The Pró-Criança (Pro-Child) Centre has been dedicated to taking care of vulnerable children in the region of Niterói, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for almost 40 years. The team at the centre care for 60 children and teenagers, ranging in age from 6 to 14, every day, promoting physical, emotional, and intellectual wellbeing through a range of different programmes and activities.
The centre provides the children with different services according to their age and needs, including help with homework, special assistance for children with learning difficulties, storytelling, educational films, arts and crafts workshops, and indoor and outdoor games that stimulate learning and development in various ways. These activities take place on weekdays, while meetings with parents are held monthly in order to maintain and strengthen communication between the centre’s team and the children’s families.
It costs just €60 to provide this care for one child for one month, a total which covers nutritious food, teaching materials, and funding for staff and building maintenance.
In 2024, our Summer Appeal raised funds for the Pró-Criança Centre, and thanks to the generosity of our mission friends and benefactors here in the Irish Province, enough money was raised to fund renovations for the classrooms, administrative offices, dining area, kitchen, and staff area, as well as funding essential monthly expenses such as food and supplies. All of the main renovations are due to be completed at the beginning of this summer, and now, the centre needs out help to equip their new space.
This summer, the Pró-Criança team need our help to raise funds to buy essential items for their newly refurbished centre, including computers, television units, furniture, kitchen utensils, materials for different activities and workshops, and an internal camera system for security. Our help is also needed to fund up-to-date training for the staff, to ensure the best possible care for the children at the centre.
The project team also need reliable transport to operate, as they carry food and supplies, carry out various visits, and provide assistance to families in vulnerable situations. Their current vehicle is no longer dependable and costs more and more just to maintain, so a new vehicle is essential to meet the ongoing needs of the programme.
This summer, the Pró-Criança Centre are working to raise funds to meet these different needs, and to continue in their invaluable support for disadvantaged children who come to them from all sorts of difficult circumstances. Can you help?