Family House

A place of meeting

At “Marcelino Pan y Vino”, NATs can find a place and an opportunity to meet with themselves and others. A place where they can share not only their problems, but also their values and thoughts, where children and teenagers can compare in order to know themselves deeply and to solve the difficulties of their lives and social integration.

The House of Marcelino Pan y Vino, a house of Christian inspiration, wants to be a starting point, a place where living the faith in community discovering everyone’s dignity as sons of God, can be achieved.

A school for NATs

Children and teenagers attending Marcelino Pan y Vino are mainly workers, who happen to understand the importance of a proper education when growing as part of a society therefore, they do not neglect it despite their difficult situation. Public school systems do not provide a fair scholastic program, moreover, do not take into account the special needs of a working children or teenager. Our first task at Marcelino Pan y Vino is to entitle those children to a proper education. Educators at the House are currently providing NATs with an after school program; they have put together a library, handled by some of the teenagers who also attend the program, where NATs can have access to books and material that otherwise they could not possible use, due to their costs. The goal -almost achieved- is the opening of a school dedicated specifically to working children and their needs. That is, a system suited to them not only in terms of time, but also -and most important- with teachers able to understand their problems and to transmit a sense of worthiness as children and human beings.

Library

A service provided everyday for the whole Huamachuco community, coordinated by teenagers working in two shifts.

Nourishment

Starvation is a common problem among NATs who often cannot assure themselves even one proper meal a day. Substantial meals are distributed at Marcelino Pan y Vino’s kitchen, which at the same time, is taken care by mothers of some NATs.

Health and Hygiene

A campaign promoting education on health and hygiene care has been established by Marcelino Pan y Vino that allows children to become promoters of their own health. Furthermore, a first aid service is being offered including a yearly medical check up for every child.

Sports and Recreational activities

These activities are very important to the growth of children and teenagers; thus, Marcelino Pan y Vino dedicates a lot of time and space for sports and games, organizing several activities such as volleyball and football matches, local dance classes, birthday parties, trips, and games. Visiting the library is taken as a recreational activity as well.

Handcrafting labs

Under a teacher’s instructions, children design small objects such as greeting cards and traditional artisan objects, which will be sold later in Italy through a fair commercial chain.

The Juvenile Group

Although “Progetto Amico” (Friend Project) is addressed to children and teenagers, often some of those who really need help have already reached an age limit to attend the program. In spite of this, they keep visiting the House for help and to organize meetings and pastoral teen groups.

The school for parents

Considering the importance of including parents as active members on NATs’ education, periodical meetings are held at Marcelino Pan y Vino House, where parents have the possibility to confront themselves and share the same message and philosophy of life with their children. Often, this one is the only one occasion in which they feel like speaking about their problems and privations.

BUREAU FOR THE DEFENSE OF NAT’S RIGHTS

It is called DEFENAT’s the bureau defending the rights of working children, which do so by offering services such as promotion and protection against mistreat, violence, abandonment or any kind of abuse.