Chile - Don Bosco Foundation: "Moving forward in the mission, despite difficulties"

15 May 2020

(ANS - Santiago de Chile) - These are difficult months in Chile. Since the country's first confirmed Coronavirus case, the health situation has worsened considerably since last March. Salesian universities, schools, parishes and shrines have been forced to close their doors, and move into the digital space. However, an institution that has not stopped functioning face-to-face with the most needy has been the Don Bosco Foundation, which between April and May, however, saw its contributions and donations decrease following the pandemic.

Despite the worrying health and economic context, the Foundation has made ever greater efforts to continue its mission of helping, accompanying and evangelizing for children, young people and adults living on the streets.

Together with the Food Network Organization, a logistic team and a group of volunteers, different strategies have been implemented to find food and to meet all the different needs.

In the foster family home and in the Patio Punitaqui oratory in Santiago, there was a whole process of containment and, consequently, of changing the children's activities, now faced with the anxiety of being in quarantine. In fact, programs for psychological attention and occupational therapies have also been provided, so as to lower tension. It also continued with the educational accompanying work, so that minors continue with learning and school activities.

In order to improve the accompanying path, a census of the situation of each family group was carried out, so as to create a personalized assistance plan. Specifically, the program consists in the delivery of canned food and cleaning materials to the most vulnerable families, included in programs aimed at street children, in outpatient programs, in programs for minors with parents deprived of their liberty or with families below the poverty line.

Teens, girls and boys from the various residences of the Foundation were told how to carry out a cleaning and sanitation operation; a task performed by young people, under the supervision of their educators, in order to take care of their home and avoid contagion.

A device has been installed in the Day Center of Valparaiso in which food, hygiene kits and protection for street people are delivered.

In view of the pandemic situation and the arrival of winter, a flu vaccination operation was also carried out for all the beneficiaries and staff of the Foundation, to prevent the spread of colds and strengthen the immune system. Personal care training was also provided to all street people in all programs.

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