The orphanage has two principle methods of generating interest to help achieve the aims stated above: Direct work with the children within the orphanage and the public relations and fundraising office.

The children

Context:

Accepting a child into the orphanage is not dependant on any special criteria. Social services will make a case by case evaluation and subsequent recommendation based on the child’s current social and economic circumstances. If a child has been completely abandoned then the local family court can grant entry to the orphanage. Specialist education is provided for families who have children with learning difficulties and the parents can follow their progress through contact with the orphanage.

The Team:

The team is principally comprised of 26 people from Ayacucho, who cover the following areas: psychology, specialist education, office administration, general day to day care, cooks and cleaners. They all have daily interaction with the children and regular interaction with the families involved. In addition to this core team there is also a group of volunteers who assist in creating a stimulating and fun environment for the children through organising activities, helping with homework and just being there for the children:

- Physical therapy

- Phsycological therapy (group and individual)

- Speech therapy

- Regular medical checks

- Caring group and individual

- Educational and cultural activities including painting and drawing workshops, traditional dance, writing classes and sports

The Library:

The communal library, situated within the orphanage itself is open to the children from the local community to use for recreation and to help their school work. It plays an essential role in a community that has very little educational infrastructure. Each Friday a movie or documentary is shown and regular writing and drawing classes are organised.

Help for Families:

The orphanage also regularly helps families who are in severe difficulties providing social and psychological assistance. The psychologist and social services visit these families and aid in finding solutions to their problems and more specifically in organising their lives from an administrative point of view. The goals of this project are:

- To promote gender equality in those families which need it most.

- To train families to run alternative businesses in order to supplement their income.

- To strengthen family ties, thus encouraging a healthier and more harmonious atmosphere.

- To increase hygene levels, encourage healthy eating and promote the benefits of excercise.

- To aid the completion of tasks not normally within their capability but without taking away their ability to make their own decisions.

- To improve the life balance of individuals, families and their environment by reinforcing family links and friendships amongst neighbours.

- To encourage leisure activities within the home.

- To help maximise family and social relationships.

- To make a social diagnosis for each individual and family who belong to the project.

- To carry out therapy on an individual case by case basis, combining this with help from other health professionals where necessary.

Public relations and fundraising office

The office was formed in response to the need created by the orphanage to organise such elements as local and international public interest, child sponsorship, business contacts and volunteers. It actively participates in the development of the orphanage and actively searches for income streams. The office is divided into four areas: communication, fundraising, social development and financing activities.

Communication:

This consists of promoting activities and projects from the immediate vicinity of the orphanage right up to overseas fundraising, through articles published locally, nationally, internationally and on line (website, Facebook)

Fundraising:

As well as organising general fundraising events, the office is in charge of sourcing social funding and maintaining existing grants.

Social Development:

Strong ties are maintained with local institutions and organisations of Ayacucho and Carmen Alto now that the orphanage has integrated itself into the local community. More over, that person is in charge of the sponshorship program. Close relationships are encouraged between the children and their sponsors, or godparents, with regular updates on their progress being provided. Several overseas godparents have visited the orphanage.

Financing activities

La Casa Hogar is always looking for activities to take internally some of its operating costs. Currently, it is mainly through the sale of crepes (fench pancakes) in the streets of Ayacucho and the organization of language courses (English and French) that volunteers are involved in that effort.