Fundação Lar Feliz

Cresci, e Agora?

Thematic workshop for teenagers at-risk of violence and sexual exploitation

The people of Malhada, Juazeiro live in conditions of considerable hardship, with the principal source of income being the assistance program provided by the government. Basic sanitation, clean water, garbage collection and paved roads are absent in the community. The statistics for violence and infant mortality are high, and most of the homes are single room and made of wood or paperboard. In this environment, children and adolescents become sexually active at a very young age and lack orientation. Sexual exploitation, abuse, and teenage pregnancy are a common reality in this community.

IMPACT

With support from BrazilFoundation, the project will:

• Hold workshops for 50 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 on sexual and reproductive health, future employment, and financial responsibility;

• Offer activities in collaboration with the Brazilian equivalent of the Child Protection Agency;

• Help adolescents gain independence and provide access to education that will improve their professional prospects.

“There is a serious problem with sexual exploitation here. Many girls between the ages of 12 and 13 don’t have hope for a better life.” – Tia Ressu, head administrator of Lar Feliz