how we make it work

(Fotos taken January 2004, two boys recruited on the streets)

1 - Teams of our volunteers go out into the city's streets looking for child laborers (and street kids generally).

2 - When they encounter them they make friends and get as much information as possible about the child's circunstances, fanily, interests; and if the child seems to fit the profile of those we might be able to help: we give him a ticket to a free meal at our Restaurant Corazon - even bring the child with us if he/she is available.

3 - When they come to eat they are specially welcomed, and we register them; begin to build a profile on them which will eventually prove useful in helping them get into school. They eat with the other children and then we invite them to join in the games, classes and projects we have organized for the other children.

4 - When they are comfortable with us our social assistants begin to work with them and their mothers to persuade them of the benefits of getitng an education. If this is successful, we take the child on as one of our regulars.

5 - As an enroled child we work with them to improve their study skills and group discipline - we also help them with their nutrition, clothes and medical needs; but most importantly we go to their local school, and with the cooperation of their mother: enrol them. Often the mother will not have money for the fees, books and uniform; when this is the case we give a grant for the first year's costs.

6 - When the child is in school we continue to help with tutoring, social, psychological and medical support.