Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(by Wolfy Becker)

The numbers are inconceivable and alarming: there are an estimated 500,000 street children and child laborers in Lima alone and it is estimated that up to 10,000 of them die every year.
It should be the mission of everyone fortunate enough to be born in a "first-world" country and those who are able to enjoy all the privileges life has to offer to help as many of the poorest children in the third world to receive as good an education as their circumstances permit so they can have at least a chance of abandoning this devil's circle.

Many local and international volunteer projects have been initiated, many organizations were founded with the goal of helping with their nutritional, medical, psychological, clothing needs and their families' well-being so they can provide a home environment as stabe as possible. However, the mission is not complete until the last kid is off the street and attending school instead, equipped with sufficient educational material, and a healthy lunch pack.

One of these projects, the NGO Niños del Rio/Enfants du Rio (NdR), was born from the initiative of a French student in Latin America. The origin of his project is based on a thorough analysis of the field’s needs. Several months of interaction and thought were necessary for him to propose a project that could meet children's needs in the local context.

In 1999, Olivier de Metz was looking for an opportunity to invest his time in a humanitarian project. In Lima he met a Peruvian pastor that confronted him to the street children phenomena. From the very beginning Olivier searched to identify the real needs that originate from this situation, for 7 months he listened:

1. To the children, to better understand their situation and to establish a relationship based on trust.

2. To the local authorities and NGOs to verify his project would compliment the already existing initiatives.

From this thought process he identified the following:

a. The children suffer from their own negative image created by society and from the absence of durable, healthy relationships with adults.

b. Homes and institutions exist in Lima but the children do not go or do not stay because their will alone is not enough to resist the temptations of street life (drugs, friends, freedom…)

Therefore it is not a lack of homes or institutions that explains the presence of children on the streets. The causes of the phenomena are much deeper and complex, a mix of economical, social and psychological factors. The social rehabilitation of these children is not vowed to the creation of new institutions but to human involvement in accompanying them during the rehabilitation process and after; by taking in consideration each child's history, development and aspirations. On this basis, Niños del Rio created its plan of action 7 years ago. The organization's purpose is complementary to the already existing organizations and the help they provide is not material: it is the possibility to be heard, loved, accompanied and in the end - integrated into a dynamic rehabilitation scheme in which they are the decision makers.

Progressive accomplishments for 7 years

1999: Beginning of daily street visits.

Initiated in 1999 the daily street visits are the heart of its efforts and have been complemented in time with other actions that enable NdR today to follow up with the children on all stages of their rehabilitation, until they reach adulthood.
They are the first step to reach children in an exclusion situation, to break the indifference and establish a relationship based on trust and friendship. Effectuated in the beginning by volunteers, street visits are coordinated by a street tutor employed by the Niños del Rio since 2001.

2000: Opening of the day house

2001: Initiation of follow up program for children in institutions.

Starting in 2000-2001, visits to children in homes, detention centers and hospitals were developed. The objective of these visits is to accompany the children on the long run, in success as well as in failure. No matter where they are, the children are not abandoned by NdR; the volunteers have or will find the help necessary (educational, emotional, administrative health care…) in each particular situation.


2005: Family visits

Initiated in 2005, Niños del Rio began making family visits a priority. The visits objective is to make acquaintance with the children’s families, to better understand their difficulties and therefore provide better help for the kids. If it is feasible NdR encourages families to be reunited. Since a few months ago a psychologist /tutor is coordinating these visits.

Thanks to the Peruvian and French volunteers, the efforts to help the street children of Lima are continuous and uninterrupted since 1999 …

Volunteers are:
Olivier de Metz, Veronique de Ferrières, Isabelle Goletti, Marion Sampeur, Benjamin Flambert, Vanick Le Drogoi, Isabelle Echalier, Sandra Lindo-Cortejo, Erika Mongrut, Elmer Espinal, Aude Lesage, Cécile Tual, Anabelle de Saint Albin, Raphaëlle Ansieu, Giovanna Pareda, Gregory Cortez, Thierry Carette, Gildas Roze, Guillaume et Virginie Charvon, Sophie d’Hérouville, Mathilde Caboche, Ruthy Alvarez Cano, Jessica Huertas, Roxana Alvarez, Noémie Bruneau, Milagros Cornejo, Janet Chavez, Ivan, Giannina, Carlos, Béatrice Viney, Gérard Maure, Pauline Mudry, Mikael Martinotti, Christofer China, Marie-Noël Siramy, Jean Marc Thiébaut, Quentin Duprez, Daniel Gugliemino, Vanesa Lira, Lisbeth Paitamala, among others.

For more information please visit www.enfantsdurio.org.