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The Idea of ​​a “Casa Blanca”
Due to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela that has been ongoing since 2018, the AmmanyA Foundation and the Avila Foundation joined forces to support the Funda Flanma Foundation, which supports women, teenage mothers, and children living in extreme poverty. In addition to food, the Funda Flanma Foundation also distributed basic necessities such as toothpaste and soap, and organized small gatherings. However, Funda Flanma did not have a permanent location where they could meet to distribute the food and supplies. In 2018, Hilda Gonzalez-van der Wel learned about the AmmanyA Foundation, a foundation that helps children and families worldwide. Together, they discussed the needs of the Venezuelan children served by the Funda Flanma Foundation. A place where children could gather daily for a hot meal was a major priority. But they also wanted to create a place where children could play carefree, where they could dream about their future, and where they were surrounded by love. A place to give children what every child deserves: basic needs, peace of mind, and love. The idea of ​​buying a house was born.

AMMANYA

AmmanyA’s vision is to make the world more beautiful with “ONE TOUCH” at a time. At AmmanyA, we strongly believe in our ONE TOUCH philosophy and its power to create lasting change. We focus on one specific action at a time with sustainable results to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities in developing countries around the world.

AmmanyA

Purchasing a House
Children in smaller villages in Venezuela, in particular, are facing great hardship. The two foundations decided to purchase a house where 60 to 80 children could gather. A place where, in the midst of a dark situation, there was light for a future.

Finding and purchasing a suitable house was a major challenge. It was important that the house be easily accessible for the children. Obstacles to finding a house included the difficulty of traveling to Venezuela to arrange matters, and, due to current Venezuelan politics, foreign aid from non-profit organizations is not accepted. Furthermore, many houses lack official documentation, making the purchase impossible.

After nearly six months of searching, a beautiful house was found in Carupano, Venezuela. In January 2020, the AmmanyA Foundation and the Avila Foundation purchased the house.

Casa Blanca

The Major Renovation
The renovation of Casa Blanca was the next step. Like any major construction project, it wasn’t without its challenges, and to make matters worse, Venezuela was also hit by the COVID-19 virus in March 2020, further exacerbating the country’s precarious situation.

Thanks to many generous donations, the renovation of Casa Blanca was completed by installing the windows, window frames, and laying the floors. Casa Blanca is 154 square meters in size, with restrooms for both children and adults. A completely new kitchen is available, and the main room is furnished with tables for children to sit at. Thanks to the AmmanyA Foundation’s suggestion, one of the rooms has been enlarged to serve as a library. A kind donor sponsored us to furnish the library with musical instruments and toys, among other things. Casa Blanca officially opened with great joy on October 11, 2020!

Avila Foundation - Casa Blanca

The Operation Behind Casa Blanca

Casa Blanca is run by the Funda Flanma Foundation. It employs cooks, teachers, and a caretaker, and currently serves 80 children who receive a hot meal five days a week. Younger children arrive first, followed by the group of older children up to 12 years old.

The cooks arrive early in the morning to prepare everything, and the first group of younger children arrives at the door at 10:00 AM. Parents drop off their children and pick them up later. The teachers begin by participating in age-appropriate activities with the children, such as playing, building blocks, coloring, and so on. These activities allow them to identify and nurture the children’s talents, such as music or drawing. For example, they learn to play the piano or recorder, learn to write, and learn about the environment.

Begeleiding van de juffen aan kinderen in Casa Blanca Casa Blanca kersteten

After the hot meal, the younger children leave, and the older group arrives at noon. They also participate in activities followed by a hot meal. The teachers help the children with the activities, serve the meals, and ensure they follow the house rules. Three days a week, afternoon activities are held aimed at teenagers aged 10 to 12. These activities include learning various skills like sewing, chess, puppet or kite making, and environmental awareness.

Casa Blanca makes a significant difference in the village and provides the local population with a ray of hope in these difficult times. Casa Blanca is not only intended to provide the children with a hot meal, acting as a food bank, but also to give them a future perspective. It teaches children skills and gives them a stepping stone to a better future. Therefore, Casa Blanca also has a piano and a library, allowing the children to develop their musical and literary skills. Casa Blanca is therefore a place of light, love, and dreams.

Kinderen van Casa Blanca aan het knutselen Kinderen van Casa Blanca houden zelf gemaakte popjes vast 

Casa Blanca and its challenges
We are deeply grateful that, despite the humanitarian crisis and COVID-19, the Casa Blanca project has been successfully launched and kept running. Thank God, both foundations are thrilled with this first step! However, many challenges remain. For example, Venezuela is currently facing a gas shortage, forcing the cooks to cook very sparingly. To ensure the children can continue to receive a hot meal in the future, an induction cooktop and new cookware must be purchased.

The house’s fixed costs, such as electricity, food transportation, water, and internet, are also a constant concern. Due to Venezuela’s hyperinflation, these costs are difficult to estimate and budget. Casa Blanca possesses many valuable assets, such as the tables, food, and kitchenware, so the house must be properly secured, given the widespread poverty in the region.

Dreams for the future
The Avila Foundation still has many dreams for Casa Blanca. For example, a doctor who can visit once a month to check the children’s health. Children can learn about hygiene and receive explanations about norms and values ​​they might not learn at home, and everyone has access to a toothbrush. There are dreams of more social and psychological support for teenagers who are unemployed and unable to attend school, and for children who have to work for their parents or turn to crime to get enough food.

But there are also many dreams for the children’s development. We’d like to give the children music lessons and show films and documentaries about nature and wildlife on a projector so they learn about the importance of protecting it. Children can learn to write their own stories and keep a diary. There are dreams of going on outings and children being able to participate in sports. There are also practical dreams, such as a car that chefs can use to go to the market or to pick up children who live far away.

Kinderen van Casa Blanca spelen spelletjes Kinderen van Casa Blanca aan tafel met hun maaltijd

Currently, a personal profile is being developed for each Casa Blanca child. This includes their origins, their family, their home situation, and how many siblings they have who could potentially also come to Casa Blanca. It’s a dream to provide personalized support to every child at Casa Blanca.

The hope for the Casa Blanca project is that the home will become a place in every child’s heart. That this will positively change the children’s lives and, consequently, the entire community will have a better future. Despite the many obstacles and difficult times, we at the Avila Foundation believe in this. Love is everywhere. God is Great.