Transform the Lives of Autistic Kids in Venezuela

Between reporting periods, SOVENIA continued strengthening its commitment to autistic children, adolescents, adults, and their families through direct services, community outreach, and emergency response initiatives.

In May, we organized a highly successful informational conference that brought together approximately 250 participants, including parents, professionals, autistic individuals, and members of the community. During this event, we shared updates on our programs, services, and ongoing initiatives, while promoting awareness, inclusion, and access to reliable information about autism.

Thanks to the support received through our projects, six individuals received initial diagnostic and therapeutic evaluations, allowing us to identify their needs and develop individualized intervention plans. Additionally, three beneficiaries received consecutive therapy sessions, ensuring continuity of care and therapeutic follow-up, and three people received financial help for groceries and medicines.

Following the earthquake emergency, our organization expanded its response by launching emotional support and psychoeducational therapy services for children affected by the crisis. Since the beginning of July, eight children have been receiving ongoing interventions, and these services continue to the present date, helping families cope with the emotional and educational impact of the emergency, and even a local restaurant provided meals to them on the first two weeks 

To support displaced families, we also acquired blankets and toys that were delivered to the temporary shelter located at Parque del Este, providing both comfort and opportunities for play during a difficult time. They were relocated, but we keep in touch with them

We were also fortunate to receive the support of a nutritional supplement company, which donated vitamins and minerals intended to promote attention, strengthen the immune system, and support emotional regulation among children affected by the emergency.

Finally, we established a valuable partnership with the Fundación Celíacos de Venezuela, enabling us to provide appropriate foods for autistic children and adolescents who follow specialized nutritional interventions, and some specific medicines some families were requesting for their kids. This collaboration has helped families maintain essential dietary treatments despite the challenges created by the current situation. We are also working with other professionals and parents abroad that are developing ways to support the families affected as well as providing updates via the collection of nutritional supplements and future webinars for medical doctors and other professionals in the field to support Sovenia and another foundation in La Guaira. Others are helping us raise funds, get sensory toys and active noise cancelling earphones. We received the first box on wednesday, July 29. 

We remain deeply grateful to GlobalGiving and its donors for making these interventions possible. Their support continues to help us respond both to the long-term needs of autistic individuals and to the urgent challenges faced by families during times of crisis.