Happy Child International
Happy Child International has been working with vulnerable children and young people at risk in Brazil for 26 years. Both the Board of Directors and the staff at the Leatherhead Office are so grateful for your support, thank you. Today its vision is to create a world where every child and young person reaches their full potential in a safe and secure environment.
Since 2016 the focus has been on working with young teenage girls who may have become vulnerable and pregnant at a very young age. We run a 24/7 safe home in Recife for girls and their babies. 17 year old Juliana’s arrival at the Recife safe home at Easter 2019 was memorable. She was sad and withdrawn, refusing to eat or join in with the other girls. Her default behaviour was to isolate herself. Juliana spent her first few days in the home curled up on her bed facing the wall.
Juliana lost her maternal grandmother at an early age. Then she went to live with an aunt, whose bullying sons mistreated her. She returned to live with her own mother who physically and psychologically abused her. At the age of ten years old, Juliana was sent to live in an institution. Despite such a difficult start in life Juliana managed to perform very well at school. Her school report said: "Juliana excels in this subject (Robotics). She has a gift for design and understanding the complexities involved in engineering and science." However, besides doing well at school, Juliana began to crave the love and affection that had been missing in her life and fell prey to unhealthy relationships. She become pregnant at 17.
The staff in the Recife safe home worked with Juliana to help her to rebuild her faith in others, after being so hurt and let down by those she trusted. In September, Juliana gave birth to a strong and healthy baby boy, named Lucio. Juliana is a loving mum to her son. She says that this little boy means everything to her. Juliana wants to be able to provide for him and build a better life for them both. The team is hoping to get Juliana onto a vocational training course to study robotics. Juliana is looking forward to returning to her studies this year and starting to realise her dream.
In January 2020 John Doddrell, our UK Chair, visited the Recife safe home and met with government officials and potential donors who might be willing to support the work of Happy Child locally. It is still our vision that the work becomes self-sustaining in Brazil.