Child Sponsorship background from Goioerê, Brazil

SOS Children's Village Goioerê

Goioerê is a small town in the federal state of Paraná, which borders São Paulo in the south. SOS Children's Village Goioerê opened its doors in May 1977.  It is located about two kilometres out of town in the countryside.  Over a hundred children have found a loving family in Goioerê after losing their parents. There is also the village director's house, a house for the so-called SOS aunts (SOS mother trainees or family helpers who support the SOS mothers during their daily work and fill in for them when they are ill or on leave), and an administration and service area. Children from the SOS Children's Village attend the state-run schools of the city.  A large part of the 12-acre site is used for agriculture, with the produce (cotton, soya beans, bananas, coffee and citrus fruits) being consumed by the inhabitants of the SOS Children's Village.  Many of the children and youngsters at the village take the opportunity to participate in the farming.

Other SOS Projects in Goioerê

An SOS Youth Home in the city centre accommodates young adults when they are ready to leave the Village.  Young people usually move from the SOS Children's Village to an SOS Youth Home when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education.  With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions.  They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers.

Background to Goioerê

The mid 1970s saw the town reach is peak population at just over 100,000.  Now, after a decline in the cotton industry, it has a population of about 30,000.