Children whose first memories of life involve deprivation, abuse, and sorrow are finding refuge, healing, and hope at “Welcome Children” centers across Brazil. The centers, called “Casas de Acolhimento” in Portuguese, are sponsored by ADRA Brazil, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s relief and development arm.

From a very young age, Juliana do Rosário experienced the life of an abused child. She was sexually abused by her mother and stepfather when living with them. Relocation to her biological father's house led to the same abusive attitudes. Due to the family neglect she had suffered, at the age of 16, she was referred to the Welcome Children center in Vitória, Espírito Santo state. The facility is coordinated by ADRA Brazil, which has since 2001 partnered with the municipal government.

For young Juliana do Rosário, life seemed hopeless, but at the Welcome Children center, a couple of caregivers made a difference in her life. It was there that she found people who loved her, thus providing an opportunity to write a new chapter in her life story. 

“In a rebellious moment, we had a long conversation, where I was challenged to change my life. The people there supported me. I won a father and a mother. My life took on a different, greater meaning,” she said.

As a result of the impact that the team of caregivers had on her life, Juliana, who since childhood suffered sexual abuse and neglect of her biological family, decided to be different from what she was taught in her old home. 

At the age of 20, she chose to help others. Today, she is an ADRA collaborator and caregiver at Abrigo de Vitória, or “Victory Shelter” in English, the same facility she stayed in during her teenage years. “Despite the difficulties, there is hope. I came there aimless, and left with a family,” she said.

Juliana now helps children who’ve suffered as she once did, striving to impart a message of hope for youths who may feel their situation is hopeless. “Today I feel good because I can help … and make a difference in their lives, just as two caregivers did for me years ago. I work to help them not lose hope, and realize there are good people in this world who care about them,” she said.

Importance of caring for minors

Brazil notes a National Day to Combat Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Adolescents each May 18. According to the National Ombudsman for Human Rights, in 2019 officials registered 42,585 complaints via the “Dial 100” helpline telephone service, specifically created for reporting rights abuses. Sexual abuse (80.15 percent) and sexual exploitation (14.85 percent) are the most reported violations. According to data from the Human Rights Secretariat, most violations are committed at home.

Unesco recently said that the closure of schools has impacted the lives of 1.3 billion students in 186 countries. In Brazil, this interruption forced children and adolescents to lose contact with protective adults. There is a fear that many children are exposed to increased tensions, misunderstandings at home, situations resulting from the economic crisis, stress and a greater consumption of alcoholic beverages. 

ADRA has entered into partnerships with city halls and coordinates services that receive children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years old, victims of abandonment, violence, and mistreatment, forwarded by the Judiciary and/or Guardianship Council, on a provisional basis, until that the return of the sheltered person to the family of origin be made possible or, in its impossibility, forwarded to the substitute family.

In addition to Espírito Santo, in the states of Amazonas, Rio de Janeiro, Rondônia, Bahia, and the Federal District, ADRA works in the area of ​​prevention and direct assistance to children and adolescents in vulnerable situations. In partnership with Unicef, the municipalities of these states and others, a total of 634 children are served monthly in the projects, in order to help improve the living conditions of these children.

In Espírito Santo, ADRA works in partnership with the municipalities of Cariacica, Viana, Vila Velha and Vitória, in the coordination of Childcare Centers. Cláudia Brandão is an agency collaborator and managerial coordinator of the Institutional Reception Service in Cariacica. She reports that many children and adolescents arrive at shelters from neglect, abandonment, sexual abuse, among others. “In general, the children arrive very shaken and tearful, and those who already understand the situation arrive in revolt wanting to attack the employees and the other children,” Cláudia said.

According to a study by the University of Vila Velha, sheltered children and adolescents usually experienced many forms of exclusion in their lives: abandonment, domestic violence, economic, social, cultural, and political deprivation. For this reason, the work carried out by the Welcome Children centers is important to offer better living conditions and hope to these children and adolescents.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site