PROJECT TO ASSIST HIGH RISK, DISPLACED AND ORPHAN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS LIVING IN COCA PRODUCING AREAS

Nearly 20 years of subversive war in the country has produced displacement, abandonment and orphanhood particularly among children living in the poorest areas where drug trafficking is evident. Children and adolescents were the first victims assisted by this program in the most convoluted areas.

Since 1999 the project provides assistance in the districts of Kimbiri and San Francisco in Rio Apurímac-Ene Valley (department of Ayacucho), the district of Aguaytía (department of Ucayali), and the district of Tocache (department of San Martín).

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

To contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of displaced children and adolescents, victims of drug trafficking and terrorist violence living in the main coca leaf production areas.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

· Train children and adolescents in values and social skills to prevent risk behaviors, such as participating in the coca leaf production, transformation and commercialization.

· Train parents to educate and care for their children, promoting values and social skills to prevent their participation in coca leaf production, transformation and commercialization.

· Promote grass-roots organizations and local authorities' (political, religious, military and police) awareness of displaced and orphan children and adolescent problems, and their involvement to address the problem in an adequate manner.
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STRATEGIES

The purpose of the program is to provide youths schooling and training to emphasize their identity, self-esteem and values and repudiate illegality.

The main strategy is to take children and adolescents to attractive locations to participate in personal stimulation, school leveling and individual and group support activities.

An Assistance, Orientation and Counseling Center ("Centro de Atención, Orientación y Consejería") has been implemented in each location with the basic furniture, books, and educational and play materials required. These facilities include job training workshops for adolescents. The team is formed by a local coordinator, a teacher and a promoter in charge of developing the different types of activities addressed to the children and their original families (a minority), extended or substitute families, and the community as a whole.

Home visits are made to the different types of family providing permanent information and counseling, awareness pañas, information fairs and street bands ("pasacalles") .The purpose of these activities is to reach 100 kids and adolescents in each locality and to involve 60% of their families in the program.

Achievements with children and adolescents

§ Permanent assistance is given to 310 children and adolescents in the three sites. 115 children and adolescents receive assistance in Tocache; 100, in the VRAE and 95 in Aguaytía, regularly attending the program.

§ Regarding the work with children and adolescents it can be said that 40% of the population receiving assistance have reinforced and improved their social skills, particularly their organizational, participatory and socialization skills, and their self-esteem.

§ 30% of the children and adolescents in Tocache have learned to plant and collect different types of vegetables and orchard products (cucumber, tomato, cabbage, maize, radish) in an orchard located within the facility that produces an average of 500 of these vegetables.

§ With the support of the Technological College "Padre Abad",15% of adolescents in Aguaytía, have been trained in computer skills and have acquired basic knowledge of Nursing and First Aid.

§ A carpenter's workshop is continuously operating in VRAE and 15% of adolescents have been trained so far to produce different types of furniture, office supplies, ornaments and toys.

1. Achievements with Families

§ The current family register includes 214 nuclear, extended or substitute families, which have been contacted at least once during the two years the of the project; a total of 77 in Tocache, 86 in VRAE, and 51 in Aguaytía.

§ Approximately 50% of the families in Tocache and 30% both in Aguaytía and VRAE, have been trained to train and educate their children or tutees. A commitment has been made with these families to meet and visit their homes on a regular basis. These families have a positive perception of the program; they say that it has helped them not only to improve their children's behavior but has contributed to support their education an upbringing.

§ According to the children, their parents, mothers and tutors have come closer to them and are are more interested and involved in their activities.

2. Achievement with Social Support Networks

A Social Support Network has been formed in each work area with the participation of the church, public and private institutions, grass-roots organizations and members of the civil society; and new members are being incorporated to the network.
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The Networks receive permanent technical assistance and specific training on family violence and child abuse, defense and promotion of the children and adolescents rights. Likewise, the member institutions and organizations support program activities, and have increased their awareness of the advantages of legality.