KIDS Worldwide South America

I am neither volunteer co-ordinator nor anybody particularly special..... However  interim volunteer co-ordinator and ICT, Construction, Painting, Music and  British Etiquette expert Rossi Duncan has ordered the writing of an update and I will fulfill his commands to the best of my abilities!!!

I will try to keep this in some kind of order but there is just soooo much news!

Jenn mentioned scabies treatment in the last update.... it is over and scabies so far is yet to reappear!

Also.. the kids now have WARM SHOWERS!!!  Which were installed thanks to Samyama (or whatever they are called..... - the Yoga people)
 

Although at the volunteer house we are still shivering our asses off every shower its nice that the kids can take showers at night and its no longer the same hassle it used to be.... particularly taking into account kids like adriano and Lucas....

Cleiton Gonçalves and Desielly are no longer living at Casa.  They have been moved to another institution, which is some kind of school/boarding house, in which they stay Mon - Fri and spend the weekends at their father's. - This was an especially good outcome for Desielly who "ran away" from Casa with Beatriz a few weeks earlier

Both visited Casa for the Dia da Criança and Cleiton said that he liked this new place where he is staying.

Although I miss his big smile and even bigger head.... the general behaviour of the boys has really improved since he has left.....          in particular cleiton vinicius.... who has improved sooooo much he is practically a new person

Unfortunately Mattheus has been messing up a bit more.... maybe to counter-balance Cleiton's positive change.

Mattheus is aware he has a reading problem and has been informed he is going to repeat this year of school. I have a feeling his bad behaviour may have something to do with this.... either way he is ALWAYS xingando lucas or tiago or ronaldo.....He spent a weekend at his teacher Jorge's house a month or so ago and I hope this continues

I am not sure if Bart has mentioned this but at the end of september God unleashed his wrath upon Xerem and the surrounding valleys in one of the most violent wind-storms I have ever witnessed....Unfortunately most of his/her wrath was centered  upon Senhor Fred's house....  A pillar fell down and took a large part of the roof with it.  Although ICT, Construction, Painting, Music and  British Etiquette expert Ross was quick to provide  basic repairs.... the house is still un-usable  until more extensive repairs are made..

 Agriculture expert Frank recently arrived completely out of the blue... he wasn`t impressed that Fred`s house wasn`t ready...... I apologised on behalf of everyone (God included)      but we both knew that my petty excuses fell short of a valid explanation....

Frank also wasn`t too happy that tools weren`t ready and waiting for him...... and Rossi + himself + Celso went on a "tool hunt" in Xerem with very little success.. ironically returning with the same tool they started off with

Now back to the kids.......

At the time of last update, Mattheus, Jessica and Ronaldo were all doing Fonoaudologia at the Posto Medico with Ana Paula.... with Mattheus and Jessica going every fortnight and Ronaldo going every week

Recently afterwards, Mattheus "Graduated" and no longer needed to go (although many think he still has a lot of problems with his speech)

Last monday Jessica also graduated.... and this time all agree that she genuinely has improved andd her X, SS, and CH sounds are all coming out as clean as a whistle.... She is no longer Jesshica but JESSICA!!!!!        I am really proud of her

The doctor indicated that she would like to see Karina and possibly Mattheus again in the near future.... to check on their progress.... she also gave me some more serious mouth exercises to do with Ronaldo....

As far as I know Ronaldo is fairly new at Casa and a lot of you don`t know him..... He is Francine`s brother, about 8 years old, and needs a LOT of attention.... He appears to be quite underdeveloped mentally... and often displays child-like behaviour...... he is a cute kid and generally pleasant and well behaved, although when he gets into trouble he can sometimes throw Adriano-esque tantrums

He is really really unco-ordinated and cannot read.... although he recognises his own name he is still unable to write it.... basic auxilary movements are beyond him andd I recently learnt from the doctor that his lack of co-ordination extends to his speech problems (his tongue movements are restricted to one half of his mouth)

Because of the lack of volunteers right now.... I have left Fono responsibilities with Odinei (transport) and Ariane (activities)      although this will need to be changed as soon as possible because it is important that the person in taking the kids to the posto medico and in communication with Doctora Ana Paula is the same person who is actually doing the exercises with the kids

Oh yeah..... Jenn mentioned the financial problems at Casa in the last update.....

Well.... although I do not have a lot of information about the money coming in,   I was doing the account records with Ione the other day and Septembter expenditure was in the region of R$8000  less than half of the monthly expenditure of months earlier this year.....

As Jenn also mentioned in the last update......  Casa Heppenheim has a new member..... Mauro....     Wellington (his brother) has also moved back into Casa.... He is a great bloke and I hoped that he would be able to help Mauro with learning how to read (mauro never attended school until he came to casa at the age of 14)

Unfortunately this hasn`t occurred and according to the boys Mauro refuses to do any reading with them..... more attention needs to be payed to this and it is important that pressure is put on him and the others to take their studies more seriously..... Matando aula is the norm amongst them.  Oldinei told me that he is planning on taking on the role of co-ordinator of the boys house from January........ although I am not sure how this will work or how he will manage his weekends between casa heppenheim and casa do caminho

Ummm also as far as I know there will be a lot of departures from Casa as of January.....

Daiana, Eliveilton and Douglas Geraldo will be going to live with an aunt of theirs....

Douglas Dos Santos will also be leaving to live with an aunt of his (the other saturday we took him and a lot of the kids to a roda in Meier..... where Douglas officially graduated, got the green cord thing and is now a full-on CAPOERISTA!!!!!)

We are all very proud of him!

Also Wallace and Jonatas are supposedly leaving Casa Heppenheim however I am not sure where to.....

The kids have all been behaving pretty well, with the star exception of Adriano (always willing to outdo his peers!!)     A relatively new educador Gelson..... started a few months ago in the shift with Angelica.... .during the financial re-organisation of Casa angelica left and her position was taken over by Jennifer

In the time since Jennifer`s departure Danish volunteer Martha has taken over her role...Martha`s positive spirit and deep love for Casa and the children has touched us all.... her extensive constructive criticism of Casa has enabled both volunteers and regular staff alike to fully comprehend all of its failings and shortcomings.

In reality the girls are fairly good at organising themselves and Gelson has really really improved and can manage just fine alone....he has been taking his own children to Casa.... their behaviour and manners are outstanding.... I think they have provide a great example for Casa`s kids and have also influenced the kids to respect Gelson a lot more.
 

I have just left Casa and Ross will be departing soon...

Peace out