| Christine
Oddy To See Action To Help Street Children Coventry
and North Warwickshire Euro MP Christine Oddy will soon be on her way to Central America
where she will be looking at projects to provide shelter and help for the region's street
children.
She is heading for Guatemala and Nicaragua where she will
visit crisis centres, homes and training schemes run by Casa Alianza, the international
charity which aims to rescue runaway young people from destitution and exploitation.
The charity has built up a network of partnerships with
local authorities and other organisations in the region. But its resolute stance in
combatting the mistreatment of young people has led to clashes in some places with police
and the legal system which has been suspected of collusion in the abduction and murder of
homeless youngsters. It is currently pursuing more than 450 legal cases against
people suspected of taking part in the abuses.
Whilst in the two countries Ms Oddy will see how Casa
Alianza provides crisis centres which provide an immediate refuge for young people and
training centres where young people can catch up on their educational or get vocational
training. The charity also runs a mothers and babies programme for young women, many of
whom have been rescued from prostitution. Casa Alianza is also active in Mexico and
Honduras.
Ms Oddy will also spend time visiting a number of
micro-credit projects which have been backed by the Leamington Spa-based organisation
Results. They enable local people to break free form moneylenders and banks which
charge high rates of interest.
Ms Oddy said:
"Casa Alianza is doing wonderful work and is often the
only organisation to extend the hand of friendship and help to these young people. But it
is particularly sad there is a need for it to have to start work in Nicaragua. Street
children were virtually unknown there until the change of government and a crippling level
of national debt forced growing numbers of people into poverty."
MORE INFORMATION: Christine Oddy MEP
01203 552328 |
