|
|
|
 News from Around Banderas Bay | April 2008 
A Little Help Goes a Very Long Way
 Luke Sheldon - PVNN
| | I was shown around the orphanage by Sasha, a volunteer from Canada who gives the children love and attention daily. | 
| | A small staff helps with the laundry, kitchen, nursery, and keep up a good standard of living for the kids and babies. | | |
The Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza (R.I.S.E) is a non-profit shelter for children and babies under the age of 14. They rely on the kindness of people who volunteer their time and effort to create better lives for the kids.
The orphanage (Refugio Infantil) is further back from the beach and behind the tourist areas of the Malecón, but plays a pivotal part of the city and one that should be known to everyone that steps in to Vallarta.
I was shown around the orphanage by Sasha, a volunteer from Canada who gives the children love and attention daily. The Santa Esperanza gets help from local volunteers and people visiting from the US and Canada, as well as a volunteer program from the U.K. As the website says; help from the volunteers is "absolutely vital."
The orphans are also looked after by two resident nuns, Madre Mari and Madre Chuy, and the board of directors also volunteer their time for no profit. A small staff helps with the laundry, kitchen, nursery, and keep up a good standard of living for the kids and babies.
The reasons that children become orphans in Mexico are numerous, and typical of any developing nation. Many of the parents simply can not afford to keep them due to crushing poverty. In these circumstances they sometimes go back to their parents when they are able to work or support themselves.
In other cases the stories are more violent. Abusive parents and drug addictions break apart families and leave orphanages such as the Santa Esperanza to pick up the pieces and give shelter to the children.
There is a small amount of government funding, but the orphanage has to rely on public support. I was told of several restaurants, Churches, Schools, Organizations and businesses that help raise money for the Santa Esperanza in one form or another.
The shelter gets regular visitors from Vallarta and a small but dedicated amount of people are willing to help out, in this situation even doing a little goes a long way. The help can be anything kids need. I was told of people bringing fruit, checking the kids for any health problems, or just playing with the children. It is this social interaction that is so essential to a child's development.
All of the school aged children in the Santa Esperanza go to school. The orphanage has also set up an excellent 'Early Childhood Stimulation Program' to prepare the kids for the future and get them off to a good start.
The Santa Esperanza orphanage is a short distance from the beach, but a long way from the pristine art-studded shore of downtown Vallarta. Why not go and visit them and be shown around by one of the volunteers? You can find out if there is anything you can do to help. And a little help goes a very long way.
The shelter is in constant and desperate need of helping hands, so if you can find it in your heart to give up some of your precious time to volunteer and make a difference in a child’s life, please send an email to info(at)refugio-infantil.org.
Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza, A.C. is located at R. Flores Magon #251, Col. Benito Juárez in Puerto Vallarta, and welcomes visitors daily from 11 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm. Visit the website at Refugio-Infantil.org |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us