The ‘Fulfill a Dream’ page on the Saúde Criança website is a success. Since June 2012, 18 families have received presents. Children and mothers who are assisted by Saúde Criança have received, among others, a games console, a duplex refrigerator, a sewing machine, a bicycle, an MP3 player, a guitar, a semi-professional camera, a computer, and a balance.

Initially, the ‘Fulfill a Dream’ concept was intended to add happiness to children of families at social risk. However, to put it more in tune with the social mission of the organization, the executive committee of Saúde Criança have redefined this objective. From now on only dreams that are aligned with the five operating area of the institution: Health, Education, Housing, Citizenship and Professionalization, will be registered. The focus will be essential items for health and housing of families, working instruments to generate income or products that benefit the education of children.

To make a donation, visit the Saúde Criança website in portuguese (www.saudecrianca.org.br), hover the mouse over Como Apoiar, click Realize um Sonho, choose a dream (Sonho 1, Sonho 2, Sonha 3 etc.), click Realize agora!, select the amount (in Brazilian Reals) you wish to donate and register. You can donate from R$ 10.00 or even the product. Participate!

Please note: In Brazil there is no tax exemption on donations.

Less than a year after separating from the father of her daughters, Sirlane found out that he had fallen ill. She returned to take care of her ex-husband until his death. After his death, Sirlane returned to Duque de Caxias, in order to finish the work of her own home.

To support her three daughters, she works informally as a street vendor. Among the products she sells is the jewelry she learned to make in a course funded by Saúde Criança. The family income of R$ 200.00 per month, comes from the Bolsa Família and the sale of jewelry and rugs, another product Sirlane learned to make.

To augment the family income, Sirlane – who besides Erillayne, 11, the child served by the Saúde Criança head office, is also the mother of Lucilaine, 14, and Gerlaine 13 – dreams of having a pushcart to sell soups and broths in a square near her home. This request is on ‘Fulfill a Dream’ page on the Saúde Criança website (www.saudecrianca.org.br).

The older girls, Lucilayne and Girlayne, have good health, however both fought a lot due to the difficult family life situation. Sirlane reported that she was afraid to leave the house and leave the girls alone, because once the two had a fight using a kitchen knife. At Saúde Criança they were received by the Aconchego Adolescent Program where their tempers were calmed and at the end of last year the sisters came together to create a choreography for the dance performance.

According to the Program Coordinator, Elisângela de Barros, the sisters can now interact with fellow group members. The Aconchego Adolescent Program also offers a library of children’s books. Lucilaine and Gerlaine were rewarded by the amount of loans they could make. After one year participating in this program it was possible to observe that the sisters were closer and now express affection for each other.

Gerlaine and Lucilaine, Sirlane's oldest daughters, choose books to borrow from Saúde Criança's mini-library

Activities include arts and crafts, beading, face painting, tattoos, carnival games, capoeira and more. Typical Brazilian food will be served, including Brazilian salgadinhos, pão de queijo, mini pizza, hot dogs, popcorn, cakes, brigadeiro, canjica, and caipirinhas. The event will feature live music from Nanny Assis and DJ Gaspar Muniz.

Tickets are selling fast and proceeds will go to Saúde Criança, which helps sick, low-income children and their families in Brazil become healthy for the long-term. Check our website to buy your tickets now: http://www.brazilchildhealth.org/festajunina/

Don’t miss it!

From left to right: Ray Suarez, moderator, Gro Bundtland, Vera Cordeiro, Lydia Wilbard and Mary Robinson

Vera, during the closing plenary

Before the session a speech was given by Jeff Skoll, founder of Skoll and Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General. The event ended with a moving movie filled with testimonials and images of work done by members of the Foundation over the last ten years. Watch the film here.

The Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship is the “premier international platform for advancing entrepreneurial approaches and solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.” Co-produced by the Skoll Foundation and by the The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the Saïd Business School, the Forum brings together social leaders from 65 countries to participate, during three days, in 36 plenary sessions and different events with the aim to promote and exchange ideas in the field of social entrepreneurship. People who have previously participated in the event include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Al Gore, the former vice president of the United States and Queen Rania of Jordan, among others.

The theme of the plenum is “The Power to Lead”. Vera Cordeiro will participate in a discussion beside Gro Brundtland, Former Prime Minister of Norway and a member of The Elders – organization that involves global leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter and Fernando Henrique Cardoso –, Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland and President of the Mary Robinson Foundation and Lydia Wilbard, co director of the Camfed-Tanzânia, an NGO based in Africa and that acts in the area of education. The session will be moderated by Ray Suarez, correspondent of the Public Broadcasting Service, and aims at discussing feminine leaderships that promoted and realized changes of great impact in the social and environmental sector.

Beyond the plenum session, the closing ceremony will also include speeches of Jeff Skoll, founder of the organization that carries his name, and Kofi Annan, former General Secretary of the UN.

The Skoll Foundation was created in 1999 by Jeff Skoll, a businessman who became known after he created the website E-Bay. The first Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship took place in 2004, as an international platform that promotes entrepreneurial approaches and solutions to the world’s most urgent problems. Its mission is to accelerate the impact of global leaders in social entrepreneurship, uniting them through essential partnerships for a collaborative search for apprenticeship and social change in a large scale.

Vera Cordeiro, Adrian Naranjo and Martha Naranjo

In March, Saúde Criança Colombia held its first event to fund raise and announce the institution: a feijoada prepared by the Brazilian, Cresolita Ferreira. Thirty people attended the event, which beyond the typical Brazilian dish, had a presentation about SC Columbia. The organizers took the opportunity to capture volunteers and employees, along with selling Saúde Criança products. The next event is already being planned and will be a barbecue during the month of April.

Martha Naranjo, founder of SC Colombia, with Cresolita, who cooked the feijoada, and Julian Naranjo, volunteer

Many children are not operated on due to health conditions that are aggravated by poverty and the difficulty of proper eating. For this reason, Saúde Criança Ilha, with resources from partners, provides healthy food for the patients and thus more surgeries are able to be performed.

The contest, run by partner organization Smile Train, an American NGO focused on helping patients with cleft lip, disputed NGOs throughout Brazil. 1st place was awarded to FUNDEF in Rio Grande do Sul and 3rd place went to Associação Piauiense de Combate ao Câncer (Piauiense Association of Cancer Combat).

Chime for Change is powered by Catapult, a crowd-funding platform dedicated to uniting and aiding the philanthropy to projects around the world that deliver real change to the issue that matters the most to them, aiding gender justice.

One of the projects supported by Catapult is Saúde Criança´s one year project to raise funds to keep 655 children and adolescents in school, through our education program, which forms part of our Family Action Plan. The target $10,725 for this project will pay the school supplies and the salary of a project coordinator who will monitor and help students with any problems they face during their studies. All funds raised by this project is being matched by Johnson and Johnson.

During the three hour fortnightly meetings, debates, lectures and dynamic activites, including external activities, are promoted.

After the meeting snacks are distributed and transportation is provided to the participants and those responsible to accompany adolescents up to 14 years. In 2012, 10 meetings were held with 25 young people.

This program is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.