Supporting Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Violence

It’s hard to think of anyone who deserves more help than children who have been sexually or physically abused. In Dili there are 5 houses where an organisation called Casa Vida looks after 75 such children. Casa Vida loves and cares for these girls (some of whom have babies as a result of the abuse), sends them to school or provides them with vocational training and employment in its social enterprise bakery or restaurant. Their mini-van is a vital part of operations, moving girls to schools, training or work and their babies to Casa Vida’s pre-school. The mini-van has been breaking down regularly, but Casa Vida struggles to find funds to care for all the children and had no money to replace it. However, Spend it Well’s donors have just funded USD 16,700 to buy a new mini-van to enable Casa Vida to carry out work giving these girls a new life. It’s been ordered and we hope to have photos soon.