Friends & Donations (SOS Social Centre)

SOS Social Centre receive donations from a couple of italian tourists.

"FLOR DE LÓTUS BRANCO"

"Lótus Branco! Flor de magia e de mistério,

que desdobras através dos elementos da matéria física

todo o maravilhoso simbolismo da Alma Humana!

Como Ela, tu vais buscar à terra, penosamente,
numa luta laboriosa e oculta de todos os momentos,
no trabalho incessante das tuas raízes,
o sustento da planta grosseira e informe
que há-de fender as águas, conquistar o ar livre,
abrir-se em largas folhas ao esplendor do sol
e desabrochar por fim, em pleno espaço, livre, radiosa, imaculada e linda!


E quando a tua corola se debruça na superfície dos lagos espelhados,
as pétalas de neve que balançam na brisa a sua alvura sem mancha,
para sempre perderam a memória do lodo, onde as tuas raízes se revolvem e afundam,
na ânsia de colher para ti a pura essência da vida que te anima."

Félix Bermudes

"WHITE LOTUS FLOWER"

"White Lotus! Flower of magic and mystery,

which unfold through the physical elements of the whole matter,

wonderful symbolism of the human soul!

As the human soul, you will get to land, painfully,

in a hidden and hard struggle of all times,

in the ceaseless work of your roots,

the maintenance of the plant gross and deformed,

which creates cracks in the water,

winning the open air, opened in large sheets

to the splendour of the sun and, finally,

flowering in the free space, radiant, beautiful and immaculate!

And when your corolla focuses on the mirrored surface of the lakes,

the petals of snow which rock in the breeze its spotless whiteness,

forever lost the memory of mud, where your roots goes to redouble and sink,

looking forward to reaping for you the pure essence of life that inspires you”.

Félix Bermudes

Mãe SOS Porta Voz

Mãe SOS Celestina Pereira (á esq.) e Mãe SOS Ana Francisca (á dir.)

Foi eleita, na Aldeia Infantil SOS S. Domingos, uma nova Mãe SOS Porta-voz para o ano 2009: Sr.ª Ana Francisca [Mãe SOS da Casa Familiar nº 6 (China)] em substituição da Sr.ª Celestina Pereira. O acto de empossamento foi testemunhado pelo staff completo da aldeia. Num momento de muita alegria, não faltaram discursos. Ouviram-se muitas palavras de encorajamento para a Mãe SOS Ana Francisca, muito saudada pelos presentes tendo-lhe sido entregue um presente recebido das mãos da Sr.ª Cláudia Santos, Mãe Conselheira.

Something new in SOS CV S. Domingos

Today the SOS CV S.Domingos began the day with something new. It's the most accomplished remodeling by Adilson Fernandes (ACVD) assistant director of the village director, the young artist that had previously designed something similar in the enclosure of administration location.

A Visit to Embassy of China

The children from Familiar House 6 -China, and one child from each differents family houses in SOS CV S. Domingos, traveled to the Chinese Embassy located in the Achada Sto. Antonio, to make a visit requested by Mr. Ambassador. The children were accompanied by the Children Village Director, Mr. Fernando Pinto Director, SOS Mother Ms. Ana Francisca and Mother adviser, Claudia Santos.

Beneficiárias SOS tornam-se vítimas de violência na Faixa de Gaza

A violência na Faixa de Gaza, afectou dezenas de beneficiários das Aldeias SOS naquele país. O Centro Social tem estado fechado desde o início da campanha israelita em 27 de Dezembro e colaboradores e voluntários foram aconselhados a ficar em casa apenas com comunicação via telefone.
Segundo relatos, um conjunto de prédios do governo perto do centro social, foram destruídas por ataques aéreos israelitas. Segundo Ihsan Redwan, o coordenador nacional do programa de fortalecimento familiar na Faixa de Gaza, uma criança de 13 anos de idade, filho de uma família beneficiária do norte da cidade de Jabaliya, foi gravemente ferido.
O hospital, que tem estado a operar acima das suas possibilidades de funcionamento, desde o início desta recente escalada conflito, teve de abrir mão dela apesar do seu estado de saúde crítico.
Um grande número de crianças de famílias participantes no FSP sofre já de distúrbios psicológicos como resultado desta escalada de conflito, incluindo incontinência urinária, insónia, entre outras coisas.
Segundo o site da organização a SOS Kinderdorf International abordará o processo o mais rapidamente quando a calma voltar á região uma vez que de momento todo o pessoal médico o está sobrecarregado com emergências.

Families become victims of violence in Gaza

While the SOS Children's Village Rafah remains unharmed, dozens of families who receive support from SOS Children's Villages' family strengthening programmes have been severely affected by the violence that has erupted in the Gaza Strip.

The violence in the Gaza Strip has affected dozens of beneficiaries of the SOS Children's Villages family strengthening programme (FSP) in the area. The Social Centre has been closed since the beginning of the Israeli campaign on 27 December and co-workers and volunteers have been advised to stay at home and communicate via telephone. According to reports, a number of government buildings close to the social centre have been destroyed by Israeli air strikes.
According to Ihsan Redwan, the national FSP coordinator in the Gaza Strip, a 13 year-old child from a family in the FSP from the northern town of Jabaliya has been severely wounded. The hospital, which has been operating well above capacity since the beginning of the recent conflict escalation, had to discharge him despite his critical health condition.

Meanwhile, five families in the FSP from Jabaliya have been displaced after their houses were destroyed by air raids and two more have abandoned their houses out of fear that they will be targeted. The families have either moved in with relatives or into UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) schools in the town. Families in the area’s FSP have been suffering from shortages of basic food supplies, including flour. Our local community based organisation partners have been trying to address this problem and have already succeeded in delivering some essential food items. Moreover, houses of several families in the FSP from the towns of Khan Yunis, Deir Elbalah and El Burij were destroyed and their inhabitants forced to seek shelter elsewhere.

In Rafah, the situation remains dire for seven families who were living close to the Egyptian border and fled to UNRWA schools to seek refuge. One of the houses has been reportedly damaged by the air strikes. SOS Children's Village Rafah and our local partners have been delivering basic food items to the families.

A large number of children from families participating in the FSP are suffering from psychological disorders as a result of the conflict escalation, including enuresis (bedwetting) and insomnia, among other things. SOS Children's Villages will address this as soon as some calm returns to the area since at the moment all medical personnel are overwhelmed with emergencies.

The FSP is assisting 900 children (187 families) by providing food parcels, schooling and child care activities, among other basic needs. FSP in the Gaza Strip has also been training care givers to help them run their own micro-projects by providing management skills and literacy courses and raising awareness on children's and women's rights.

In: http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/

MAYOR OF SANTA CATARINA, MR.. FRANCISCO TAVARES VISIT SOS CV ASSOMADA IN CHRISTMAS EVE

The Mayor of Santa Catarina, Mr. Francisco Tavares and his entourage visited the SOS Village Assomada, on Christmas Eve, to express their good wishes for SOS children and their administrative staff. This is, already, the second visit made by the team comrades. In the past day on November 28, Mr. Francisco Tavares, had made a tour to this village, making dialog and taking a lunch with the director of the Village and its staff. In oral conversations, the Mayor made a promise for a future partnership agreement to provide aid to needy families, especially those living in the most secret places of that county.

PRESIDENTE DA CÂMARA MUNICIPAL DE SANTA CATARINA, ENG.º FRANCISCO TAVARES VISITA ALDEIA SOS ASSOMADA NA QUADRA NATALÍCIA

O Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Santa Catarina e sua comitiva visitaram a Aldeia SOS Assomada, nas vésperas de Natal, para manifestar os seus votos de boas festas ás crianças e staff administrativo. Esta já e a segunda visita operada pela equipa camarária. Recorde-se que no passado dia 28 de Novembro o Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Sta. Catarina, Eng.º Francisco Tavares, realizara uma visita guiada á esta aldeia, tendo confraternizado num almoço com o director da Aldeia e seu staff. Nas conversações tidas, em reunião, o Presidente da câmara local, deixara a promessa de assinatura de um acordo de parceria com vista a proporcionar ajudas ás famílias carenciadas, sobretudo aquelas que habitam nos mais recônditos lugares daquele conselho.

A Visit by ISBS in Christmas' Day

The SOS Children's Village São Domingos, received today a visit by the technicians of the School of International Business Studies, represented by the Administrative Director. They were received by Assistant Director, Mr. Adilson Ferreira, who did a little briefing on the occasion about the work already undertaken by the SOS Village S. Domingos. The Administrative Director of ISBS (International Sochool of Business Studies) took the opportunity to delivery some gifts to our children. She completed her visit by wishing greetings at some family houses.

A Directora Adminsitrativa do ISBS visita Aldeia Infantil SOS de São Domingos

A Aldeia Infantil SOS de São Domingos, recebu hoje uma visita por parte dos técnicos da Escola Internacional de Estudos Empresariais, na pessoa da Directora Administrativa. Foram recebidos pelo Assistente do Director , Sr. Adilson Ferreira, que fez na ocasião um pequeno briefing dos trabalhos já realizados pela Aldeia. A Directora Adminsitrativa da ISBS (International Sochool of Business Studies) aproveitou a ocasião para fazer entrega de alguns donativos ás nossas crianças. Completou a sua visita com uma deslocação a algumas casas familiares.

ELIZABETH HAMADER: PROFILE OF A VOLUNTEER

1. How was your life before become a volunteer in Cap Vert?

I was a student and I made my A - Level in mai 2008. After this, I didn’t want to go to university right now.
I was a normal young girl, who wanted to go abroad and see more from the world.
So I decided to write an application to SOS Cap Vert – and here I am.

2. What's your great impression when you came to this country?

I remember the day when I came to Assomada, it was the 19th of October. We drove with the car inside the village. As I got out of the car I sow so many kids dancing to some music and laughing. Since this day I was sure that it was a good decision to come here.

3. What's your work at the moment in SOS CV Assomada?

I’ve started an informatic course, for boys and girls. I’ll teach them how to write fast with 10 fingers and the programs Microsoft Word and Excel.
I also do some sport activities with the kids and I’ve a group of mothers and Aunts. We do gymnastics or go walking.

4. In your opinion, what's the most important thing for a volunteer in non-governmental organizations (NGO's)?

The most important part for me as a volunteer is winning over the kid’s hearts.

5. How do you see yourself in the next five years?

When I come home, I’ve to go to university for the next 5 years. In Future I want to be a teacher in Austria.
But I’m sure; I’ll come back at any time…

THE FLOAT PARADE IN S. VICENTE ISLAND, ORGANIZED BY SOS SOCIAL CENTRE

The float parade , organized by SOS Social Centre in S. Vincent, was encouraged by the active participation of children along the way. Respecting the tradicional carnival experience of this Cap Vert island it was built a beautifull statue of Santa Claus. To see:

FLOAT PARADE IN PRAIA BY SOS CHILDREN VILLAGES

The SOS CV Cap Vert organized, last December 19 and20 th, a float parade with a lot of festive music that excited the streets of Praia. The proposal of this action was to collected donations to support this year, the community's needy neighborhood from Brazil, to ensure that any child of that community has, at least, one toy. The design and production of this project's float was sponsored by the entreprise GRP Publicity, Transmak and the government instituition Pedagogical Institute of Cape Verde.

THE ARTIST: ADILSON FERREIRA (CHILDREN'S VILLAGE DIRECTOR ASSISTANT) AT SOS S. DOMINGOS

The Artist

GOOD SURPRISE: A POTTER' SCULPTURE IN SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES S. DOMINGOS

This beatifull potter's sculpture is in the SOS CV S Domingos. It was built about one week ago.

US EMBASSADOR VISITS SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES S. DOMINGOS ON 20TH ANIIVERSARY OF PEACE CORPS IN CAP VERT

A delegation of about 22 people led by the U.S. Embassy in Cape Verde, Mrs Marianne Mylesmade a visiti to SOS CV S. Domingos on 20th anniversary of Peace Corps in our country, celebrated last December 15th.

In this visit the U.S. Embassador, Mrs Marianne Myles, made a conversation with volunteer Mrs . Jennifer Hall, a Peace Corps co-working at the village. Ms Jennifer talked about their professional experience and the reality of the Peace Corps volunteers's work in Cape Verde. During this visit they made a visit to the Library, and to Familiar House 2. Mrs Mariane Myles was very enthusiastic about the repair of houses and the ability of the SOS mother in the control of 8 children and household chores at the sam,e time.

In contact with the staff's administrative staff the U.S. Embassador thanked SOS Village, in particular the Director of Village, Mr. Fernando Pinto, for all the work they have been doing to support the proper development of children. During his speech, the Mrs Marianne Myles reveals his feelings concerning her first visit to this village by telling that she's happy for the work she saw there. To complete this visit, the U.S. Ambassador made a donation of some school materials, in particular books, pens, sports equipment, and some balls for soccer and basketball.

It should be noted that the Peace Corps since its founding in 1961, has already recruited more than 189 thousand Americans to work in developing countries. In Africa, they provide voluntary services in a total of seven thousand and 900 volunteers. Currently, a total of 52 young people are working as volunteers , spread over seven islands of this archipelago. In Cape Verde, the Peace Corps has been partner in various institutions, particularly with the Ministry of Education, municipalities, Secretary of State for Youth and various NGOs Cape Verde. The work carried out highlights the teaching of English in several of the School of Peace Corps.

Since 1988 in Cape Verde , when it was signed an agreement to Government of Cape Verde, the Peace Corps provide technical assistance to developing the country. In the past 20 years, 429 young volunteers, all of them university staff, have provided work to our country.

EMBAIXADORA DOS EUA VISITA ALDEIA SOS S. DOMINGOS POR OCASIÃO DO 20.º ANIVERSÁRIO DO CORPO DA PAZ

O Corpo da Paz Cabo Verde, completou no passado dia 15 o seu 20º aniversário no nosso país. Enquadradas nessa efeméride esteve de visita á Aldeia Infantil SOS de São Domingos uma delegação com cerca de 22 pessoas liderada pela Embaixadora dos EUA em Cabo Verde, Sr.ª Marianne Myles, que entraram em confraternização e diálogo com uma das voluntárias desse organismo , a Sr.ª Jennifer Hall, a trabalhar na aldeia de São Domingos.

A Sr.ª Jennifer apresentou a sua experiência Profissional e a realidade de trabalho dos voluntários do Corpo da Paz em Cabo Verde. Durante esse visita e delegação chefiada pela Senhora Embaixadora dos EUA em Cabo Verde, fizeram uma visita a Biblioteca da aldeia, seguida de uma visita a Casa nº 2 – EUA onde ficaram muito entusiasmado com a arrumação das casas e a capacidade das Mães no controlo de 8 crianças e ao mesmo tempo nos cuidados com a casa.

No contacto com o staff staff administrativo da Aldeia agradeceram de forma particular ao Director da Aldeia, Sr. Fernando Pinto, e a toda asua equipa pelo trabalho que vêm fazendo em prol do bom desenvolvimento das Crianças. Durante a sua intervenção, a Sr.ª Marianne Myles deixou saber que está agraciada com esta sua primeira visita a aldeia e contente pelo trabalho que viu ali.

Para colmatar a sua visita, a sr.º Embaixadora fez uma doação de alguns materiais escolares, nomedamente livros canetas, materiais desportivos, e algumas bolas de futebol e basquetebol. A visita terminou com a deslocação ao Jardim Infantil, afim de conhecerem mais de perto a realidade da SOS Kindergarten.

É de salientar que o Corpo da Paz, desde a sua fundação em 1961, já recrutou mais de 189 mil americanos para trabalhar nos países em vias de desenvolvimento. Na África, prestam serviços voluntários num total de sete mil e 900 voluntários. Actualmente estão a trabalhar como voluntários um total de 52 jovens, espalhados por sete ilhas deste arquipélago.
Em Cabo Verde, o Corpo da Paz tem sido parceiro de várias instituições, sobretudo com o Ministério da Educação, Câmaras Municipais, Secretaria do Estado e da Juventude e diferentes ONG’s Cabo-verdianas. Dos trabalhos realizados, destaca o ensino da língua inglesa em vários liceus do País. O Corpo da paz está em Cabo Verde desde 1988, altura em que foi assinado um acordo como Governo de Cabo Verde, no sentido de prestar serviços de assistência técnica ao desenvolvimento, através de jovens quadros, na sua maioria com formação universitária. Nos últimos 20 anos, 429 jovens já prestaram trabalhos voluntários para o nosso país.

Morreu o Sr. Jagan Nath Kaul, membro-fundador da SOS Children's Villages India

Morreu hoje, a 16 de Dezembro, o Sr. Jagan Nath Kaul, membro fundador e veterano patrão da SOS Children's Villages India, antigo membro de senado da SOS-Kinderdorf International, por duas vezes. O Sr. Kaul não foi apenas um membro desde os primeiros dias a nível internacional da SOS Children’s Villages mas tambem uma personalidade altamente respeitada que dedicou a sua vida a trabalhar na SOS. Juntamos aqui as nossas simpatias ás muitas crianças na India e as nossas preces numa oração em memória dele. Jagan Nath Kaul tinha 84 anos.