KIDS Worldwide South America

What the history of Casa do Caminho? Casa do Caminho exists for 27 years and cares about approximately 40 children and teenagers which live in three centres. Casa do Caminho offers a shelter and education with the idea to give these childen an opportunity for a better future. The children come to Casa do Caminho via the governmental Youth Welfare Ofiice (Conselho Tutelar)

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Moreover, Casa do Caminho plays a central role for the population that lives in the surroundings. The people of this impoverished community come to Casa do Caminho in case of emergencies and the need for first aid, making emergency phone calls as well as in other urgent occasions. We have an organic farm where we produce healthy food, train our children and teenager how to produce healthy food and earn income by selling products. Every year Casa do Caminho organizes certain cultural events for the community

Today the work of Casa do Caminho is divided into three houses situated in Xerém, in the county of Duque de Caxias, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. The houses include:

 Casa CAM: situated in Xerém, where the teenage girl live (12-18 years).

Casa Heppenheim: also situated in Xerém, where the teenage boys live (12-18 years).

Where do our children and teenagers come from?

The children that live at Casa do Caminho come from very poor families which could not keep them any longer. Unfortunately many lived on the street before they arrived at the orphanage. Others had to be separated from their families because of alcoholism, physical abuse, prostitution, etc.

If the reason for arriving at the orphanage is poverty, the parents may visit their children of take them home during the weekend. Unfortunately some kids are completely abandoned by or lost their parents.

At Casa do Caminho children learn at a young age to take care of themselves. All chidren have small tasks and responsibilities and participate a white range of activities such as school reinforcement, theatre, capoeria, cooking, organic farming and sexual education.

 Our teenagers are prepared for independent lives. Education has a central focus. All teenagers go to school and attend a school reinforcement program at the houses. The teenagers are responsible for all tasks at the house such as cooking, cleaning, maintenance, gardening etc. all teenagers participate in activities in the community such as sexual education workshops, sports, dance and theatre. All teenagers above 15 do vocational courses or have a job a side their studies. All this to secure that our teenagers are prepared for an independent life after Casa do Caminho.

Who works at Casa do Caminho?

Renato is one of the founders of Casa do Caminho and already works at Casa do Caminho for 27 years. Renato  is now the director of Casa do Caminho.  The executive manager of Casa do Caminho is Bart who has been working at Casa do Caminho for 3 years now.  Bart  is responsible for the realization of the planned work, the coordination and direction of the team that includes Ana & Melissa (psychologist), Ione (administrator), Carla (social worker), Elaine ( responsible for education), our main educators: Marcelo, Ariane & veroniva at  Sede; Gelson (Casa Heppenheim) and Tuca & Veronica II ( Casa CAM)

A typical day in Casa do Caminho!

The kids at Casa do Caminho have a daily routine. They are woken up at 6 o'clock in the morning to prepare for breakfast and go to school. Half of the children go to school in the morning and the other half goes in the afternoon. Between breakfast and lunch, the children who are not at school help with daily tasks such as prepare refreshments, clean up the garden or their rooms. They also join activities which the volunteers or educators prepared who also help in the house during the day. At the orphanage, a teacher reinforces what the children have learned at school.  In the evening the children do capoeira, theater or  have free time for playing, watching TV or enjoy activities organized by the volunteers.

Who makes Casa do Caminho possible?

Casa do Caminho depends on donations from our main sponsors:

Which role does Casa do Caminho play in the rural community?

Casa do Caminhoplays a central role in the rural community of Xerém with the intention to offer educational and health services in the future, and also to organize cultural and social event for the community.

About 53.359 persons live in the district of Xerém, situated at the fringe of the Natural Reserve Biológica de Tinguá.Aproximately 2.791 of these inhabitans live in the rural area in the surroundings of Casa do Caminho. Of these, about 82% (2.228 persons) are poor families who sustain themselves by agriculture or they are even unemployed, struggling for existence at the verge of extreme poverty. These people are the target group of Casa do Caminho.

26% of the inhabitants do not know how to read or write. On average, people have studies 4.5 years. The unemployment rate is 69%, and the average income per familiy is R$250 (aproximadamente €60) per month. The birth rate is extremely high, the average age is 26 and the average number of familiy members living in a given household is 6.

As there is no proper sewage system, the dirty water goes directly into the river, polluting the water. The garbage situation is not much better because 79% of the population burn their waste in their backyard.