Here is a description of the 12 homes and institutions Para Los Niños works with.
Virgen De Fátima Children’s Home
Virgen de Fatima is a residential home for up to 150 children, from birth to eight years of age. These children are abandoned, abused, lost or orphaned and are all wards of the state. It is called a transitional home but in reality the children will reside here for long periods of time until they are moved to another residential unit.
The Virgen de Fátima children’s home is where started Para Los Niños in 1995.
Instituto de Adaptación Infantil (IDAI)
This institute houses a residential unit for children, adolescents and young adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. The residential unit is on the 3rd and 4th floor of a building and houses 70 residents although this number can and does increase. The residents age from 2 to 25 years old and have varying degrees and types of disabilities. Once again these residents have been abandoned or abused and are wards of the state. Only a few residents here have any access to physical or occupational therapies and the majority of the residents time is spent inside with no access to the physical, social or intellectual world outside the institution. There is little to no stimulation provided in the home and sedation and restraint are commonly used to counteract epileptic or self harming behaviours. The carers here work 24 hr shifts and can be responsible for up to ten residents each. There is little change in their day to day lives and no sense of personal development, skill building or individuality.
Instituto de Rehabilitación Infantil (IRI)
IRI is a physical rehabilitation institute with a medical clinic, physiotherapy department, school and residential unit. The institute has two types of clients. Residents who are wards of the state who are abandoned or abused children. It also houses short term residents who live with their families but come to IRI for treatments for a month or two. The institute typically houses children up to 18 years of age but sometimes has adult residents. The children all suffer from a variety of physical disabilities which require intensive physiotherapy which they receive in IRI. In total, a staff of 31 works in this institute, they include medical staff, administrators and operational staff. They see approximately 50 non residents a month and provide trauma support, physiotherapy, psychological support, X-ray, and prosthesis. They also provide dentistry for non-residents.
Los Andes Children’s Home
This is a residential children’s home where most children have been abandoned or abused. The age of children in this home ranges from 5 to 15 years of age and there they usually up to 15 children living here at a time. This home is located in El Alto. The children who live here receive little support from the community as El Alto is a city that is only recently developing both socially and economically.
Jose Soria Children’s Home
Jose Soria is a residential children’s home which houses 5-15 year olds. Some of these children would have transited through Virgen de Fatima prior to moving to this home. Again they mostly come from a background of abuse and abandonment and there can be up to 70 children residing here at any one time.
Centro de Terapia Mujeres
This institution houses young girls who are the victims of trafficking and forced prostitution (commercial sexual violence). The girls are aged between 12 and 16 and have suffered different but equally disturbing experiences. Terapia Mujeres provides them with an education and vocational training as well as medical and psychological support.
Centro de Terapia Varones
This is a home for young male offenders. Their crimes can vary from small incidents like theft to more serious crimes like murder. The majority of these boys have been homeless from a young age or many have a history of substance abuse (eg. glue sniffing). With the help of Para Los Niños this home has introduced vocational training in the form of carpentry and electrics in the hope that these young people will find a skill to use when released from the home. The majority of residents that have ended up here share characteristics such as disintegrated families, drug and other types of abuse. This home can house up to 30 residents at a time.
Instituto De Erick Boulter
This institute is home to two very different types of residents. It is currently home to 22 adults with hearing and speech impediments and 43 women with intellectual disabilities (mainly transferred from IDAI due to age). There is approximately one staff member for every fifteen residents and they work 24 hour shifts with little support. Eric Boulter has a medical team consisting of an otolaryngologist, speech therapist, a psychologist and has the support of two nurses. The occupational therapy school specializes in signed communication and literacy. This school is attended by 20 non residents. They also provide speech therapy support groups and individual support in a few cases. There are no programs for social integration, stimulation, improving skills for employment or general quality of life.
Refugio Dignidad
Refugio Dignidad is a women’s refuge and it is one of very few such services in La Paz. This home aims to provide a safe haven for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. While housing them it provides them with vocational training to help make them self sufficient as well as providing them with time and support to start again somewhere new.
Centro De Educación y Formación de Mendez Arcos
This residential unit is for teenage boys who have come from other institutions all over La Paz. They attend a local school and in the afternoons have vocational training in carpentry and electrics to provide them with skills for the future.
Kallutaca
Granja Kallutaca or Kallutaca farm houses adults with intellectual disabilities. It is located on the high planes above La Paz which is a very isolated place. It is dedicated to the practice of communal agriculture and animal husbandry and sells its own farming produce to help with funding.
Yanacachi
Yanacachi has 24 residents with physical or intellectual disabilities. Most have formerly been housed in IDAI and are wards of the state as they have been abandoned at birth or as young people. The residents here work in either the home itself or the small farm attached. They grow their own vegetables and tend farm animals such as sheep, pigs or guinea pigs.