This is a girls’ orphanage situated in the City, by the Igreja Sagrada Familia.
They care for roughly 90 girls between the ages of 8 and 18. Unlike some other orphanages at which some of our members may volunteer, AACA has very little and are in urgent need of help.
Although we cannot help them with cash as they are not one of our chosen charities this year, they have put out a plea for support including the following:
- dried food supplies
- clothes
- art supplies
- musical instruments
- sports equipment
- toys
The children are educated in the orphanage up to Year 6. The teachers are paid by the Ministry of Education. After that, the children are sent to regular local schools.
Although being inaugurated by the wife of the President in the early 1990s with OMA (Organizacao da Mulher Angolana) back up, the Centre is now very much on its own.
The children do not have medical insurance, meaning that the Centre has to find money to pay for any treatment necessary.
The same applies to food and, although not starving, very often children go to sleep hungry – especially those who have to attend school outside of the Centre as there is not enough food for the ‘absents’. Very often, the director has to ‘beg’ for food from strangers/friends/acquaintances in order to provide for the children.
In the past AACA had help from an art teacher, two music teachers, a sports teacher and a dance teacher. Unfortunately, this has all ceased.
The girls continue to choreograph their own dance routines and, in exchange for some help, they can perform at functions (though not at night).
With the help of the Spanish Embassy, a small area for teaching and producing baked goods was built in 1997/1998 where older children received training in baking. Unfortunately they now need support to keep this going, and are in urgent need of a full-sized oven.
The girls still bake (using a very small counter-top oven) and they sell these cakes to raise money for the orphanage’s utility bills.
Please bear AACA in mind. Any donations will be gratefully received. Bring them along to any LBW event (including coffee meetings) or drop them at the British Embassy c/o Jill Dennis.
