2007 Report from Friendship Mission
Friendship Mission in Paraguay was founded in 1953 by the United Christian Missionary Society (predecessor of the Division of Overseas Ministries) and by graduates of the International School in Paraguay, the first Disciple mission in Paraguay, founded in 1917. The original purpose of Friendship Mission was to attend to needs of the urban poor living near the Mission and in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay.
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2007 Report Friendship Mission in Paraguay was founded in 1953 by the United Christian Missionary Society (predecessor of the Division of Overseas Ministries) and by graduates of the International School in Paraguay, the first Disciple mission in Paraguay, founded in 1917. The original purpose of Friendship Mission was to attend to needs of the urban poor living near the Mission and in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay. With the commitment and energy of Disciples missionaries in the mid-1960s, notably the work of Raymond and Betty Mills, Friendship Mission grew in vitality and the reach of its programs expanded. Besides offering basic social services to poor families, Friendship Mission began the first school for the deaf in Paraguay. The Friendship Mission Clinic was an important program founded in this period, along with educational opportunities for community children and adults. Friendship Mission established a system of monitoring and evaluating the management of its social projects in 2006 in order to establish priorities for its work in 2007 and onward. Social service programs are carried out with a clear conscience that now more than ever in Paraguay the percentage of population beneath the poverty level is quickly growing. Of the 43 percent of those categorized as poor, 60 percent of those are considered extremely poor, meaning they cannot satisfy even their basic nutritional needs. Paraguay currently faces extreme economic and social difficulties with the forecast looking to an even more extreme deterioration. Thus Friendship Mission is actively engaged in programs which are critical to the community. These projects provide for many the only source of aid or assistance available to them. Friendship Mission Policlinic Friendship Mission is well known in Paraguay for offering high quality medical attention at reduced costs. Each year over 33,000 people of limited resources are assisted by physicians and specialists at the clinic. Services provided include general medical care, cardiology, gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, urology, dermatology, orthopedics, dentistry, laboratory services, radiology, and minor surgical procedures. In addition to physical health, the policlinic provides child psychology, educational psychology, and holistic health services. Friendship Mission is committed to providing services that will benefit those in extreme poverty in Paraguay with a vision of providing them a way to improve their quality of life. Child Street Workers In light of the increase of extreme poverty, the total abandonment in which thousands of children live is more and more visible. In Paraguay approximately 260,000 children between the ages of ten and fourteen earn the living for their families. This is yet another symptom of the extreme poverty overtaking the country. These children are victims of the economy and are vulnerable to psychological and physical violence from family and society. Friendship Mission reaches out to these children who spend most of their time on the street as working children or because they are children who live on the street. These children receive dental and general medical attention at the Friendship Mission Clinic, including services of radiology and lab analysis. Betty and Raymond Mills School of Nursing The Betty and Raymond Mills School of Nursing began in 2005 and is recognized by the Department of Education and Culture of Paraguay. The school offers a two year certification in nursing and trains students from rural areas who will go back to carry out their profession in their rural home villages as primary health providers. The primary purpose is to provide vocational training to raise the quality of life of the students and their families, as well as to provide services that are much needed in the areas of extreme poverty. While studying, nursing students do field work in rural neighborhoods from which the clinic at Friendship Mission draws many patients. One of the most recent areas of work of the nursing students in the community has been around the causes and the prevention of dengue fever. They also offer educational sessions on health-related matters to children participating in the Friendship Mission Street School. The school currently has 65 students and offers basic academic courses as well as the technical training courses for basic and advanced nursing. In addition, the school has begun technician training in radiology and pharmacy in an effort to provide more choices for those who seek to bring themselves out of their despondent realities to find a better place for themselves and their families. Project Woman This project provides women with occupational training that allows them to learn in a short period a craft or trade they can utilize to earn an income that will help their families, while at the same time help them to increase their self-esteem. The project has faced several revisions to meet the needs and demands of the population. In addition to the vocational training currently offered, the program now holds seminars and forums on family violence, children, and gender abuse. Sustainable Intervention in the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Paraguay This project focuses on education among 4,000 families and school children that live in poverty and extreme poverty in the peripheral areas of Asunción and the Central Department. The project works in conjunction with the Department of Public Health. Social and Personal Development Friendship Mission offers painting, puppet making/theater, guitar, and recreation as a means to develop social skills as well as aid in personal growth and development. The classes take place on Saturday mornings. Special community fairs, music festivals, and celebrations are prepared by the children for the community. International School graduates help in this work with these children as volunteers. Approximately 50 students are involved in this project. Translated and edited by: Office of Resource Development <!– February 2008 |