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Blasita Benítez con su mochilla Blasita Benítez with her school bag Blasíta Benítez mit ihrer Schultasche |
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Entrega de beca solidaria A girl receiving the scholarship Wer ist glücklicher von den beiden? |
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Niños y sus padres en el acto de la entrega Children and their parents at the presentation of the scholarships Kinder und ihre Eltern bei der Überreichung der „Schultüten“ |
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Sueños y anhelos... Dreams and longings Träume von einer besseren Zukunft |
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Primer día en colegio First day at school Erster Schultag |
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Un momento de alegría pura A moment of sheer joy Ein Augenblick reiner Freude |
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Entrega en otro centro Presentation in another center Übergabe in einem der anderen Zentren Fotos: Dequeni © 2005 |
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Paraguay, cfd/mkf. They are poorly dressed children, but just like other children in different circumstances, they are full of illusions and dreams that they want to accomplish. They are the children who on February 16th received the first of 1,030 scholarships of solidarity, thanks to which they can attend school. Upon seeing Blasita Benitez' smile, all the efforts of the last months to obtain the scholarships seemed like nothing...Everything that was done to obtain the scholarship was worthwhile to see the timid smile of a little girl on her first day of classes, wearing a new uniform...A day that she would have spent on the street if it had not been for DEQUENI.
Who is happiest? The little girl whose eyes shone with happiness when she received her backpack, or the volunteer from DEQUENI who presented it to her? These are unforgettable moments. With everyone's help we were able to make the dreams of these children come true...or least to watch over their rights", writes Raquel Beltran of DEQUENI Foundation. The joy, hope and satisfaction reflected on the faces of each of the children who were recipients of the scholarships, touch the hearts of everyone. "Today I will begin to search for scholarships for 2006," writes an excited German lady, when she saw the photographs.
One of the children in the photo goes to school thanks to her donation...
After a successful campaign of solidarity that took place during the last three months of last year, DEQUENI Foundation started to bestow the educational scholarships donated by persons and organizations from Paraguay and other countries within the framework of the campaign: A THOUSAND WINGS, A THOUSAND CHILDREN, A THOUSAND EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS. This campaign makes it possible for boys and girls who belong to low income families to access their right to an education.
To accomplish the educational success of each one of these children
The scholarships cover the expense of the backpack with school supplies, the complete uniform, the tuition for school, and mentoring by DEQUENI throughout the school year with the objective of accomplishing educational success for each one of them.
On Wednesday, February 16 the scholarships were given to the families and children of Proyecto Casa de Acogida, (House of Welcome Project) at Casa Central, in Fernando de la Mora. The parents arrived early for the meeting convened by DEQUENI and in an orderly manner, they received the educational scholarships which will make it possible for their children to attend a school with everything they will need.
Each educational scholarship (42,00 US$) includes: shoes and socks, a uniform and backpack with school supplies (notebooks, dictionaries, and basic school supplies). On Thursday, February 17th the same type of meeting was held in Asuncion for the recipients from Projejct Mitarenda and United for the community, and this activity continued until all the scholarships were given. On the 21st of February the last backpacks were given to 200 adolescents from the Guardians of Mary Rehabilitation Center.
The daily mentoring that DEQUENI offers each recipient family and child, in addition to the scheduled school day and the scholarships which are given at the beginning of the school year, make it possible for at risk children to finish the school year satisfactorily.
In 2004 the projects of the centers opened by DEQUENI presented 460 educational scholarships and 93% of these children passed to the next grade without complementary exams. This year the goal was to establish 1,000 scholarships of solidarity and to extend the opportunity to boys and girls who had not benefitted from DEQUENI. Many responded and in this way the project "RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION" was created, which will also benefit boys and girls from Caaguazu and J. Augusto Saldivar with scholarships. Scholarships from DEQUENI include necessary materials in addition to mentoring throughout the year. The goal is not only to give the scholarship, but for every child to learn and to pass grade level at the end of the year.
The campaign of Scholarships of Solidarity led by the foundation forms part of thier programs of human development and the struggle against poverty.
This year the foundation, started in 1985 by a group of Schoenstatt Youth, completed 20 years of service carrying out 15 projects in different cities of the country.
To all persons, organizations, and media that collaborated: THANK YOU!.
More about Dequeni (in Spanish): www.dequeni.org.py
Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, Texas, USA