LATVIA Leisure activities and help with homework are part of everyday life for school children living in socially safe and financially stable families. But a lot of children are growing up under completely different circumstances. In the Latvian town of Valka, far too many children experience alcoholism, violence and poverty. With support from Childhood, Valka Red Cross is running a support centre for families at risk to counter such dangers.

Eight years ago, Galina Sokolova decided to do something to help the children of Valka. She felt strongly that many of them needed somewhere to go after school, where they could have fun and learn at the same time, and to communicate and solve conflicts without violence.

Every day life for families in Valka is tough. Being one of the poorest cities in Latvia with a high unemployment rate, alcohol and drug abuse is wide-spread in the city. Violence and physical abuse is common. It is hard for poor families to find the money to pay for after-school activities for their children, so a lot of children are spending their spare time on the streets of Valka. These children didn''''''''t have anywhere to go until Galina Sokolova and the Red Cross opened a family support centre and gave less fortunate children a place to call their own. Today, eight years later, Galina Sokolova is proud. The family support centre has become an important part of society in Valka.

– We want to prevent children from abuse. Through our work with the children, we have been able to reach their parents as well. This has made it possible for us to work preventatively with families where we fear that children might become abused, says Galina Sokolova.

SUMMER CAMP FOR CHILDREN

With support from World Childhood Foundation, the centre was able to employ a manager in 2001. Childhood has continued its support ever since and the centre has grown year by year. Today it employs two social workers, a psychologist and number of pedagogues.

During the summer, 20 children are spending their holiday at the centre. They are happy about visits and cheer when they line up to get their picture taken outside the centre. Then they quickly rush inside to sing karaoke.

GRANDPARENTS TAKE OVER

Two older ladies are visiting their grandchildren to see how they are doing at the centre. Their granddaughters Anastasia and Elise are ten and eleven, and are both living with their grandmothers. This is a common situation in Valka, since the lack of jobs forces many parents abroad to seek work opportunities. Alcohol and drug abuse sometimes also make parents unable to care for their children.

– Our girls love it here, we almost can''t get them to leave in the evenings, the grandmothers say laughingly. We are so grateful about the centre, we would never be able to pay for after school activities for our girls, they add.

FACTS

Organisation: Valka Red Cross

Project: Family Support Centre

Partnership with Childhood: Since 2001

Location: Valka, Latvia

Target group: Socially at-risk children

Text: Maja Svenonius

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