wage bracket of £149.00 a month.  To give this some context, a basic food basket costs approximately £67.00 a month to feed a family of four.

 

During the pandemic Ammar Transforma has valiently provided food parcels and medical care for its residents.  This has been a vital provision as the pandemic has swept across Brazil and many people have been laid off from or lost their jobs.

 

Today we can tell you that finally, with some help from us, the Ammar Tranforma team started the long awaited re-decoration of their community hub.

 

What difference will this make to them and to the work they are doing to serve the children, young people and families in this community ?

 

Vitally, it will provide a much better environment and space to welcome and embrace those they are helping and supporting.  For the 53 children and young people the hub is an important resource in extending their learning journey.  Like so many millions of children globally their education has been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.  Twice a week they hold after schools clubs, craft making workshops and church related sessions. 

 

The excitement in the  project Coordinator’s voice is tangible as she expresses her joy at starting the refurbishment work:

“With the reforms we will be providing a warm and welcoming space, a place we can feel proud of and which will be used in a more efficient way and which will open up new opportunities for not just children and young people but also their families.”

 

As you journey with us, we look forward to telling you more about the community hub and the good work that they are doing.

 

(Photo left:  renovations start in Ammar Transforma's community hub).

COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN BRAZIL

 

The daily statistics about those affected from the Covid-19 pandemic are startling.  In Brazil there have been 9.92 million cases and 241 thousand deaths to date.    

The city of Manaus, capital of the Amazonas state has had a second surge of the virus.  This outbreak is even larger than the first, so large in fact that the hospitals have run out of oxygen and relatives of patients are queuing up with empty oxygen cylinders in an attempt to have them refilled.   Senior politicians have been criticized about how the Pandemic has been handled.  A vaccine programme for the country has still not yet been rolled out.  

REGULAR MONTHLY GIVING – HELP US ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES

 

We would like to encourage you to support young people like Sayonara by giving to us on a monthly basis.  This stabilises our income and means we can plan how to reach more young people like Sayonara. 

 

-  Giving £20.00 a month for 1 year could fund 50%

    of a young person’s training.

-  Giving £10.00 a month for 1 year could fund vital equipment needed

    for a young person’s training

 

Help us to better the lives of young people and their families by setting up regular giving today. 

Help us to continue providing opportunities for the vulnerable young to skills train, find work and provide vital income for their families.  

 
Give Online

OR YOU CAN

  • Send a cheque payable to "Happy Child International"

     (our office address is at the bottom of this page).

  • Online banking:  HSBC Leatherhead.  Account holder:  Happy Child International.  Sort Code:  40-27-07.  Account Number:  81485504.
  • Leave a legacy in your will.  For more information on how to do this,

     please click here.                                             

 

THANK YOU. 

SUPPORT HAPPY CHILD EVERY TIME YOU SHOP

 

Amazon Smile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Happy Child International every time you shop, at no cost to you.  

 

On your first visit to Amazon Smile, select "Happy Child International" for us to receive donations.  Your selection will be remembered.  Amazon Smile will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price to Happy Child International.  Start by clicking  on the link below or to the side!

 
Click for Amazon Smile
Subscribe for Updates
Subscribe
Follow Us
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Instagram

Happy Child International

Registered charity no.: 1116809 (England and Wales)

HCI, The Leatherhead Institute, 67 High St, Leatherhead KT22 8AH, UK

www.happychild.org