The Divine Providence Social Center - Project to Regain Citizenship (Projeto Reaprender a Cidadania) - is located in the Vila Verde neighborhood - industrial area in Curitiba, Brazil, where 170,000 people live, according to the latest IBGE census. Most of the families have immigrated from the interior of Paraná, with the illusion of living in the big city. However, as they do not have the means to buy a plot of land and a house, the families have settled on vacant plots and live there in extremely precarious conditions and poverty. There are small businesses, but a large number of families have informal jobs and others work as garbage collectors.
In 1987, the Sisters of Divine Providence founded a community among the inhabitants of the Vila Verde neighborhood. At first, they lived with the families in canvas tents and looked after the people and accompanied them in their various poverty situations. Together they fought for improvements in the neighborhood, demanding schools, health centers, security, the construction of Catholic churches, the work of pastoral care of the child and other initiatives in favor of life. Sensitized by the many children living on the streets while their parents are looking for work, their children were vulnerable to violence, rape, drugs, early pregnancy and other situations. In 2006, the sisters bought a small plot of land where they started socio-educational activities with the children.
Today, we continue to serve the general population, but we have started to focus more on children (boys and girls) aged 4 to 15. There are 150 children and young people, all of whom live in the neighborhood and come from low-income families, who need this project. As far as possible, we also try to help families who have children under the age of 5 and need help with food and clothing, as we have had to reduce the number of children and age groups in the project due to lack of space.
In our mission, we try to create a cheerful and pleasant environment, with various activities: sport, capoeira, technology of information (computer science), competitions, school tutoring, music with flute and guitar, handicrafts, cooking. We also carry out projects such as: "Focused Reading" and "Guardians of Nature", in which they recycle the garbage collected in the project. Another project is: “Learning to live by Values“ among other educational activities.
We celebrate commemorative days such as birthdays, Easter, Christmas, Children's Day (on 12 October), family celebrations and June festivities (St. John's Day).
In order to carry out and develop the activities, we rely on the work of eight young people who have participated in the project and want to continue as volunteers, a nun, four candidates (who are interested in religious life) once a week and four teachers for the following activities: technology of information, music, sports, capoeira, pedagogical orientation, plus a psychologist, two general service workers, such as for the cleaning and the well-being of everyone, two employees to prepare the food for the children and adolescents, and a young trainee. They work with a signed contract with rights and obligations. We also have five volunteer ballet teachers who take turns for ballet lessons every week.
The aim of the project is to offer activities that give children an awareness of citizenship by learning about their rights and responsibilities, as well as self-esteem, self-confidence, respect for differences, care for human life and nature.
With the donations, the Divine Providence Social Center will improve the quality and care of the children, adolescents and their families, as well as other children who are not yet old enough to attend the project, but who are cared for in their very needy families in our neighborhood.
(Sister Loreni de Moraes, coordinator of the project)