Emotional meeting in Paraguay
It was a rare visit. Swedish sponsor 14-year old Elise finally saw her dream come true. Through Plan Sweden she was able to travel to Paraguay to meet with her sponsor friend Nilsa, a 16-year old paraguayan girl from Caaguazú. The meeting was a result of a competition arranged by Plan Sweden, for sponsors to motivate why they wanted to visit their sponsored child. Elise and Nilsa had been in close contact since Elise's family first signed up as sponsors.
The visit generated publicity for Plan Paraguay, as the country's main national newspaper made the meeting their cover story:
Generosity without frontiers
Elise, a 14-year-old Swedish girl, came to Ñurumí, a rural community in Caaguazú, to meet her sponsored child called Nilsa, a 16-year-old Paraguayan girl and pupil of 8th grade. The emotive meeting took place within a frame of friendship and solidarity initiated by Plan Paraguay, a non-governmental organization that undertakes training and development projects in favor of children and adolescents in developing countries.
A real gesture of friendship without frontiers
Elise came to Paraguay after winning a contest where Swedish young sponsors had to write a letter explaining why they became sponsors. The award, a trip to meet his or her sponsored child, allowed Elise to see with her blue eyes the ingenuous face of her friend Nilsa. Elise has sponsored Nilsa for one year through the NGO Plan so that Nilsa could attend school and improve the life quality of her community.
Although Elise did not speak Spanish, this Swedish girl shared games, emotions and fondness with her sponsored child. “There are many feelings; it is like feeling everything at once. Nilsa is a very friendly girl, I like to be here and I am happy to know her”, said in English the nice blonde girl. For Elise, the fact of helping the neediest has a clear goal: “I want to help children living in distant places because I think that we can make possible a better world all together”.
Homeland flavors
Elise, the Swedish girl, enjoyed a delicious “vorivori” with chicken and “sopa Paraguaya” baked in the “tatakua” offered by Nilsa, her Paraguayan friend. The menu was much appreciated by the European visitors.
Elise came accompanied by her mother Mrs. Gunilla, members of Plan Sweden and a special filming team that recorded this experience of “Meeting of cultures”. The film is expected to be used in different communication outputs and the media in Sweden.
Mrs. Eduvigis and Mr. Bernardo, Nilsa’s parents, entertained visitors with a typical lunch consisting of “sopa Paraguaya”, baked in the “tatakua”, and “vorivori” with chicken. “This is an adorable community. Here everything looks so green; nature is beautiful and people are very friendly. We are happy”, said Mrs. Gunilla.
The community of Ñurumí, situated 15 kilometers from the town of Caaguazú, has 40 sponsors from different countries. This community was benefited from the construction of three classrooms in one Active School, construction of differentiated bathrooms, oral-dental health, didactic materials, training for mothers and teachers, drinking water system and construction of cooking stoves in poor households.