Costa Rica Events – Hundreds of school children across San Jose will be doing something special for those children not as fortunate as themselves for Dia del Niño y Niña this year.
The Casa Milagro Foundation (casamilagro.org) is partnering with schools and other organisations across the region to highlight and raise awareness on an issue that many of us know nothing about.
There are over 8,000 children living on our streets in San Jose alone and UNICEF estimates approximately 36,000 across Costa Rica. Many are unlikely to have a roof over their head or hot meal, let alone have someone wish them a ‘Feliz Dia del Niño’. And yet, it appears so few of us here realise the extent of this problem in our beautiful country and that we can do something to help.
Casa Milagro Foundation is partnering with and inviting organisations across the region to raise awareness and show that these vulnerable children are not forgotten.
“We are hoping that the simple act of doing a drawing for another child will not only make our younger community aware that some children are not as lucky as they are. But that it will also spark a light in them to talk to their parents and inspire us that each one of us can do something to help resolve this problem, whatever that may be – talking about it, volunteering, donating food, money or clothes. It all starts with us”.
In the run-up to Dia del Niño y Niña (Friday 9th September) hundreds of school children will be doing a drawing to help make a street child smile. These drawings will be displayed in schools and buildings across San Jose to educate children, families and our wider community, that we can all do something, however small, to remember those less fortunate and to make a difference.
Schools, kindergartens, church groups and any other organisation are invited to take part in this simple awareness-raising campaign to involve our communities.
To date the following organisations are taking part:
- Tree of Life International School, Santa Ana
- Country Day School, La Guacima
- The Dutch School, Santa Ana
- Isaac Phillipe Primary and High School, Heredia
- Berkeley Academy, Santa Ana
- Complejo Educativo Royal, Guachapelin de Escazu
- American International School, Ciudad de Cariari
- Blue Valley School, Escazu
Christian White, Director of Tree of Life School in Pozos, Santa Ana remarked:
“Tree of Life are proud to be part of the Smile Campaign. We have a responsibility to educate ourselves and our children on issues and try and work together to help resolve them as a community. We hope that this campaign will widen our involvement in this important work”.
Not to let adults or others feel left out; A social media campaign has also been launched this week asking families and individuals to do a drawing for a street child. They are then asked to photograph it, tag another family to ask them to do the same and use the #campañadesonrisa #smilecampaign hashtag before sharing it on Facebook, Instagram or other social media. It is hoped that this will spread awareness far and wide.
Casa Milagro would also love to share the children’s drawings in buildings and businesses across San Jose, we invite anyone that may be able to offer some display space to contact us to share their support.
If a school, business or other organisation would like to take part in the smile campaign they are invited to contact Emma Lees (Volunteer and Campaign Manager) at [email protected]
Sources –
Over 8,000 homeless children has been admitted by the Public Prosecutor.
36,000 homeless children across Costa Rica identified by UNICEF – http://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/Costa_Rica-2013-2017-final_approved-English-14Sept2012.pdf
More information and sources: borgenproejct.org/costa-rinca-street-children
Background:
The Casa Milagro Foundation (www.casamilagro.org) is a non-profit agency which exists to love, heal and empower children in Costa Rica who are victims of (or at risk of) human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Casa Milagro is currently delivering food and clothes to some of our thousands of homeless children while concurrently working toward building a safe house and drop-in centre.
For more information on Casa Milagro, please visit: www.casamilagro.org
Please note some of the true stories on this website may be distressing for children hence we frame the organisation’s work as simply as working with homeless children with young people. In working with all schools/organisations that work with children we are encouraging them to talk about homeless children in general rather than being specific about any sexual explotation, drugs, violence or trauma they may be facing, obviously to protect our children as much as possible.
For further information please contact:
Founder/Director: Scott Pralinsky – email: [email protected] or call 8407-7042.
For more information about the Dia del Niño y Niña Smile campaign or to let us know you would like to take part or refer another organisation please email – [email protected] or call 8433-7068.
