CATA-VENTO (CDCA) SITE - HOME PAGE
Who are we?
The CDCA (Child and Adolescent’s Defence Centre),
founded in 1992 by a group of people worried by the situation of children and
adolescents living and/or working in the streets of Barreiras, has always worked
reliably, conquering respect and acknowledgement among citizens and authorities.
Its field of action ranges from defence of rights (acting
through and inside the Councils of Children and Adolescents’ Rights,
the Health Council, the Security Council, the Social Assistance Council, the
School Council), to defence activities carried out directly
with children and adolescents.
At present it is cooperating with Barreiras Town Council, the energy enterprise
COELBA (through an agreement called “Learning to work”), Bahia University,
the 4º Engeneering and Constructions Battalion, Fazenda Agronol (fruit donations),
Caritas of Barreiras and the São Francisco faculty in Barreiras.
It is the only Defence Centre acting in this area of Bahia; keeping in mind
that just two towns in the entire region have the Children and Adolescents’ Rights
Council (CMDCA) and the Guardianship Council (CT), it has gained a remarkable
relevance inside the region.
Considering as one of our main objectives the stimulation
of children and adolescents’ involvement, we try to reactivate
self-respect in each one of them. Our mission is to relentlessly seek the
social inclusion of children and adolescents victims of social risks.
Where do we work?
All projects managed by the CDCA in Barreiras town (west area of Bahia) and
nearby areas are distributed as follows:
In Barreiras:
- Work Education: Fabinho
and Marcone Workshop with a maximum of 45 adolescents aged
16 to 18; Agreement with Barreiras Town Council for 25 adolescents and
Agreement with COELBA for 03 adolescents;
- Educational Community Centers: Cata-Vento
Projects, involving 360 children and adolescents;
- Assisted Freedom: up to 20 adolescents;
- Reception Houses: 03 houses – of which
02 “Lares” Houses (one
for boys, the other for girls, capacity for 12 people each) and 01 Recuperation
House (Fazenda Nadia,
out of town, capacity for 15 boys);
- Boys and Girls in Urban Social Risk Situation:
street education – 40 children and adolescents;
- Public Politics: participation in 03 Councils
(Health, School, Public Security) as Councillor and in 02 Councils (CMDCA/CMAS)
as Vice-President;
- Education and entertainment: Digital
Culture Circle, more than 750 children, young and adult members.
In Santa Rita, Aroeiras and Mansidão:
- 03 Nursery Schools – 306
children.
In Aroeiras (Munic. of Mansidão):
- 01 Popular Schools – 470
children and adolescents.
Our mission
According to the action principles estabilished by the Pastoral of the Minor,
the main objectives of our work are:
- To develop social inclusion strategies
for children and adolescents who are poor, or in a situation of
street life, violence, abuse and sexual exploitation, through pedagogic,
social, cultural and professionalizing programs, destined to a complete
development of the person.
- To contribute to attending quality
for adolescents in conflict with the law, through the implementation
of the Social and Educational Measures provided for by the Child and
Adolescent’s Statute (ECA).
- To develop potentialities and criticism
within families, integrating them in the social, economical, politic
and cultural context to make them protagonists of changes.
- To contribute to the strengthening of the Forums, awakening
and mobilizing organized society, to assure the use of Public
Politics in favour of the absolute priority principle for children and
adolescents.
Abilities and working experiences
The CDCA is articulated in a network in conjunction with
the Catholic Church through the Pastoral of the Minor (line 6 of CNBB),
forming social agents to defend the rights of children and adolescents, and
those of their families. It cooperates with state (Town
Hall, Town Councellors, Juvenile Court) and non-state entities (ONG,
Associations pertaining the same area). In almost 12 years of work it has carried
out activities in the following areas:
- Education: formation of Pastoral
agents and social educators
- Family assistance: walking
side by side with families and children taking part in the Cata-Ventos
or other projects run by CDCA
- Social and Educational Protection
Measures: formation, participation and net articulation, both
on a town and national level: projects involving social and educational
measures for the rehabilitation and complete personal development of
adolescents in conflict with the law.
- Public politics: participation
in town Equality Councils, taking part in or helping programs related to
social and educational areas.