El Castillo

This week I've been visiting El Castillo (the Castle). It works with street children in Guatemala city and is supported by Toybox in the UK. They have a very well developed programme, which helps children and young people aged between 5 -15, leave life on the streets and be reintergrated into a family and education. The work starts with the street teams, who go out to the city centre every day, and form relationships with those living on the streets. They often take simple games and colouring for the children, and talk to them about God, and about the El Castillo programme. After a couple of months, they have the chance to coming to a day centre. Here they are able to shower, wash their clothes, eat good food, and begin to think about educational options. They are beginning to offer vocational training at the day centre. If all goes well, then they are able to move to a temporary home. Throughout this time, the 'reintergration team' having been working with the children and their families to see if they can be reunited or supported in their relationship (as well as attending to their physical and pyschological health). If the children don't have family or reintergration isn't appropriate they can then move into one of the El Castillo homes. These are normal family homes with Christian 'house' parents, who can support them in their development, and education. As many of the children have been out of education for a number of years, or never been in it, El Castillo also runs a school, which is able to provide education for each child at their level, and help them to advance. Of course for some children, the process isn't quite as straight forward as I've explained and there are often complications - but there are also many success stories - of children whose lives have been changed and transformed.