The door openers

Actions in favour of disadvantaged children

2014 till 2018

La Louvière-St Josse-Barvaux-Arlon-Seraing, Belgium

Context

In Belgium, 18.7% of children between 0 to 17 years old live below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold (IWEPS study). Poverty affects these children in all aspects of their lives: poor nutrition, poor health, feeling of shame and inferiority, etc.

In response, Action Vivre Ensemble is involved in “supporting grassroots initiatives that take up the challenge of establishing relationships of trust with children and their parents that open up the field of possibilities”. It supports “door openers”: NGOs that enable children to overcome the difficulties linked to the social, economic and psychological conditions. Inequalities exist from the very beginning of life but fortunately, the fate of a human being is not sealed by the circumstances of his or her birth because, if there are closed doors, there are also door openers.

Beneficiaries

5 NGOs and, through their actions, the children and families supported by these structures. Indirectly, the whole community to which they belong also benefits from this project.

Objective

Soutien de 5 associations belges, « Ouvreuses de portes » :

– « Les Petits Câlins » (la Louvière) : maison d’enfants pour parents en situation de précarité entrant dans un processus de formation ou de remise à l’emploi;

– « La Bulle d’Air » (Seraing) : association qui mène des actions de quartier avec des enfants de milieux vivant des situations de très grande pauvreté : visites, jeux extérieurs, école des devoirs, camp d’été, accompagnement social, …;

– « La Ruelle » (Saint Josse) : association encourageant l’expression artistique comme moyen de lutter contre l’exclusion liée aux situations de pauvreté ;

– « La Maison du Pain » (Arlon) : maison d’accueil et de vie communautaire constituant un refuge en temps de crise familiale et/ou conjugale nécessitant un besoin de protection immédiate;

– « La Maison Source » (Barvaux) : avec son projet de « Maison-école » didactiquepour accueillir et accompagner les parents fragilisés dans les gestes du quotidien nécessaires pour le “bien grandir” de leurs enfants de 0 à 6 ans.

Results

1. Les Petits Câlins: the organisation welcomes 35 to 40 vulnerable children whose parents are looking for work.
2. La Bulle d’Air: the Foundation’s support concerns the reception of children within the framework of the homework school (acquisition of various school materials).
3. La Ruelle: field activities with the children and regular snacks for the children participating in its activities.
4. La Maison du Pain: psychomotricity and massage sessions with young children and support for parents through the parental center.
5. La Maison Source: organisation of various parent-child workshops 5 days a week to promote the development of children who suffer from poor health due to an unbalanced lifestyle and significant cognitive and psychomotor delays.

Our actions

Whether on a national or international level, we want to offer young people the best possible opportunities for the future. We support projects through concrete action on the ground thanks to our partner organisations

Discover this action

2010 till 2019

Belgium