Yesterday it was the groundbreaking Ceremony for "Ñemity", a place for children and adolescents who are living on the streets and using drugs. The construction is possible through the cooperation of Koica and will be ready in May.

Sowing in good soil, yesterday it was the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Rehabilitation Therapy Center for children and adolescents living on the streets and using drugs. Ñemity Center is the result of the effort and the work of external cooperation.

The main objective is to rescue the young lives that have adverse situations and do not have the same opportunities as others to help redirect their steps towards a full recovery.

Ñemity Center will be built on 23 hectares donated by the ¡°Cuartel La Victoria¡± in San Lorenzo, with an investment of $ 1,800,000. It is funded by the Korean Government's cooperation with the State of Paraguay, through the National Secretariat for Childhood and Adolescence (SNNA).

Liz Torres, Minister of Children, used the act to recognize that this initiative ¡°responds to a historic debt that we have in our country with an area of children, adolescents, women and men who have for a long while -since the decade of the 80 - resisting despite growing up in poverty without a chance for us as a State to guarantee a dignified life ".

She also thanked the cooperation received from KOICA and readiness of the Armed Forces and the Defense Ministry to carry out the initiative, which expects to be completed by mid May.

Meanwhile, Joo Teck Kim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Paraguay, said that coincidentally the start of this center takes place in the context of commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the ratification by Paraguay of the International Convention on the Rights of the child.

"Since this convention marked a substantial change in public policies related to Paraguayan child protection, this center will be part of the action strategies of the Paraguayan government," the diplomat said.

At the event there was also the Defense minister, Luis Bareiro Spaini, who commited in the presence of local and Korean authorities and local people to continue with the support and cooperation necessary to continue this type of initiative.

In the Ceremony there was also the Governor of Central Department, Mr. Carlos Amarilla and parliamentarians from Korea.

FEATURES. The building will include a workshop area, a space to practice sports and a housing area, separate male and female, in each house there will inhabit 8 people plus an educator, with all services. In total, they can accommodate 40 at a time.

They will also have consultation rooms, music therapy and sports, among others. It is important to mention that it will be supported by professionals and people who have been rehabilitated from drug addiction to accompany the process.

Operations carried out previously

Between May and August last year, considering that those were the months when temperatures were lower, the operation "Shelter" took place.

This was to provide shelter, food and support to 47 children and adolescents raised in the streets, unaccompanied by a responsible adult or to protect them. Another work was on 15 January 2009, at which time it was opened, together with the Ministry of Public Health and Welfare, the Detoxification Unit program for children and adolescents. Ñemity is another link in this chain of recovery.