VIVA A VIDA, DRUG REHABILITATION CENTRE, Salvador, Brazil

Name: VIVA A VIDA, DRUG REHABILITATION CENTRE FOR STREET CHILDREN
Location: Americas-South / Brazil / Salvador

   

Project Area Background:

Salvador, in northeast Brazil, is in the midst of a crack-cocaine “epidemic.” The street children, mostly adolescents (ages 12-17), were once primarily limited to glue sniffing and smoking marijuana, but now are consuming crack. In addition, an increasing number of younger street children (ages 8-12) are now also using crack. The only way these children can finance their drug habits is through petty crime, which has led to harsh policing and the detention of these adolescents in overcrowded remand centers. What these youngsters really need though is rehabilitative therapy and life-skills training. These street children need specialized treatment programs that address their specific needs.

Project Description:

Currently, Viva a Vida in Brazil is the only residential treatment program in the region specifically catering to street and low-income boys. At the moment, it works with 20 boys from the ages of 12 to 17. Viva a Vida aims to expand its rehabilitation services to include younger boys, ages 8 to 12. In a participative residential environment, Viva a Vida has set up an innovative program that aims to provide therapeutic, as well as educational intervention so that substance-abusing adolescents can understand and address their addiction and gain the educational tools necessary to build productive lives for themselves once they leave the program.

Project Goals:

• Adapt treatment program for a younger audience, with more educational activities such as: schooling, sports, arts and recreation.
• Work each individual though their personal issues and teach them new ways of expressing themselves by requiring 6 to 18 months of treatment (depending on his needs) for each adolescent so that they pass through 5 phases of treatment and work through Viva a Vida’s “10 Strategies for Quitting Drugs”.
• Have all kids attend group and individual therapy, as well as schooling, sports, art, drama and vocational training (consisting of the last 2 phases of treatment where they take part in the community to accomplish their dreams, such as hairdressing, computing and car mechanics).
• Use therapeutic treatment within their family, including, therapy, educational seminars, parental association and after-care program (which lasts three years) to teach the adolescent and their family new ways of interacting in order that the child can successfully reintegrate into his family, in a supportive and healthy environment, once he leaves the program.

Project Beneficiaries:

• 20 substance-abusing street and low-income boys and 80 of their family members through the Family Program. Additionally, 1,000 benefit indirectly through newsletters, booklets, leaflets, training courses, educational materials, talks in schools, seminars, exhibitions of the adolescents’ work, policy papers, advocacy, poster and T-shirt campaigns, research dissemination in conferences, networks and events.

Ongoing Expenses:

• $19,600 - Psychiatrist, Psychiatrist Intern, Social Worker, Social Worker Intern and Medical support

Project NGO Partners:

• Viva a Vida