The ProNiño Honduras Program
A Four Phase Plan for Transformation

Street Children – Can They Really Be Rehabilitated?
Children need a constant and reliable source of love, care, guidance and nurture from caring adults. Intuitively, we all know this. Meeting these needs is no small task –but it is the foundation upon which rehabilitation is built. The many problems street children face and the negative lifestyles they have adopted may seem like formidable obstacles. But we can’t lose sight of a simple truth. Street children are still ~ CHILDREN ~ and when children are given adequate doses of love, attention, limits and guidance – they flourish. We believe the downward spiral of street life can be broken. In fact .. we know it can. The Bosconia project in Bogotá, Colombia has been successfully doing it for years. Bosconia has been serving the needs of Colombia’s street children since the early 1970s. 

The program has graduated thousands of students and enjoys an 80% plus success rate. Determined to learn from their success, ProNiño has modeled the Bosconia approach and developed a multiphase rehabilitation program. This approach is proving successful in the dusty town of El Progreso Honduras - demonstrating the dramatic changes that take place in the life of a street child when they are shown the care and attention they so desperately desire. When given the resources they need to grow .. street children can and DO change. They are able to turn from street life and grow into healthy and happy adults - productive members of society.
 

Four Phases ~ Stepping Stones Towards Transformation

• Establishing trusting relationships between child and staff
• Overcoming addiction and replacing negative behaviors with positive coping mechanisms and effective interpersonal skills
• Completing a basic education and attaining an employable skill
• Integrating with society as a healthy, happy and contributing member
  

Phase One: Getting to Know- Mobile Soup Kitchen / El Patio 
Simply staying alive is the constant struggle street children face. This dehumanizing struggle is often preceded by a fractured home life plagued by neglect, abuse and abandonment. Needless to say, these realities erode a child’s ability to develop trusting relationships. That is why ProNiño’s first phase is so critical. During this phase, the street children come to a safe place and develop a trusting relationship with the mentors and other ProNiño staff. Consistent and tangible care is demonstrated through meals, games and just “hanging out” with the children. The trust and friendship becomes the basis for the child’s eventual rehabilitation.

 Street culture is a living and ever changing entity. Street children move from place to place. Group dynamics shift. Therefore the approach to reaching them must also be flexible and adaptable. Two successful approaches are the town patio and the mobile soup kitchen. 

El Patio is a small shelter offering a place where the street children can come to enjoy a few hours of safety for the day. Drugs and weapons are set aside while the children enjoy a meal, clean up a bit, play games, get to know the ProNiño staff… . and even get the chance to learn how to write their first word.

The mobile soup kitchen literally “takes it to the street”. The street mentors search out where the street children are congregating – and that is where the soup kitchen goes. Over what may be the child’s only meal for the day, the street children get to know the mentors and learn about the next phase of the Program .. Las Flores.

Phase Two: Breaking the Grip of Addiction - Las Flores
The second phase of the program is where a street child gives up drugs and learns more positive approaches to life. Las Flores is where they learn to play, work and interact constructively and to adhere to discipline and structure. Virtually all the children coming to Las Flores are addicted to glue, so immediate detox is accomplished with the support of a doctor, psychologist and other staff members. 

Occupational therapy is key to life at Las Flores and are aimed at providing the children with activities they enjoy. Children are provided the opportunity to use their bodies and minds in productive ways. Art, sports, raising goats, gardening and music are some of the new activities the children learn. Street children enter Las Flores lacking the most basic of life skills. How to brush your teeth, make a bed, address a person by their name – these fundamental skills are learned at Las Flores. As a child masters new skills and adopts more healthy patterns, the grip of addiction is broken. The child begins to see himself in a new light and he begins to see new possibilities for his future. 

The facilities at Las Flores are located on a quiet piece of land donated by Chiquita Brand International. By design, Las Flores is located a few miles out of town – thus providing physical and psychological distance from the trauma of street life. It is a dormitory style residential center with a 30-child capacity. Mentors are on-site 24 hours a day providing constant guidance and support. Educators provide instruction at appropriate levels. Using group discussion and individual counseling, psychologist and social workers assist the children through the rehabilitation process. They also work with the staff to identify, develop and implement effective strategies for interactions with the children.

Phase Three: A Place to Call Home - La Montaña 

La Montaña is the long-term home and educational center for children who have demonstrated progress and achieved cessation of drug use at Las Flores.

La Montaña provides a true home-like environment. Love, guidance, nurture and structure provided by consistent and caring adults paves the way for character development based on Christian values. 

La Montaña is located on a beautiful and tranquil 50-acre mountainous plot overlooking the town of El Progreso. The extensive facilities and the tranquil surroundings contribute to the rehabilitation process by showing the children that rewards come with positive behavior changes. The center includes its own school, vocational training classrooms, dormitories, dining hall, library, sports fields, medical clinic and a chapel. As of January 2005, La Montaña could house 50 children, with room for expansion as needed, and as donations permit. On-site workshops provide classes in various trades including masonry, welding, metal work, carpentry, tailoring, mechanics and plumbing – all trades that will provide local and meaningful employment opportunities.
 

Goals at La Montaña

• Complete a basic education
• Acquire skills, a trade, or aspire to a profession enabling graduates to find full time employment leading to financial independence
• Develop the necessary psychological, emotional, and interpersonal skills to reenter society as happy and productive citizens
  

Agents of Change at La Montaña
Mentors: On-site 24 hours a day providing constant contact, guidance and support.
 

Teachers: Vocational and formal teachers provide age and level appropriate instruction.
 

Psychologist and social workers: Assist the children through the rehabilitation process using group discussion and individual counseling. They also work with staff to develop effective strategies to help each child reach his or her full potential.
 

Medical staff: A doctor and nurse are available at various times through the week and as needed to provide health assessments, preventive and minor acute care and health promotion.
 

A whole host of others: From the cook to the director to the program volunteers – everyone at ProNiño has been selected because of their commitment and care for the children. This team approach builds the security, trust and structure that has been so lacking in these children’s lives. While the activities, education and the facilities are important - it is the people of ProNiño that are the heart and soul of the program. Their hard work, dedication and love are the irreplaceable ingredients that make rehabilitation a reality. 

Phase Four: Re-Integration

The ultimate goal of the program is for the children to reenter society as healthy contributing young adults. Phase four is the final stepping-stone towards this goal. As more children grow up and move through the rehabilitation process, we look to the future full development of phase four. 

Once a child has reached age 18, has learned to read and write, and has learned a trade – it is time for transition into phase four. ProNiño is committed to making that transition successful. Support such as job placement, transportation and assistance with other basic needs will be provided. Another option will be moving into a foster family located on La Montaña property. Up to 5 former street children will live with foster parents and continue their growth and development in a family setting. ProNiño will continue to monitor each child’s progress and provide assistance as needed.