To give shelter to boys and girls separated from their families (even if temporarily), offering them, besides personal assistance, a loving and caring family-like environment where they have the possibility to rest calmly, to feed themselves correctly, to take care of their personal hygiene, to have fun in a safe way, and to participate to educational and forming activities, in the attempt to reintegrating them into the community.
Increase in self-respect is one of our main goals, since we are always seeking a deeper personal involvement of our children and adolescents. In the "Lar" Houses ("lar" is a portuguese word meaning "fireplace", "domestic and family-like environment"), apart from providing school education (lots of them, when first met, are not even able to read or write), we aim at turning them into adult citizens, aware of both their rights and their duties.
Noticing that boys and girls undergoing serious difficulties (domestic violence, traffics, abandonment, etc.) did not have a place to stay after being assisted by competent authorities (Delegacia, Promotoria and Juizado), the Diocese of Barreiras, through its social assistance entity Caritas and through the CDCA, decided to follow the example of other cities offering them an open house, where they could spend the night, or even the day, depending on the situation.
The first reception house, for boys only, was inaugurated during the year 1992, guided by Father Jacy. The purpose of this house was reinsertion into their family, or seeking a substitute family, and for this reason it took the name of "Passage House".
After some years, we felt the need to build another reception house, this time for girls, since the number of those falling into the net of prostitution was constantly growing, and so were the cases of sexual abuse perpetrated not only by outsiders, but also by family members. This reception house for girls was inaugurated in April 2000, in one of Barreiras poorest districts. The two houses work together with the Conselho Tutelar (Guardianship Council) of Barreiras, the Childhood and Youth Promoter and the Sentinel Program.
The Passage Houses lost this characteristic after a period of time, to acquire the names of "Lar" Houses Paola and Joel ("lar" means "fireplace, domestic environment", ), which are permanent shelters with complete assistance for boys and girls in a social risk situation. They both have enough capacity to accommodate on average 12 children and/or teenagers, and up to 18 in special occasions, aged between 7 and 18 years old but with particular emphasis on the adolescence period. Boys and girls come to the "Lar" Houses through the Conselho Tutelar, the Childhood and Youth Promoter, and sometimes the Sentinel Program. These two reception houses are unique inside the entire Middle-West region of Bahia, and thus have a great importance from a social point of view.
Most of the boys and girls assisted inside the "Lar" Houses have already suffered some kind of violence (sexual abuse and exploitation, domestic violence, drugs abuse, abandonment, among others). The houses offer a family-like environment, where educators carry out their activities aiming at the reintegration of these boys and girls, whereas lots of them, at the time they arrive, have no prospects for their future life; self-respect is partly or totally disrupted, and cohabitation with other people seems something to be feared. With time, and with a serious and responsible work, we manage to light the flame of life inside these children and teenagers.
- SCHOOL SUPPORT: to fix contents learned at school. To assist in individual needs (Daily support of scholastic activities; assisted and individual reading; copying of texts and blackboard activities; informal conversations with emphasis on historical dates; production of texts).
- RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS: to create and develop base conditions for children (supported by educators) to realize together an educational process which transforms and sets free, cultivating and maturing one's choice of faith. (Use of tapes with biblical contents; activities to accompany the liturgical act; baptism and first communion courses; celebrations with nuns; debates regarding current events; informal conversations aimed at human formation).
- RECREATION: to develop physical, and social abilities (Guided activities; games).
- COOKING: to develop cooking abilities. To teach domestic economy basics. preparing food for daily meals, observing hygienic and economical processes learning.
- PERCUSSION AND CAPOEIRA: to help children and adolescents socialize through this cultural mean, developing physical abilities, besides individual abilities regarding percussion instruments (Guided by capoeira trainers. Construction of the typical capoeira musical instruments).
- THEATRE AND CIRCUS: to stimulate among children and adolescents a tendency to express themselves artistically and culturally, and to favour group activities, waking up those gifts which often remain undiscovered. (Dramatizations emphasizing history dates, biblical scenes, presentations with clowns and jugglers, etc.).
- ARTS: to develop artistic abilities and creativity, emphasizing the use of recyclable and discarded materials, and stimulating individual involvement (Production of finger painting, pictures, collages, cuttings, modeling, working with tissue, paper, wood, leather and glass, artificial flowers, laces, adorning of party rooms, decorations, jewel boxes, portraits, toy cars made with discarded materials, paintings, origami, etc.).
- SINGING: "Lar" House Paola girls became important elements of the parish chorus "Vozes de Santa Rafaela Maria" (Rehearsal, singing in mass and events).
- COMPUTER SCIENCE: to learn basic concepts of computer use, through graphical activities, typing, creation of tables, Internet use (Lessons guided by a volunteer; free Internet access; helping CDIC functionaries).
- SEWING: to stimulate motory coordination and creativity through the creation of clothes and accessories (Measuring, creating models, using sewing machines).
- WORKING ACTIVITIES: various boys living in the "Lar" House Joel also serve in the Fabinho and Marcone Workshop, where they receive professional education
Monthly visits to schools in order to follow children's scholastic path.
Participation in communitarian activities, through catechesis and missionary childhood and youth groups.
Medical, dental and psychological assistance.
Everyday follow-up by a resident couple in the House, in a family-like environment
Integration meetings and workshops with boys and girls to emphasize group cohabitation, the value of life and of dignity, and to highlight the special feeling of being member of a community.