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K8y's Adventures...
The History of Guarapes.
I am currently working every morning Monday-Friday, 8-11am in the Guarapes Project, in Guarapes, 20minutes or so out of the city of Natal. It is a favella town, consisting of pretty poor housing, rubbish scattered everywhere (although this is a common sight throughout Brazil), and just generally a place with very little resources/money. The school however, is a very different story, the building is large, clean, there is food, runnng water and electricity (well most days!) and lots of staff. The children are taught by teachers from a large school/college which is situated all over the city of Natal. The children receive 3 meals a day, plus vitamin juices/cake etc., and are showered, as well as attending the classes and playing in their park área. However it all began very differently...
A good few years ago, a religious group used to travel from their church/homes to Guarapes and read the bilble to the children on the streets, and told them all about the teachings of God etc. However, they had no where to meet the children they all just congregated on the streets. Eventually a piece of land was offered to them and they immediately took up the chance, the religious group began to fundraise, and soon enough they had a small room/building built where the children could meet them. As time went on they raised more and more money, and with this the building grew. Then they managed to get Cei-a private school situated around the city of Natal, to sponsor the project. They paid for extension of the building, which now consists of four classroom, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a play área, and an área for the headmistress of the school to have her desk, computer, and a few more toys! Cei teachers are now sent to the school every morning and afternoon, there are women from Guarapes, some of which whose children attend the school, who look after the general running of the place, from keeping it clean, to telling the children off, cooking the food, showering the children etc. etc. Clothes, books, toys have all been donated, and it's hard to imagine how little these children really have outside of the classroom. Some you can tell, in that they have the bloated stomachs (worms), one girl who hás bowed legs (her mother took heroine whilst pregnant), many with rotting teeth etc. etc. But after spending just 10minutes with them, you can't imagine them to have anything less than any other child you've met before. They all however do come from varied backgrounds, some of the parents have a little money and love them dearly, whereas others don't really want anything to do with their child, and others simply have hardly anything, and would do anything for their children. Some may have drug lords or prostitutes for parents, all of which now I find very difficult to believe. Especially when you are greeted with a huge grin and hug in the morning...
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