The Story of Sofía
20-03-2011 - Sofía is three years old and the youngest of four siblings between 3 and 12. They live in a poor area of Ambato together with their single mum. She sells candy in the streets and earns about three dollars per day. That is just enough to pay one meal a day and the rent for a small room where they all sleep together on one mattress. She doesn’t have money for breakfast nor dinner, let alone for clothes, school materials, etc. That is why the mother chose to keep the kids away from school and take them with her while she is selling in the streets. This even turned out to be in her advantage, because people rather buy from the “poor little ones” than from her.
A neighbor informed the Children’s Court and they brought the case to our Child ‘N Family center. After various persistent visits, the desperate mother finally confided in our social worker Sandra. We immediately decided to work closely together with the whole social system around the children, especially the school. First of all, we bought the school materials, so the mother has no excuse to keep the children away from education. Then Sandra went to the school to enroll the children and to explain the risk situation. Now the teachers will also play a key role in their social well-being by keeping an extra eye on them.
We will continue to guide Sofía and her family for a while, socially and psychologically, until they will function in a more self-sufficient and healthier way.
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