Africa-Press – Angola. The First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, made herself available, Thursday, in Menongue, Cuando Cubango province, to continue helping to solve the main difficulties that the home for disadvantaged children called “Mbembwa” is going through.
Ana Dias Lourenço, who was speaking at the end of a guided tour of the facilities, said that she will work with the direction of the home to help minimize the main problems that disadvantaged children and children in conflict with the law experience, with emphasis on the lack of food. , clothing, supplying electricity from the public grid, among other difficulties.
“You can count on me as a friend and mother, who will, from now on, think of you, we don’t have much to give, but we will help to resolve the main concerns that afflict the center’s management and the children, especially in the measure of our capabilities,” said the First Lady.
These children, he added, are in a phase of growth, and therefore, it is necessary to invest in their academic and professional training, with the learning of trades, the practice of agriculture and other activities, to facilitate their integration into society, once they reach adulthood.
Ana Dias Lourenço delivered foodstuffs, namely rice, pasta, vegetable oil, corn flour, beans, preserved meat and fish, as well as clothes, shoes, plasma television, books and toys, in order to reduce the enormous difficulties that the home faces.
center difficulties
The only center dedicated to welcoming children and adolescents in situations of vulnerability and in conflict with the law at the provincial level, was created more than 30 years ago, and has the capacity to welcome about 100 minors. At the moment, it only welcomes 38 boys, aged between seven and 27 years.
The director of the home, Mother Maria José Pereira, said that the institution is facing numerous difficulties, especially with the lack of funding to pay expenses related to food, clothing and other basic needs.
He mentioned that the home is experiencing a high degree of difficulties in ensuring technical-professional training, sports and cultural activities, practically depending on donations from companies and individuals.
Rehabilitated five years ago, the home has never benefited from electricity from the public network, a situation that causes enormous embarrassment for the conservation of frescoes and conditions the entry into operation of the arts and crafts workshop, where courses in Electricity, Civil Construction and Metalwork would be administered. .
According to the director, in order to stop depending on gestures of solidarity, it is necessary for the home to gain the status of a budget unit, similar to others existing at the level of other provinces.
In addition to sheltering abandoned children, the center also has other disabled people, some removed from the exploitation of child labor or subjected to other types of violence, not only from Cuando Cubango, but from other regions of the country.
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