"I began working at 6 years old."

The Dequení Foundation changes Angel Bogarín’s life…. and the lives of thousands of children

Angel Bogarín, es-beneficiario de Dequeni Angel Bogarín was supperted by Dequeni; today he rallies against child labor Angel Bogarín wurde von Dequeni unterstützt; heute setzt er sich aktiv gegen Kinderarbeit ein
Ronaldo (5), Joel (8), María Elisa (9) y Liz Gabriela (11) y Gabriela (4) son todos hermanos y vinieron a recibir sus becas escolares acompañados de su mamá. Ronaldo (5), Joel (8), María Elisa (9), Liz Gabriela (11) and Gabriela (4) are siblings, and came together with their mother to receive their scholarships Ronaldo (5), Joel (8), María Elisa (9), Liz Gabriela (11) und Gabriela (4) sind Geschwister und kamen zusammen mit ihrer Mutter, um ihre “Schultüte” abzuholen
Shirley Ortega asiste al 5to. Grado de la Escuela 254 de Caacupé, vino con su mamá Odila Ortega a recibir la beca escolar. Shirley Ortega is in the 5th grade of School 254 in Caacupé, she came with her mother, Odila Ortega to get her scholarship Shirley Ortega geht in die 5. Klasse der Schule 254 in Caacupé; sie kam mit ihrer Mutter, Odinal Ortega, ihr Stipendium abholen Fotos:  Dequeni  © 2008
Niños del jardín de infantes en Eschersheim, Frankfurt, Alemania, vendieron manualidades para ayudar a sus amigos en Paraguay Children of  the Saint Joseph Kindergarten from Eschersheim close to Frankfurt, Germany, sold crafts to help their friends in Paraguay Kinder des Kidnergarten St. Josef in Eschersheim bei Frankfurt bastelten um die Wette, um ihren Freunden in Paraguay zu helfen
La alegría de compartir Joy in sharing Freude am Teilen Fotos: U.Doll ©2008

PARAGUAY, Dequení/ mkf. Paraguayan Angel Bogarín is twenty-two years of age. When he was younger, he began to work on the street in order to survive. With the help of the Dequení Foundation, he was able to form and improve his life. Dequení is a Paraguayan NGO that helps needy children and families founded by the Schoenstatt Movement’s Youth over twenty years ago. It works in relation with the Movement, according to the Father Kentenich’s pedagogical principles and under the protection of the Virgin of Schoenstatt.

BBC World collected Angel Bogarín’s testimony when commemorating the worldwide day against world day against child labor. Angel recounted:

"I began working when I was six years old. My family was originally from the country. We harvested our crops and had abundant food. For me it was like paradise. But when I was five, there was a destructive flood that destroyed all our crops and animals. We were left with nothing.

A month later, my older brother died, he was the one who took care of us and sustained us. Then my dad went with my younger brother and my mom was with my two older brothers. I was left to live at the farm with an aunt.

I worked in the fields from the age of six to eight. I would get up at four in the morning, taking care of the cows, feeding them and taking them to the corral. Later I would go to school, and then on the way back home, I looked for firewood; I always was working.

We must work

Angel continues: When I was eight, my mom returned and took me with her to live in Asunción. There my older brother, who was eleven, told me, "We must work."

In the morning we would sell hot dogs and at night we would take care of cars in the center of town near the plaza in front of the cathedral.

I remember that there some older girls who also took care of autos. On my first day a young girl told me that I was invading her territory and she threw some glass at me which cut my forehead This is the first thing I remember. Also there were times cars would run over my foot. There were moments when I felt mistreated and rejected by the conductors.

But later it seemed to me to be a great adventure. I didn’t go hungry but I felt the absence of my older brother and my father.

My mom also wasn’t often home, because she worked as a housemaid. My brother and I lived with our mother and we had a stepfather.

My father lived far away, but he knew of our life. He would come to visit when he could and he tried to support my younger brother. He always promised me that he would get a house and that we would all be together again.

I found a place where I felt more accepted.

When I was ten years old I was tired of working so much. I polished boots throughout the city and then I would continue going to school It was at this time my mom and my stepfather were looking for a second little cart for the hot dogs, and they were told there was a Foundation (Dequení) that might help them.

We went, and they explained that while they couldn’t help with purchasing another cart, they could help the children with school supplies and tuition. Furthermore they would feed them and take care of them.

This changed my life. I encountered a place where I felt very accepted. The Foundation’s teachers advised, encouraged me, and mainly gave me love.

Since they worked with children of elementary age, when I passed to secondary they could no longer pay for my studies or school supplies. After this, I remained in the foundation to help the teachers as a volunteer. When I was 18 years old I obtained a scholarship through the foundation and AFS (ONG, a non- profit organization, which is dedicated to cultural exchange), and I went to Jamaica for a year.

When I returned, I was unemployed for a year until I got a job selling medical insurance. Now I am self-employed, I sell cosmetics.

I am also working with the Church for creating a foundation for helping children who work. I am passionately committed to working against child and especially to make the parents aware that they can love their children and take care of them. For me, that is the greatest work possible."

There are many children like him….

There are many children like Angel! In the streets of Asunción, in the streets of other cities, there are children whose lives can easily be changed…. children that some day could change the lives of many. With a single contribution of $55.00(US) (40€), a child receives a solid scholarship, a backpack with all the necessary supplies, a complete uniform, enrollment in a school in their community and the follow-up until the end of their school year.

There are so many children who need a little bit of help…and there so many children who want to help children, like the kindergarten children from Saint Joseph’s in Eshersheim near Frankfurt, Germany did. This is the second year they have decided to help their little friends in Paraguay. In November 2007 for the feast of St. Martin of Tours, the soldier saint, they raised funds by cooking little pies and selling to their dads, a great idea, and that’s not all, rather they also took their own books with drawings to sell them at the Advent Fair. The sixty-four Euros that they earned filled them with pride and motivated them to continue until Lent. Along with their dads, who were gathering enthusiasm for the project, they made candles, flower arrangements, wooden rabbits, small vases, and much more for Easter. What great happiness there was to make beautiful things, great also the joy in the days of the sale! And great the surprise when these days they could send a total of 484€ (730 US$) for Dequení. There are twelve scholarships, twelve Paraguayan children who can go to school for a year!

If everyone knew how easy it is to change the world, wouldn’t everyone be doing it?

So, spread the news! Tell all your friends and acquaintances!

• To donate
• Video of the scholarship campaign