Little Butterflies: supporting abused kids, Brazil

Dear Donors,

On May 18, many of the families supported through our Little Butterflies project took part in the National Day Against the Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Adolescents at Casa Esperança in Manaus. The event was an important opportunity to raise awareness, encourage dialogue, and reaffirm that every child has the right to grow up free from violence, fear, and exploitation. Through educational activities, discussions, and moments of sharing, children, parents, social workers, and psychologists came together to strengthen the community's commitment to protecting children's rights. In a context where silence and stigma often surround abuse, these initiatives play a vital role in helping families recognize the signs of violence, seek support, and understand that they are not alone.

Every day in Brazil, thousands of children experience abuse, neglect, and exploitation, leaving deep emotional and psychological scars that can last a lifetime. Through our partnership with Casa Esperança, we work to break this cycle by providing integrated psychological, medical, legal, and social support to vulnerable children and their families. Our goal is not only to respond to emergencies but also to help create safer environments where children can recover and thrive.

Behind every family we support is a unique story, but many share the same challenges: extreme poverty, unstable housing, unemployment, health problems, and the long waiting times of the public healthcare system. Our social workers visit families regularly, providing food assistance through monthly basic food baskets while monitoring each child's well-being and helping parents navigate healthcare, legal, and social services.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the project is the family therapy program carried out at Casa Esperança. For almost a year, families have participated in regular group sessions led by psychologists, creating a safe space where they can process trauma, improve communication, and rebuild relationships. The positive changes observed by our local team have been remarkable: caregivers are becoming more aware of children's emotional needs, family relationships are improving, and the work of social workers is becoming increasingly effective thanks to this integrated approach.

At the same time, many children continue to face significant educational and health challenges. Some are waiting for specialist medical appointments that can take months to obtain through the public health system, while others struggle with learning difficulties that require specialized educational support. Despite these obstacles, the children continue attending school, participating in educational activities, and showing extraordinary determination to build a better future.

Looking ahead, we hope to take the project one step further by introducing individual psychological therapy for children and adolescents with the most complex trauma. Personalized support would allow them to process experiences of violence more effectively, strengthen their emotional resilience, and reduce the long-term consequences of abuse.

To make this possible, we need your help. An additional contribution would allow us to expand psychological services, reach more vulnerable children, and provide the long-term support they need to heal and grow in safety.

Thank you for standing with us. Your generosity is giving children not only protection, but also the opportunity to reclaim their childhood and build a future free from violence.

Dear Donors,
In Brazil, particularly in the most vulnerable areas of the favelas, widespread poverty is intertwined with high levels of crime, violence and child exploitation, contributing to an increasingly fragile and unstable social environment. In these neighborhoods, children and adolescents grow up surrounded by insecurity, a lack of essential services and limited educational opportunities. Young people are especially exposed to the risk of school dropout, domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse and recruitment by organized crime, which exploits their vulnerability to fuel cycles of illegality.

According to data released by the Ministério dos Direitos Humanos e da Cidadania, more than 17,500 cases of violence against minors were recorded in 2023 alone, representing a 68% increase compared to the previous year. Of these, nearly 14,000 incidents occurred within the family environment. The most common violations include rape, physical and sexual abuse, psychological violence and exploitation. These experiences leave deep wounds that harm children’s dignity and have long-lasting effects on their emotional and psychological well-being, depriving them of the right to a safe and peaceful childhood.

In this challenging context, we continue to work closely with Casa Esperança and the Archdiocesan Psychological Support Service for Families (SAPFAM). Through an integrated approach, the center provides psychological support, legal assistance, healthcare guidance and safe spaces, supporting children at risk or victims of violence.

Throughout 2025, monthly meetings and group activities engaged an average of 75 participants, around 70% of whom were girls. This data confirms how girls are particularly exposed to situations of abuse and exploitation. At the same time, we recorded a significant increase in the number of reported cases, with a peak in July, when the number of children taken into care nearly doubled compared to the first months of the year.

We also observed a rise in absences and interruptions in participation, reflecting the daily hardships many families face, including housing instability, insecurity and the need for children to start working at an early age. This highlights the urgent need to strengthen outreach and follow-up strategies to ensure continuity and greater effectiveness of our interventions. To further reinforce the work of psychologists and social workers, we believe it is essential to add a professional educator to the team. This role would support children in developing personal and relational skills, help them stay engaged in their education and work closely with parents to strengthen parenting skills, foster positive family relationships and provide practical tools to cope with everyday challenges.

We firmly believe that only through consistent and long-term support can we break the cycle of violence and offer these children a real opportunity for a better future. Today more than ever, we need your help. With your contribution, we can expand our educational team and ensure protection. We invite you to continue supporting us so that, together, we can build a safer and more dignified future for every child.