All aboard, the Irish Navy has arrived!
This week, Project Reaching Lives in São Gonçalo received a team from the Irish Navy ship L.E. Niamh, as well a physiotherapist Andy Mitchell visiting from the UK, who helped finish the roof of the new building in the sweltering heat.
On Tuesday the Irish Navy held a reception for twenty of the children from the project, onboard the L.E.Niamh. The kids received toys and clothes and whilst their requests of going for a spin in the lifeboats weren’t met, the day was a wonderful experience for children who have never left their neighbourhood!
We are extremely grateful to the generosity the L.E.Niamh, the Irish Embassy, the Naval Association in Dublin and the Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners in Cork for their contribution to making Project Reaching Lives a better place for the children.
Official charity of Ireland v Brazil match
The Republic of Ireland face Brazil on the 2nd of March at the Emirates Stadium in London for the Brazilian players’ last chance to stake their claim for a place in the world cup squad in South Africa.
We are very happy to announce that we have been chosen as the official charity for the match and will be carrying out a bucket collection before the game. Whilst the match is a friendly, Brazilian coach Dunga is treating the game as crucial in his decisions as to who will be going to the World Cup and has announced a 22 player squad which includes Adriano, Kaka and Robinho. The game is sure to be a cracker so we hope to see you there!
Ticket information available at Arsenal.com.
Reaching Lives is having its finishing touches
The Reaching Lives project in São Gonçalo is nearing completion after some major renovations. We have finally completed the structure of the new building, and need to complete the installations on the land to get the creche open for the children.
The focus has always been on providing a safe building with more capacity for children to replace the dangerously structured creche that existed before. The creche is currently taking place in the local church with some new volunteers adding to the excitement of the new year. We hope to have the children in their new much improved surroundings by the start of April.
RFA Goldrover helps Reaching Lives creche
The renovation works on the Reaching Lives creche in São Gonçalo had a great boost with the contribution of the British Merchant Navy ship, RFA Goldrover. A team of volunteers worked for four days on the construction site helping lay the concrete and the roof for the new dining room.
Homeless Child hope to have the rest of the first floor completed by the end of next year with a new kitchen, nursery for babies up to one years of age and ‘maternal’ for 1-2 years old. The creche will have the capacity to care for up to 150 children in the local area of São Gonçalo.
Winter break means all hands on deck for Reaching Lives
Over the winter holidays the renovation works on the Reaching Lives creche in São Gonçalo has taken off at lightning speed. The building that existed has essentially been rebuilt with neccessary changes made to improve the infrastructure such as levelling of the floor and installation of brand new windows and doors.
Work has began on the new part of the building which will double the size of the creche with a new dining room, kitchen, nursery for babies up to one years of age and ‘maternal’ for 1-2 years old. The onslaught of swine flu has meant that the government have asked for creches in Rio de Janeiro to extend their holidays so as to prevent the passing of the illness.
In 2008 we constructed a cistern to provide the project with a reliable water source and lay the foundations to extend the building.
Homeless Child believes that no child should live in poverty. Every day, children die on the streets in Rio de Janeiro from crack addiction, violence and abuse. Our charity makes a real difference in the lives of Rio's street children. 
