Providing continuity to the projects

We continue carrying out our technical cooperation in this country. We are still working with SOS Children’s Villages Panama, Ciudad Malambo and Ciudad del Niño on the reform of their practices. In this process, some children are returning to family life.  The technical cooperation between UNICEF and RELAF is possible due to the enormous efforts of these civil society organisations that, in light of their commitment to the right of children to family and community life, are working towards their own transformation.

As for the Pilot Programme in Casa Hogar Soná, we continue to seek for solutions for the return of young girls and adolescents to family life. This project is a ‘case by case’ kind of work, given the complexity of the family situation of these children, but we intend to take more extensive actions to finally close down the institution and transform it. Following our trip in February and with the support of the local team, a special committee was created in MIDES Panama that will focus exclusively on closing down Casa Hogar Soná.

As a favourable result, we’d like to mention that girls had been living in the institution for more than 4 years and who had no possible perspective of leaving it, have finally been given the opportunity to enjoy family life once again.