Millions of children and young people live in conditions of exclusion and are deprived of the right of protection from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation. Many others do not have access to basic services including medical assistance and suitable nutrition for their development and education.

Survival, protection, development and education are Cesvi’s main objectives in activities addressed to children and young people. Considering the lack of protection that affects millions of children, Cesvi has defined and put into practice its own intervention strategy which finds its basic expression in the House of smiles formula. Located in the following countries: Peru, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil, India, every House of Smiles has its own history which takes into account the specific conditions of the single contexts analysed by Cesvi together with local partners, in order to identify the type of intervention necessary in each case. Even the management of the Houses is entrusted to the local partners who are responsible for coordinating the activities and the relations with beneficiaries, in accordance to the principle of enhancement of the resources present on the territory.

In some cases the beneficiaries live in the House for the duration of the process of education and gradual social reintegration, with the House functioning as substitute for “family life”, in others, instead, it is a centre of aggregation that deals with multiple daytime activities, connected with preventive initiatives in the area. Beneficiaries of the Houses of Smiles are vulnerable subjects identified with:

- young people aged between 4 and 21; 
- orphans or children with family problems and subjected to domestic violence;
- victims of extreme poverty;
- street children;
- institutionalised children;
- children infected with or orphaned due to HIV/AIDS;
- children with problems of school and socio-professional integration;
- young women with children and victims of violence.

Read more about education and protection activities (>>.pdf format) carried out in the Houses of Smiles.