Hogar de Cristo Nurtures the Future of Children at Perimetral

Hogar de Cristo provides soymilk to children of four schools at Perimetral

Children that live in the northeast zone of the city of Guayaquil (Ecuador), known as Perimetral highway, face difficult situations at an early age. The lack of economic resources in this area of the city has affected these children’s basic rights such as education and health.

Foundation Hogar de Cristo, an institution of social helps that began its work 40 years ago, decided a year ago to create a project to improve these children’s health. A medical study performed by the foundation revealed that almost a thousand children suffered from severe cases of anaemia.

The foundation received its first “mechanical cow” (a machine used to create soymilk) thanks to the donation of Club Rotarios immediately they began to feed the children with soymilk.

Father Eduardo Vega Lozano, coordinator of the social work, remembers “the children’s health and learning capabilities improved almost immediately because of the nutritious properties of the soy.” Soon the foundation was known for its plan and began to grow in terms of productivity.

The foundation was able to buy its second “mechanical cow” thanks to the support of the charity program of Fybecca pharmacy which continue to help the foundation trough a campaign called “con su vuelto, vuelto la esperanza.”

Father Eduardo Vega and the work of Hogar de Cristo

This campaign improved its plan and now volunteers are able to provide joy and health to children of four schools: “Maria Alegria,” “Cosme Renella,” “Colinas del Sinai,” “Ciudad de Israel,” and “Futuro de Carlitos.”

With the donations recyclable bottles, a donation of Cridesa company, Hogar de Cristo managed to deliver a thousand breakfasts of soymilk and breath the children of four schools in the northeast of Perimetral. “This diminished the 881 cases registered of anaemic children to 82, which proved that this food is effective to fight the malnourishment.”

Now the foundation Hogar de Cristo is trying to obtain a third “mechanical cow” and at the same time it sells the excess of production to the local general stores of the zone at a lower price. With this income the group of Father Eduardo Vega Lozano plans to increase its distribution to another school. Finally through talks “the foundation speaks to parents and children about the benefits that the soymilk offers and the importance of recycling.” (AV)