Half of the children in Uruguay, South America, live below the poverty line. Many drop out of school to beg on the streets or prostitute. A lot of children are found roaming the streets because their parents aren’t concerned with their whereabouts or wellbeing. They are stolen for the purposes of slavery and forced labour, pressured into illicit drug use, or abused.

Rivera is a city in Uruguay with a population of 90,000 people. As a border city it is a danger zone for children. The local Salvation Army recognized a need to provide a safe place where children could feel respected and loved—where they could develop their abilities and talents.
With funding from The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda, a children’s program was established. The daily agenda offers holistic support (social, educational and spiritual) to children and their families.

Many children are forced to complete homework in a corner of their small homes. They get frustrated, play outside, and school grades suffer. At The Salvation Army they have an appropriate place to work and tutors help them with difficult assignments.

Children also learn personal hygiene and, if necessary, have their clothes washed. They learn music, reading and play games. A social worker conducts various workshops to educate and bring awareness to community issues that include sex education, domestic violence, illicit drug use and how to recognize and stop a predator.

The social worker also makes home visits to parents and parents are encouraged to provide snacks at the program and participate in the planning and implementing of fundraising events.
Some children abandon the program, but The Salvation Army continues to support and encourage them to take hold of the opportunity that could give them a different future.