Uruguay – “Casa Valdocco” inaugurated: a house open 24 hours a day

06 October 2021

(ANS - Montevideo) - On Monday 4 October, at "Villa Colón", in Montevideo, "Casa Valdocco" was inaugurated, a house that is open 24 hours a day, which will welcome 35 children between 5 and 12 who need assistance from the State. The house’s main objective is to ensure that children spend as little time as possible in public institutions, while their right to live in a family is guaranteed as much as possible. The project is part of the Network of Salesian Social Works coordinated by the “Fundación Trampolín”, and will be managed by a group of lay Salesians accompanied by a staff of about 25 technicians who are experts in various disciplines.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the members of the lay and technical team that will manage the House, the authorities of the Child and Adolescent Institute - Uruguay (INAU, in Spanish), the Provincial, Fr Alfonso Bauer, the Archbishop of Montevideo, Cardinal Daniel Sturla, SDB, and the Director of the “Fundación Trampolín”, Fr Marcelo Fontona, SDB.

On the occasion, the President of INAU, Pablo Abdala, explained the "joy" felt by the authorities of this state body for this space that contributes to "expanding the protection system of the Institute through intelligent alliances with social organizations." He explained to the media that in this house "we will work with children to ensure that they are protected, cared for, assisted and accompanied in the exercise of their rights" with the aim of "strengthening their family ties when they have been weakened."

Then he underlined the "rich tradition of understanding between INAU and the Salesian Society" and highlighted "alone we can do many things, but, together, we can do many more, completing the efforts to achieve the promotion of human rights of children, which is a social task of the State and civil society.”

For his part, Fr Bauer concentrated his speech on two words: thanks and opportunity. He commented that for two years the Salesians, together with the team of the Network of Salesian Social Works, had been discerning the possibility of this project as a response to the need for special accompaniment that they perceived as necessary for the many children they support.

He emphasized that the house is called Casa Valdocco, with reference to the first Oratory founded by Don Bosco. “In this house, children will feel loved, accompanied and valued,” he assured everyone. It is about "putting them at the center of all our concerns" and providing the necessary support "to reintegrate them into society and having faith in their full potential."

The Provincial of the Salesians in Uruguay also expressed his gratitude to the team of the Social Works Network and to the "Fundación Trampolín" which this year began to "accompany many socio-educational projects that we have and for which we need resources."

Fr Bauer then underscored that this agreement is an opportunity "which involves not only the educators who will take care of the house, but also the Salesian Family."

And finally, he said he hoped the experience would be "enriching" and that "we will be able to provide a service to society by putting these children at the center, loving them, accompanying them and giving them the opportunities, they deserve."

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