From violence, despair and abuse to care, commitment, and a future. The positive story of two vulnerable children who have benefited from the Mental health programme in Mexico
From violence, despair and abuse to care, commitment, and a future. The positive story of two vulnerable children who have benefited from the Mental health programme in Mexico
To provide mental health care and treatment for street connected children who have suffered abuse in Mexico and to provide education and a place of safety.
The 100 beneficiaries of this project are children 8-18 including children living with HIV, refugee children, children with mental & physical disabilities, trafficking survivors
We are asking if you can help support more children through this life changing programme by making a donation today.
The cost for each child is £ 198.56 per year a small amount to provide for the mental wellbeing and care of vulnerable, despairing children.
Please donate today – thank you
Objectives
- Provide mental health treatment to sexually abused children and adolescents
- To identify children and adolescent victims of sexual abuse
- Raise awareness on the prevention of STDs and pregnancy
Outcomes:
- At-risk children have improved access to mental health care
- At-risk children have improved access to a place of safety
- At risk children become socially included
- The project enables informed decision making
- The project improves quality of life
- The project increases access to opportunities
From violence, despair and abuse to care, commitment, and a future
The positive story of two vulnerable children who have benefited from the Mental health programme
Alberto and Ramiro are half siblings, children of the same father, but of different mothers. Currently Alberto is 16 years old and Ramiro 13, the left home due to the constant violence and abuse inflicted by their father.
- He forced them to sell sweets in the city and bring him back the money or they were beaten
- One day Alberto did not bring enough money and after a beating his father tried to drown him in a water drum.
- This made Alberto decide to leave home permanently. In an effort to protect his younger brother from the violence they both left the next day.
- They spent several months sleeping on the streets, with Alberto taking care of and protecting his brother.
When they came to Casa Alianza Mexico Alberto showed deep traces of physical and psychological abuse, he showed great distrust towards people and great difficulty in expressing his emotions and feelings. He was very protective of his brother and didn’t like him out of his sight.
Ramiro, was excessively dependent on his brother, had daytime accidents of soiling himself and behavioural problems increased by a clear attention deficit disorder.
- The comprehensive care they received in our mental health programme has allowed them both time and space to experience a significant change in their psycho-emotional conditions.
- Both receive weekly psychological therapy separately to unpick their individual issues and to become more independent.
- Ramiro also receives individual treatment to combat his A.D.D.
- Both boys have gradually been integrated into formal education schemes appropriate to them, both are doing well and working hard to overcome their disadvantages.
Alberto has been able to trust people again and overcome his fears, his emotional stability is excellent, and he has worked through the attacks he suffered.
- In addition, he has improved his life, since he went from taking responsibility for the care of his brother to taking care of himself. – this being healthier for both boys.
- His academic progress is very good, and he is enrolled on a vocational course in Hotel management – which he is annoying and excelling at.
Ramiro has made also good progress in terms of the structure of his personality, since he has learned to respect the rules and follow directions, presents emotional stability and a good academic progress. His A.D.D has improved, and he is developing empathy with others and learning to work as part of a team by taking part in our Animal therapy courses.
The mental health programme at Casa Alianza Mexico has had amazing results with children like Alberto and Ramiro but is expensive to run and we have so many children in need of this specialised care and attention.
We are asking if you can help support more children through this life changing programme by making a donation today.
The cost for each child is £ 198.56 per year a small amount for the mental wellbeing and care of vulnerable, despairing children.
A breakdown of the programme: Core of Casa Alianza Mexico’s work is the psychotherapeutic approach that has deep and transformative effect on every child in Casa Alianza’s care. As a general characteristic of the children many present with many psychic disorders such as low self-esteem and personality disorders, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress and suicidal ideation; some children also polarize their body image, some self-inflict damage to their bodies, while others (usually victims of human trafficking) normalize hypersexualizing their bodies. So, it is also important to provide comprehensive sexual education for them to stay safe. An initial diagnostic using psychometric tools is the first step when a child enters the programme, and a personalized plan of therapy is formulated. This is constantly monitored and adjusted as the child moves through their treatment plan. With individual therapy sessions once or twice a week, plus group sessions with specific purposes, a patient’s treatment continues until they present significant changes. During 2020 confinement due to the pandemic brought an increase in anxiety levels among the children. it also necessitated an adequation in therapeutic practices; as it was necessary to reduce presential/in person interactions, and many therapy sessions had to be via videoconference. These were defined as a new tool that turned out very helpful since some of the children felt more confident with that kind of interaction.
Activities planned:
- Application of sexuality assessment upon entrance to Casa Alianza and reapply 6 months later.
- Individual therapies for children victims of sexual abuse. Create therapeutic groups for children victims of sexual abuse.
- Horse assisted therapies for children with high levels of anxiety.
- Caring for and Working with dogs as therapy animals to combat stress Psychiatric evaluations and follow-up consultations, when required, to children who have been victims of sexual abuse.
- Sex education workshops. Gender violence prevention workshop. Sexual abuse and human trafficking prevention workshops. Facilitate the development of a healthy sexuality in children and adolescents’ victims of social neglect
Your donation can save more children like Alberto and Ramiro
To help us provide care, treatment, and a place of safety for more children like Alberto and Ramiro.
We are happy to receive donations of any size, one off or regular gifts, at any time, to help the children we protect.
Donations through our website and PayPal reach us within 2hours so this is the quickest way to get your help to our girls
Thank you for taking the time to read our appeal and helping children like Alberto and Ramiro
Sue & Trustees – Mark (chair), Sheila, Raquel, Toluwanimi and Helen
