In a Costa Rican community controlled by drug cartels, local church leader, Bella Flor, has spent the last two decades bringing holistic transformation to the lives of children and families, whilst also getting her hands dirty by cleaning up the local environment. Bella Flor talks to us about her motivation, her challenges and how being […]
Category: Latin America
Learning to listen to children
Last year, over 200,000 adults in 14 countries were reached with positive messages about treating children in their care better through Viva’s Good Treatment Campaign – more than double the number of the previous year. A total of 900 churches and organisations from 22 of Viva’s partner networks worked together to reach people in their […]
Local saints: Arturo’s story
In faith, Arturo has stepped out to pastor a pioneering youth church in Alajualita, the least developed city in Costa Rica. Many children living there have six or more siblings, and spend much of their time in often-dangerous work. Arturo soon realised that education was the only way to break the cycle of abuse and […]
Christmas Parties: come as you are
BY ANDREW DUBOCK There were no exclusive, red-carpet gatherings. Or invitation-only events with strict dress codes. They weren’t about celebrating celebrities or those at the top of the social ladder. No, these parties were much more special than that. They welcomed those usually forgotten about, left behind and pushed away from the spotlight. They were […]
“You will help me fulfil my dream”
BY FRAN HALL Through our partner network, Red Viva Costa Rica, we’re proud to have been working hand-in-hand with PANI (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia), the government’s autonomous national child welfare agency, on a pilot project that is building processes to enable children leaving care homes to thrive in the future. Despite being one of […]
Prayers of peace for Venezuela
At a time of increased crisis for Venezuela, the leader of Viva’s partner network in the country has asked for continued prayers for peace at a national level and within families. Life is really tough for people in Venezuela. Having suffered hyperinflation, food and medical shortages, rising crime and unemployment in recent years – leading […]
Tackling cyberbullying and online grooming
Regrettably, in Argentina, there is a growing number of cases of online grooming and cyberbullying with very tragic outcomes. According to statistics, more than 5,000 complaints about these issues were made in 2017 in Argentina, which is approximately 14 complaints per day – and these figures are increasing all the time. There are also many […]
Hope for change in Mexico
BY AIXA MARÍN, CO-ORDINATOR OF RED VIVA MEXICO Mexico is a country of enormous proportions and sharp contrasts. However, despite representing more than 30 per cent of the population, children here are barely noticeable in the statistics. This invisibility of childhood and adolescence has led authorities and society in general to a misconception: that the […]
Why Families Matter
It’s estimated that there are 145 million registered orphans across the world, and of these only about 9 per cent have lost both parents. Many families are unstable and millions more children are separated from one or both parents due to violence, abuse, alcoholism, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and other conflicts. Too many children are suffering […]
True humility in a hostile place
BY CHARLOTTE GYE Charlotte Gye is 21 years old and starting university in the UK studying nursing. Earlier this year, she spent four months living in San José, volunteering for Red Viva Costa Rica. Here are her reflections on her time there. I stood with a church leader, Pastor M, as he shared an incredible […]