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Un futuro gracias a Dequeni Future thanks to Dequeni Eine Zukunft dank Dequeni |
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Logotipo de la Fundación Dequeni Logo of the Foundation Dequeni Logo von Dequeni |
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Durante el ańo 2004 la meta será beneficiar a 8.550 personas, entre ellas 1.837 nińos, 130 jóvenes, 1.269 familias y 8 comunidades de extrema pobreza. In 2004, 8,550 persons shall receive support through Dequeni: 1,873 children, 130 youth, 1,269 families, and 8 poor communities 8.850 Menschen sollen in diesem Jahr unterstützt werden: 1837 Kinder, 130 Jugendlichen, 1269 Familien und 8 mittellose Gemeinschaften. |
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Una beca - 20.00 US$, 15.00 € She can attend school with a donation of 20.00 US$, 15.00 € Für 20.00 US$, 15.00 € kann sie zur Schule gehen |
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Saltando a un futuro mejor Jumping into a better future Auf dem Sprung in eine bessere Zukunft |
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Son milagros desconocidos... These are the hidden miracles... Unbekannte Wunder… |
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Una sonrisa que dice todo A smile that says all Ein Lächeln sagt alles |
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Afortunadas The lucky ones Sie haben Glück gehabt |
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Fotos:www.dequeni.org.py © 2004 |
PARAGUAY, mkf. Haltern, Germany, January 6th, 2004: Ingrid Springer received a call… In her spare time she volunteers to collect funds for Social programs of the Schoenstatt Movement in Latin America. The person at the telephone says: "I saw articles in the schoenstatt.de web site and I would like to be a volunteer in one of the social programs of Schoenstatt in Latin America…" She is a student at the University of Bamberg, in Bavaria, Germany. After some discussion, she decides for "Dequeni", in Paraguay. The word DEQUENI comes from the extracted syllables from the Biblical passage of Mark the Apostle, "Let the Children Come to me", Mk. 10, 14. (In Spanish: "DEjad QUE los NIños vengan a mí") In general these children to come are children working in the streets of Paraguay...
They are more than 1,800 youngsters who receive aid from the Dequeni Foundation, and , as Roberto Gebhardt, one of the benefactors, comments: "everything in the Covenant of Love".
The Dequeni Foundation is a Private Non-Profit institution that has been functioning since 1985 with the objective to fight against poverty through programs that benefit children, young people, families and communities of limited resources in Paraguay. At the moment it develops 12 programs in diverse localities in Open and Communitarian Centers (Asuncion, Luque,
Fernando de la Mora, Caacupe, Coronel Oviedo, Horqueta, Concepcion and Ciudad del Este).
The goal for 2004 will be to benefit 8,550 people, among them 1,837 children, 130 young people, 1,269 families and 8 communities of extreme poverty.
The history of Dequení began in 1985 when a small group of young people of the Schoenstatt Movement began apostolic activities in the Medalla Milagrosa parish (Fernando de la Mora, bordering municipality with Asuncion). Services of tea and cake, and catechesis were offered to working children - working in the streets because their parents could not afford the costs of sending them to school. Thirty-three working children attended to the first gathering. Soon more people joined this initiative.
Erika y Felix: two of the lucky ones…
Unknown miracles are made in children like Erika and Felix.
Erika Ch, 7, finished the school year being the best student of the school "San Juan Bautista", in San Lorenzo. She has been in Denequi a year now. Her brother Felix, 12, finished Sixth grade being the best student of the second cycle from the same school. He has been part of Dequeni for 4 years now. Both live in the "24 de Junio" village in San Lorenzo. Their father sells "remedies" (special medicinal herbs gathered by him, to be added to the water of the typical mate or terere), and the mother sells candy of mamon and guava, that she herself prepares. The couple has 8 children. Before entering Dequeni, Felix helped his father selling the candy that his mother had prepared by the main Avenues of Asuncion; and Erika sold the candy by the streets of her village. Felix is at the moment the 2003/2004 President of the Committee of Children of the Marangatu Center. Two children who have a future...
The campaign of solidarity scholarships
At the moment, before the beginning of the new school year, Dequeni is working with the scholarships campaign. This scholarship consists of an only contribution of G.180.000 (USD $20.00, 15.00 €) that allows to fill a backpack with all the school supplies and necessary materials, and to pay for the uniform and school tuition. Amy Cabrera, who is in charge of Communications for the Denequi Foundation said: "If there were people interested in helping Dequeni, this is a concrete and very simple way to do it".
The goal is to collect 500 scholarships for children with limited resources; at the moment they only have 330 pledges. "As you might know, in Paraguay, the topic of education has many downfalls, and this worsens with the poverty situation of more than 40% of the population", explains Ms. Cabrera. "With these scholarships we give the opportunity so that a boy or a girl accedes to the education with the minimum conditions of clothes, complete school supplies, and school tuition. Subsequently, Dequeni offers them services of tutoring, it provides them with food, health and follow up programs".
Twenty dollars or fifty euros. "I believe I have the gift for my nephew who is preparing for his First Communion", a German lady comments. "I am going to give him the joy to donate a scholarship for a Paraguayan youngster". Amy Cabrera says: "We could answer this donation with a letter showing our appreciation for the contribution in name of her nephew". Perhaps the boy is excited to give another scholarship with the monies that he will receive from gifts, showing the solidarity that children have.
The history and Mission of "Dequeni"
The DEQUENI mission is to convene and to administer the society’s resources meant for the people, families and communities with limited resources.
The objectives are:
- To offer to programs and opportunities to children, young people, families and communities of limited resources, so that through work they manage to improve their conditions of life, and
- To develop a Culture of Solidarity so that all the people from their area would be protagonists of the social development.
In 1987, Dequeni received a room, and a donation from a private business from Fernando de la Mora. That money allowed the hiring of three educators to offer catechesis classes, school support (tutoring), hygiene, and crafts classes.
On July 24th, 1989 the Executive authority approved the statutes. The actions became programs: Center of training "Vigilantes of Maria", school support (tutoring), and catechesis.
En 1991, more programs were added: Kinder-garden; pre-scholar classrooms. Work was incorporated with the families, and in 1994 the work with families of extreme poverty began. In 1995, the opening of another center in Caacupe (located at 54 km from the capital) was accomplished and programs of community development began. In 1996, the campaign of promotion and fundraising began, and with this the institutional opening to the Paraguayan society. Soon, the network of beneficent partners began. This network counted with more than 1,100 people in 2000. The first marathon of solidarity with the social commitment of several companies was made. In 2001, three community centers obtained the their independence with a committee of parents at the board, and with this the stability of the programs. A strategic five year plan was developed.
All this began with a few young people who took seriously the social commitment of the Covenant of Love… What matters, is always the first step, and the devotion to maintain it through time!
For more information: www.dequeni.org.py
Contributions from other countries than Paraguay can be made through the Web site (Spanish, but standard forms). It has built-in the system of E-commerce. (Credit card is needed). Questions? Turn to: recursos@dequeni.org.py