Through your donations, we can ensure all of the needed services can be offered at no charge. This support also provides opportunity to increase services and the numbers of children served.
Mateo Emmanuel is a special little boy supported by MCA
Mateo is one of the children that benefits so much from your support. Mateo has Microphthalmia – he was born with abnormally small eyeballs and, as a result, is blind. Mateo came to us in 2022 at age three and, before he arrived, he would sit under a table, shy and afraid, in his dark world that he did not understand. Now, he is a happy little boy who is learning to live with his disability thanks to you – our donors.
Mateo’s progress has been remarkable, largely thanks to the mentoring given to him by Eliseo, our blind massage therapist. Over the past year, Eliseo has helped Mateo to learn to walk with a walking stick and to be more confident on his feet and navigate his surroundings. Mateo has also been getting sound therapy to help him identify different sounds – what they are and what they mean.
Mateo is now 4 years old and has also learned some braille and he participates in hydrotherapy. Mateo was given a battery keyboard for Christmas 2022 which he particularly enjoys. As a result, he was recently introduced to the piano at Casa Connor. Mateo was shown how to press the keys and you will see in the below video, his response shows a very calm and slow style. You can almost see him thinking. This short video of Mateo playing notes is both powerful and touching . He has indicated he would like to take lessons. Perhaps he will be a great pianist!
Your generosity and support helps MCA to ensure the children and their families are getting vital nutrition.
- Nutrition and dietary assistance is a significant part of helping children reach their potential. MCA, in partnership with Pasitos, monitors dietary requirements and assist families in helping to introduce much-needed minerals, vitamins and healthy-eating in the home. We focus on the wellbeing of the whole family. We help where we can, ensuring donations of food and supplies to the families, so the kids get as much nutrition as possible when they are in their homes.
We ensure the well being of the families and the children by helping them to receive needed dental care, medical appointments and assistance, cleaning supplies, personal products and more.
- MCA volunteers work with the children and youth with disabilities, and collaborate with Pasitos de Luz, in facilitating and demonstrating appropriate hygiene and bathing techniques and assisting with products needed in the home for improved sanitary conditions.
Our expertise and support ensures that the children receive the desperately needed therapies that help alleviate pain and help them reach their potential.
- MCA works together with Pasitos to ensure staffing who can provide a wide range of vital therapies. Therapists provide one-on-one care to the kids, working on positioning, strengthening exercises, stretching techniques and support. Therapy techniques will be taught to the families to try to encourage sustainable therapy at home, so that children are looked after adequately in their own homes.
Your support helps MCA help the children to develop intellectually and physically through their classroom work, recreation and other personal growth activities. MCA ensures appropriate staffing can provide these services.
- The early learning classes benefit the youngest children, and help to build levels of trust and understanding. The children progress and develop their potential, by their experiences and learning from real life situations. The classes focus on developing cognitive, socio-affective and motor skills. The activities are designed to develop levels of autonomy, a greater sense of self control and independence to increase confidence and a sense of security. Communication and freedom of expression are emphasized.
- Music, dance, art and creativity are encouraged. Games and fun activities help create a sense of belonging and companionship.