From words to actions….

Transcrição

Fighting against poverty: a challenge for Europe
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Fighting against poverty: a challenge for Europe
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Child Support Institute
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From words to actions
Table of Contents
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Preface
Dulce Rocha...............................................................................
5
2000-2013 - a bridge
Elza Chambel.............................................................................
9
Introduction
Moving from words to actions – moment of
a project ......................................................................................
10
Themes
my life is like this ......................................................................
what I miss ................................................................................
what makes me happy ..............................................................
I get sad if .................................................................................
I get angry if ..............................................................................
I wonder why .............................................................................
I hope that .................................................................................
sometimes I dream …................................................................
the future …................................................................................
I have ideas… I want to do something ….................................
I don’t want this anymore ….....................................................
14
27
37
48
57
63
72
79
87
94
100
Vice-President of the Child Support Institute
Former President of the National Council for the Promotion
of Volunteering
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4
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Preface
The Child Support Institute (Instituto de Apoio à Criança – IAC) accepted, once
again, the European Social Action Network’s challenge aimed at a participative
reflection around the paths we wander along in our striving for our common
goals of more inclusion and social justice.
We so resumed this constant work of listening to people addressees of policies
defined in their name, seeking to deepen an innovative methodology, which we
experiment in our daily lives. To this effect, we coordinated the gathering of
testimonies from a large group of citizens, and thus renewed our commitment
to give a voice to those who face most difficulties to make themselves heard.
IAC is a landmark institution in Portugal when it comes to the defence and
promotion of Children’s Rights, and this is why we focused on Children’s
and Youth’s testimonies, as we were aware that, of all the Rights which
are consecrated by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the ´Right to
Participating´ may have been the most difficult to fulfil.
Actually, though it is unanimously agreed upon that children have rights, when
it comes to hearing them and taking their opinion into account, practice has
revealed that, under many pretexts, multiple obstacles appear, which devalue
the importance of listening to children and lessen their will to intervene.
Therefore, though the mere recognition of this right already represents a higher
level when it comes to the child’s status, only the promotion of mechanisms
which really and effectively take it into account will ultimately presuppose the
fulfilling of conventional norms. It is in this context that the United Nations,
designedly through their secretary-general Ban ki-Moon, have started to call
attention to this reality.
During the European Year of Citizens, IAC, which has been dedicating itself
to this intransigent mission of giving voice to the Child for thirty years, has thus
positively responded to the challenge it was presented with, not only because
we have been talking more and more profoundly about citizenship, but also
because, as we are integrated in a Network of over one hundred NGOs, Rede
Construir Juntos (Network Building Together), we were able to count with the
cooperation of many partners all over the country, who gave our work more
strength and made our contribution richer and more representative.
As I have already mentioned, we strived to have a larger number of children’s
testimonies, seeing that, as this brochure coincides with IAC’s 30th birthday,
and being aware of their bigger vulnerability than all human beings, we want to
give visibility to the child’s right to an active citizenship; which is also a way of
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5
Preface
6
paying homage to them in this special year.
Children continue to be the most silent victims of violence, while their suffering
is further undervalued due to their lesser capacity of claiming their rights.
This becomes apparent, for instance, if we look at the fact that it is only now,
through an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, that
a mechanism for communication and complaints has been instituted, destined
to detect violations of the rights consecrated in the Convention. IAC has
participated in Campaigns, namely this year, in which an action developed by
the Council of Europe and aiming to denounce sexual violence, was publicised
with a conference dedicated to the commemoration of the Missing Children’s
Day.
The Council of Europe has been at the forefront of the defence of the Rights of
the more vulnerable human beings. This is made clear namely by the Lanzarote
and Istanbul Conventions, which are examples of the defence of the weakest –
children and women who are victims of violence.
This way, though we recognise that children are those who suffer the most from
the consequences of adversity in moments of bigger difficulties, we obviously
couldn’t neglect to take into account contributions from other NGOs, most of
them partners from Network Building Together, who daily help persons of all
ages in an intergenerational dialog that enriches us all, especially as we know
how crises affect families.
This is why, in this context of financial and economic crisis affecting Europe
and especially the South European countries, Portugal had to be present in this
initiative.
In the year 2000 we had already participated in the Cahiers 2000 “Le dire pour
agir” (in French: Notebook 2000 “Saying it to act upon it”) and it was a gratifying
experience, recalled by all with satisfaction.
We thus thank the ESAN, and especially its distinguished and enterprising
President Léon Dujardin, for the invitation he addressed to IAC once again.
Furthermore, we consider all the steps of this Project to be of the utmost
importance. From exposing the idea to partner institutions to the contact with
children and young people, from the selection of the works to the conception of
the book, each step of the way has constituted a unique experience, which we
will not forget.
What’s more, the opportunity to take the voice of the people who suffer the
consequences of austerity to the Council of Europe on the International Day for
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Preface
the Eradication of Poverty, is mostly an ethical responsibility, because it is an
imperious need that it be said that, despite all difficulties, the poorest cannot be
the greatest victims of the sovereign debts and of the adjustment programmes.
As a whole, this work has made us proud, seeing as in addition to demanding
inter-institutional cooperation, it also had an advantage that isn’t always
recognised to its full extent: the advantage of making the different sectors of
IAC share goals and methods so as to reach a common result.
Beyond Projeto Rua (Street Project), whose tireless teams’ enthusiasm
made this book possible, I must emphasise the work of Forum Construir Juntos
(Forum Building Together), which embraced this project and, as it ensured a
bridge with the Network and with other NGOs, gave it more soul and meaning.
I also wish to congratulate the Editorial Sector of the Documentation Centre,
which deserves an appreciative round of applause for the excellent quality of
the selection and graphic design. Only highly motivated and dedicated teams
can transmit the strength necessary to reach the excellence of the final result,
and IAC is proud to count with professionals of such high merit who never let
themselves be discouraged by difficulties and who outdo themselves every day.
A word of thanks, also, to all the institutions who participated, to those who are
part of the Network, and to those who wanted to be partners of this project, for
sharing their experiences, for lending us unique dynamics and for making the
superior dimension of this works possible. Thank you!
We also cannot fail to mention the energy and determination of our friend
Elza Chambel, who served as a godmother to the integration of IAC in the
ESAN around 15 years ago and who, as the President of the National Council
of Volunteering, honours us with her experience and knowledge, developing
voluntary work in favour of IAC, with an ever-renewed vigour.
Finally, a very heartfelt thanks to two great friends of IAC, Paula Guimarães
and Tomás Correia, of the Foundation Montepio, who decided to sponsor
this publishing and in this way showed once more a special sensibility which
contributed in many ways for citizenship not to be only a pretty word, for it
to fulfil itself, thanks to the means which were granted by this indispensable
funding.
We know that Citizenship has to be built every day, but Europe has a unique
story when it comes to defending the more vulnerable citizens, and the Council
of Europe has represented wisely the most advanced and profound thoughts
and practices in the field of Fundamental Rights.
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Preface
Thus sharing this experience with our partners of the ESAN and being able to
owe it to the Council of Europe is an honour!
We will carry on hand in hand in this cause, because only this communion of
paths and purposes can generate a feeling of belonging, which is indispensable
to a true European citizenship.
Dulce Rocha
Vice-President of the Child Support Institute (IAC)
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2000-2013 - A bridge
It is not possible to guarantee respect for all the different cultures, or to speak
about human rights, without taking into account the respect of differences.
But in order to achieve that respect, the access to education, whether it is
formal or informal, is fundamental as a basic condition of citizenship, because
knowledge will confer, to everyone, the skills which are indispensable in order
to participate in the life of the “city” they live in, assuming their duties and
conducting their tasks for the individual and collective benefit, because the
problems of the “city” should be the responsibility of all citizens.
The process of training citizenship privileges a change of values, attitudes,
behaviours and beliefs in favour of tolerance, peace and respect for human
beings, and must be developed in all educational spaces: inside the family, at
school, in institutions and associations, starting from the first years of life.
In 2013, on the occasion of the European Year of Citizens, the European Social
Action Network (ESAN) challenged its European associates once again, and the
Child Support Institute (Instituto de Apoio à Criança – IAC), in cooperation with
the network Rede Construir Juntos (Network Building Together), committed to
developing this project not only because it is part of its mission as an institution,
but also because it keeps the memory of participating in the elaboration of the
“Notebooks 2000 – From words to actions“ alive.
The IAC, as the Network Building Together’s National Mediating Centre,
launched a bridge of dialog with several age groups of the involved community,
aiming to discover or strengthen values such as the sense of the other and each
individual’s responsibility in relationship to the world in which he or she lives.
IAC considers that this can be a “common thread” to help the reflection on the
rights and duties of each person, so as to provide a voice to those who don’t
have one. It is also a firm belief that the awareness of the fact that the struggle
against poverty and exclusion cannot succeed without knowledge of the rights
and duties of each and every citizen.
Only in this way will we manage to contribute daily to strengthening citizenship
and building a better and happier world for ALL!
Elza Chambel
Former person in charge of “Notebooks 2000 – from words to actions” in Portugal
and former President of the National Council for Promotion of Voluntary Work
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Introduction
Changing words into acts –
Moment of a project
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The Child Support Institute (IAC) has been a witness of the success and the
impact that its initiative “Notebooks 2000 – From words to acts” had on the lives
of its participants. As such, IAC couldn’t refrain from associating once again with
a space that also is a space for letting off steam for persons who, independently
of their age group, sex or social condition, can’t always raise their voices.
As an entity that promotes empowerment on a daily basis, IAC understood
very early that this initiative could also serve as a valuable tool for the right
to participation and a valid contribution for the effective definition of inclusion
policies.
To guarantee that the message would circulate all over the country, IAC –
by way of Projecto Rua (Street Project) and Fórum Construir Juntos (Forum
Building Together) – challenged, in the first step of the project, institutions of
the network Rede Construir Juntos (Network Building Together) and other
entities intervening in the fields of childhood and youth, to mobilise their public
whether children, youth, citizens with a disability or senior citizens, to fill in these
notebooks.
In the same way as in 2000, we intended this notebook to constitute a space
where the authors would be able, in a free and aware manner, to use their
words, drawings or pictures to express their ideas, points of view, their hopes
and fears and their revolts. Their daily lives and maybe, propositions for a better
world, a fairer and more dignified world.
With this in mind, we adopted 11 themes offered for reflection in the previous
initiative and equally adapted by the other countries that accepted to cooperate
that year (other than Portugal – Spain, Russia, Italy and France):
- “my life is like this…” ;
- “what I miss…”;
- “what makes me happy…”;
- “I get sad if…”;
- “I get angry if …”;
- “I wonder why …”;
- “I hope that …”;
- “sometimes I dream …”;
- “the future …”
- “I have ideas… I want to do something…”;
- “I don’t want this anymore …”
Aware that the dedication, motivation and total participation of the professionals
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Introduction
Moment of a project
and youth workers who carried out these sessions would be crucial for the
success of the initiative, we decided to prepare a dynamic presentation of the
project “Notebooks 2013”, which was conducted on 24th and 25th of June
in Coimbra (Portugal) on the occasion of the Network Growing Together’s
Annual Exchange. In addition to the representatives of different institutions who
constituted the different centres of the Network Building Together, we counted
with the cooperation of a motivated group of youngsters which rapidly adhered
to filling in the notebooks.
This session also served as an awareness-raising space for the professionals,
for them to appropriate themselves the tool, with the objective, on the one hand,
to motivate the participation of other entities and partner workers, and on the
other hand, to reflect upon the importance of this means of listening to the target
groups, transforming them in active subjects of their own change process.
This methodology’s flexibility made it possible for each branch of the Network
to promote and carry out local initiatives, and resulted in filling out notebooks
by groups in higher vulnerability situations. Despite the short lapse of time we
had, we managed to distribute notebooks all over the country, North and South,
on the coast and inland, and in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, gaining
access to a large set of testimonies which alert us. We would have liked to
reach more regions, but the limited deadline that was afforded to us made the
process of listening to further populations not viable.
Though it is not an innovative idea, we were surprised by the way the project
was welcomed and by the motivation that was obtained for participation, so
that we have to emphasise the dedication and availability of the institutions
that collaborated so willingly. This is easily proved by the creativity with which
all the participants (from the youngest to the oldest) and local animation
agents embraced this challenge. The drawings, the colours, the pictures and
testimonies are living proof of all this.
The selection of testimonies for which IAC’s teams were responsible wasn’t
always easy, due to the originality and the creativity of the presentations, the
richness of contents, the impact these testimonies cause and have caused on
those who read them. We try to maintain, as much as possible, the genuineness
of these testimonies, as we have taken upon us the commitment to transcribe
truthfully the feelings and spontaneous expressions of those who agreed to
participate. However, each time that revealed necessary, we proceeded to
correct the texts’ spelling.
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Introduction
Moment of a project
12
In the face of some participants’ courage, as they accepted to share situations
that usually never overstep the limits of intimacy, we have to remain alert.
The impressionist nature of these bits of real life stories, of which this publication
results, drives us not to let this initiative stop at mere sheets of paper, but to use
it at as a working tool that enables us to reflect on our own role as pro-active
citizens and as social interveners, and, more often than not, as the only
“spokespersons” of the most excluded.
The situations of poverty, abandonment or different types of violence to which
so many people are subjected, will not leave us indifferent, and so this book is
also a call from all of us so that, all together as partners, we can contribute to
a more human, solidary and prosperous society, that cares about the future of
children and youngsters and that respects the dignity of all citizens.
We hope that one day, in the very close future, Beze can constitute an
association to help the youngsters who are most in need, that Acácio gets his
100 cows, that so many institutionalised boys and girls can be with their families
again…
To all those who accepted the challenge, a word of hope and a heartfelt
thanks.
To the institutions, which were the great forces of this challenge, and that we
simply have to enumerate, we hope that you keep intervening with the same
dynamism and authenticity:
Associação Ajuda de Mãe – Mother’s Help Association
Associação Artenave – Artenave Association – in Moimenta da Beira
Associação Juvenil Clube Gaivotas da Torre – Torre’s Seagulls Club Youth
Association – in Cascais
Associação para a Recuperação de Cidadãos Inadaptados da Lousã –
Association for the Recovery of Inadapted Citizens of Lousã
Associação Terra Mãe – Mother Earth Association – in Alcáçovas
Associação o Saltarico – Association the Hop
Centro Comunitário Paroquial da Ramada – Parochial Community Centre of
Ramada – in Odivelas
Centro Cultural e Social de Santo Adrião – Santo Adrião Cultural and Social
Centre – in Braga
Centro Cultural e Social de Santo António dos Cavaleiros – Santo António dos
Cavaleiros Cultural and Social Centre
CESIS – Projecto “Percursos Acompanhados” – “Monitored Trajectories” Project
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Introduction
Moment of a project
Centro Social de Alfarelos – Alfarelos Social Centre
Colégio S. Caetano – S. Caetano School – in Coimbra
Gabinete de Apoio ao Aluno e à Família – Agrupamento de Escolas Marinha
Grande Poente – Student and Family Support Cabinet – Grouping of Schools
of Marinha Grande (west)
Instituto de Apoio à Criança – Child Support Institute – in the Azores
Instituto de Apoio à Criança – Projecto Rua / Centro de Desenvolvimento e
Inclusão Juvenil – Child Support Institute – Street Project / Development and
Youth Inclusion Centre – in Lisbon, eastern and centre areas
Integrated Education and Training Programme (PIEF) class – Grouping of
Schools of Pontinha
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My life is like this...
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Tiago Lima, 18 anos, Coimbra
António Ferrão, 52 years old, Alfarelos
Right now I have a bit of happiness, but no job… which
doesn’t help…, but I go about doing what I can to be
happy. My health is reasonable and my family is well.
Spending time with my friends helps me have fun and
keep my mind off things.
Ermelinda Santos, 40 years old, Alfarelos
I am a student, I live in Coimbra where I also study. I am
far away from my family but I have great friends who help
me when I need it.
My name is Ermelinda, I’m 40 years old, married with
three children and four grand-children. I’m currently
attending a training course in Tourism which is difficult,
but I like it.
Beatriz, Marlene, Madalena, Inês, Afonso, Manuel, Érica and
Tomás, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
Laura Sequeira, 63 years old, Alfarelos
I don’t have a job, I don’t have children, I’m single and I
live at home with my brother.
Vasco, Diogo, Carlota, Cristina, Marina, Gisela, Inês, Soraia, 11
to 16 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
Comfortable, fun, colourful, joyful, funny, pretty, honest,
free.
Mário Santos, 48 years old, Alfarelos
Tomás – I like riding my bike.
Afonso – I like playing football.
Manuel – I like school.
Érica – I like listening to music.
Marlene – I like playing football.
Madalena – I like my friends.
Inês – I like being with my friends.
Beatriz – I like participating in free time activities.
I’m married, I’m 48 years old, I’m attending a training
course in Soure. I have a wife and a son who is also going
to school, he’s 15 years old and he’s called António. In
my free time, I fix what has to be fixed at home, I play
with my dogs, and I go for hikes.
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Bruno, Marco, Rute, Marta, 9 to 13 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana
do Alentejo
…. JOYFUL
Rute, Joana, Diogo, Tiago, Marlene, Diego, 8 to 13 years old,
Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
Youngsters aged 13 to 17 years old, Marinha Grande
Several fears: of death and of the way I might die, of
loneliness, of poverty, of rejection, of maybe going crazy,
of losing my parents, of having to bear responsibilities,
of going through things I have never been through, of
being alone at home, of unhappiness, of not reaching my
goals, that peace might end and a war might start.
School: studying, learning.
Daily life: eating, sleeping, playing.
Ballet, Sevillanas1.
Playing basketball.
Playing football.
Fábio Silva, 16 years old, Lousã
16
My life is getting hard because without my mother I am
no-one.
My friends make me very happy.
School is going well for me.
At home I like to listen to music and to sleep in the afternoon.
I don’t like not to have credit on my phone.
My health is good.
André Pinto, 29 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Swimming pool.
Car.
Taxi.
TV.
Bicycle.
Computer.
Physiotherapy.
1- Folk music and dance from Seville (Spain)
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Maria Monteiro, 13 years old, Lousã
My life is good because my school
is cool, it’s nice I like being there
but I want to change schools to
be in the school for the older kids.
I have good friends, they’re cool
and sweet, they like playing with
me. I like my mum, my sister and
my step-father whom I call “Dad”.
My father isn’t anything to me any
more I will never forgive him for
taking my brother, for doing bad
things to my mother, to my sister
and to me.
In my free time I like writing my
name.
Telma Cardoso, 18 years old, Lousã
Ana Cardoso,16 years old, Lousã
The school is good and it is where I spend most of my
time. In my life I have made great friends that are always
willing to help me when I need it, although there are
people of which I can’t say the same, in the house where
I live. In this house I have also made great friendships
that stayed with me my whole life because they are
the ones who are with me in my daily life, with ups and
downs. I have a few contacts with members of my family;
I speak with them from time to time.
In my free time, I love listening to music, singing Karaoke,
watching TV and going for walks with my friends; that is
what I do most of the time and what makes me feel good.
I’m not very interested in studying, even though I love
my “field”, I like my course a lot, but obviously I’d rather
have good results without studying.
My family is me, my sister and my brother, because they
are the only ones who have been with me my whole life
and have always been by my side, the other members of
my family are not as important as my brother and sister.
In my free time I’d love to spend hours on the computer,
but because of my medical condition I had to start a
treatment which makes me sleepy almost all the time.
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Maria Costa, 49 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Cátia Jesus, 27 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Helena Monteiro, 40 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Bernardo Cunha,16 years old, Lousã
From when I was born to when I became a teenager, my
life wasn’t easy.
I stayed with my mother until I was 7 years old.
When I turned 8, I was taken away from my parents,
because they fought and treated me badly.
When I went to school, Social Security took me away
from home and put me in a boarding school where there
were a lot of girls. I stayed there, I grew up there, and
when I got my first period, I just wanted my mum but she
wasn’t there. It was very difficult, but I put up with it.
They hit me and punished me and if we arrived late we
didn’t eat.
Life has been like this, it trips us up a lot… we fall… but
the most important thing is to get back up again.
My childhood wasn’t easy at all, my father got thrombosis
and I didn’t go to school so I could stay at home and take
care of him because he was bedridden.
My mother was always sick. When she was young she
was an inpatient in a sanatorium because she had lung
problems, then she got into alcohol and I was mistreated
by her a lot. My mother never knew how to give me any
affection. My parents died very young, I was 11 years
old, that’s why I say I had a very sad childhood. After my
parents died, I stayed with my brother. But once more I
was mistreated by my sister-in-law.
That’s more or less how my childhood was… not very
happy… but not everything can be a sea of roses, and
mine has a few thorns.
… difficult, because my mother died and it’s difficult to be
with the members of my family.
Nevertheless, school is good! I have a lot of friends, I
play basketball and spend free time at the youth club.
Carlos Telo, 39 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Home.
Church.
Work.
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Farm
Artenave
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Matilde, 8 years old, Lousã
Family
Bruno Ferreira, 33 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Beatriz Cruz, 10 years old, Lisboa
Football.
Friends.
Boat.
Farm.
I and my family live in Chelas, Zone J2 .
My family is really fun, happy and for me it’s the best
one in the world. I was in School 54 and I like the teachers, the other students and the helpers a lot. This year
I’m going to junior high. I have a lot of friends, mostly at
school. In my free time, I play with my brother and my
friends.
Anonymous, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
I have three very beautiful and very blessed children, I
like sewing and school, I like organising the house, cleaning it and cooking. I love God, I have a lot of peace, joy
and love.
2- Chelas is a well-known area of Lisbon located in the district of Marvila.
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Anonymous, Alfragide
cool
Calm
Agitated
Comfortable
Social
Friendly
Student
Happy
Being with friends
Rita, 28 years old, Cascais
20
I’m Rita, I’m 28 years old, I live and work in Cascais. I’m fun, dynamic, a grumbler, a fighter, fair, loving, dedicated,
hardworking, and responsible. I studied at the Spanish Institute in Lisbon; I took a technical and professional course in
Socio-cultural Animation at ASAS (School of Support Service and Social Support, Monsenhor Alves Brás Foundation),
followed by a bachelor degree in the same field at ESEL (Superior School of Education of Lisbon). As soon as finished
my studies I began my professional activity at Clube Gaivotas da Torre (CGT), a youth organisation, as a ´direct action
assistant´ (AAD), in the Social Insertion Revenue Team in Cascais, and also as a coordinator and monitor of the
Educational Resources Centre (CRE).
My life experience made me able to relate to other people’s problems, to reflect on/deepen my thoughts and this
gives me pleasure, but it often causes revolt. I am not afraid of death because I believe that we go to a better place,
without stress, with peace, without luxury, feeling leisure, pleasure and total freedom. My circle of friends is big… I have
preserved those persons, those friends who somehow marked their passage in a positive way during my life. My family
is also very big. My parents are separated, my family of my mother’s side is Spanish, they love to live, they are joyful,
´fiestera ´, they like music, dance, lights, family time. Their concept of family is well structured, with many values and
historical principles and good professional positions.
It is a family with Christian values. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to grow up in two very different contexts. My
family on my father’s side is typically Portuguese, humble, hardworking and with very deep roots, with little financial
resources, but with many moral values.
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Nuno Maciel, 36 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Ana, 44 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
At the moment I am alone, but soon I will be with my
daughter. I have been unemployed for quite some time,
which leaves me stressed out. But I have always had a
pretty active life and I have always worked. That is why I
get even more stressed.
I dedicate my time to working around the house and
when I’m free I go to the workshop. I’m satisfied. I’ve
learned many things.
Maria, 65 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
It’s not good at all; I want to do many things that I can’t
do because I don’t have a good enough health. I have
a 41-year-old daughter that I take care of. Epileptic and
a developmental delay. It is my biggest worry, because
I don’t know what will happen tomorrow and if she’s
without me I don’t know what will happen with her.
Artenave
Alexandrina, 68 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros,
Loures
My life is divided between my home and the day centre.
Home-centre, centre-home. I live alone but I have my
43-year-old son, who is very dependent on me. I feed
him, I pay his bills… He has a house of his own but he
spends his whole time in mines.
Home
Heartache, longing.
Eclantina, 83 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Living in a room in my son’s house, with no access to
the rest of the house. I am not entitled to anything; I can
only have one shower a week and wash my clothes once
a month. I come to the day centre every day and it is
my biggest happiness because when I’m at home I can’t
even leave my bedroom door open.
21
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Beze, 16 years old, Lisbon
Mine seems like it started from scratch, but it started with a great love. My ´son´. I’m a 16-year-old teenager living in an
institution with a 4-month-old son. I consider that only one member of my family, that is my son, is my family, and no-one
else. I am afraid of losing more than I have already lost, I have lost several things because of mistakes that I made, like
the person I love, others because I got pregnant early, like my family. I have friends that I can count on my fingers and
that aren’t always with me but they are always in my heart and always in contact with me, they are friends and distance
brings us together. I hope to make more friends in the course I am going to attend starting from September 22. Until then
my son will already be 6 months old and will go to day-care. My life is like this now, in the future it will be much better, I
have lost some things but I have gained a wonderful son, and I’ll fight for new achievements, I’m still very young and I
still have a lot to live ahead of me.
Anonymous, Braga
22
Anonymous, Braga
Fantastic. I have fun and beautiful friends and family, I
have what I need in life. I love spending time at school,
at home.
I love life too much and I hope it will always be this way.
I wake up every day wanting to be any other person
but myself.
Sometimes my life is just free time without anything to
do.
My life is complicated, one day I have everything and
from one minute to another I might not have anything.
Helena, 74 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
It’s good! I don’t do anything, I have two sons who are
annoying, they keep saying “mum, don’t do that”, they
don’t let me do anything because they’re convinced that
I have to rest.
|
Tânia, 22 years old, Lisbon
My life is a rush. I start running around from the moment I wake up in order to spend a bit of my morning with my son,
then I run to take him to the nursery and to participate in a training course. I arrive home and have a bit more time with
my son, at the end of the day he is my sunshine. I do the chores and I take advantage of the little time I have left in the
day to be with my sunshine that surprises me every day and never stops shining.
At the week-end I still have time to be with my mother
and my sisters who are also my stars in the night sky,
who show me the way to go.
Anonymous, Braga
Cady, 16 years old, Lisbon
I spend my life always with my friends.
My life is an adventure book, sometimes everything is
great and sometimes everything is wrong. In one year
I changed institutions three times. Now I’m in Ajuda de
Mãe (Mother’s Help) waiting for the birth of my first baby.
Anonymous, Braga
My life is usually home, school, free time activities,
friends, home.
But even so I love my life and I wouldn’t exchange it
for the world.
|
23
João Pena, 60 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
Maria Isabel, 52 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
Unemployed, my daily life is divided between my home,
my family, taking my dog for a walk three times a day and
I go for a walk every day. In the end it is monotonous;
with no occupation it is very difficult to manage our lives.
Nevertheless, I know that I am valuable, that I’m still useful for something; I can’t give up.
My life is like this because I don’t have any way to bounce back as I had imagined. I thought that I could make a
difference after going through negative experiences. In
the end I learned from my mistakes, but it was only late
in life that I managed to leave drug dependence behind;
for sure, it left me a bit burned, but intact and with a clean
soul. My life is like this now, a little better than a few years
ago, when I didn’t even have a house. I lived in a shack
with no electricity or running water, nothing. It was large,
it had no separate rooms.
What it did have was rats running through all the time,
snakes and lizards, mosquitoes. As it was near the river, imagine the smell: it was horrible. As if that wasn’t
enough, I also had to deal with neighbours who were still
doing drugs. I was strong enough not to let their talk get
the better of me.
My life is like this, but I can do a lot to make it better.
When there’s a will, there’s a way.
My life is endless sadness. Loneliness, loneliness, loneliness.
I don’t have anyone to give me affection. I don’t have a
house – I live in a bedroom. My whole family abandoned
me because I became poor. My health is weak and I am
looking forward to retirement. I don’t have a job, I get the
unemployment benefits, which are 330 euros, I pay 250
euros for a room and the rest of the month I don’t have
any money, not even for a cup of coffee.
I don’t go anywhere because I don’t have any money
to go anywhere. I eat, because I go to Ramada church
every day to get food. If not, I would live of bread and
water every day.
Ricardo, 12 years old, Azores
My life is going from the free-time activities centre to
home, home to school.
Spending free time with my family and playing with my
friends.
Henrique, 7 years old, Azores
Friends.
Francisco, 89 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Living life as intensely as possible. Dating, fooling
around, but marriage is out of the question. He, who has
them, has to stand them. After getting married, come the
children and that only brings trouble. And how often, a
little later, they bring their mothers over and they nag at
us and use us and then they both go shopping together,
buy a lot of things and we are the ones who have to pay.
Ismael, 8 years old, Azores
Being on the computer at home.
Liana, 7 years old, Azores
Me and my friend.
24
|
Collective notebook, 3 to 5 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Family
Home
Fabiana, 8 years old, Azores
Álvaro Gomes, Ramada, Odivelas
At school I feel happy because I have friends and I can
play.
I have my routine. I spend the day at the day centre and
at night I am with my wife. I like helping with the chores
at home, but there are days when I am not in the mood
for that.
|
25
Maria Marques, Ramada, Odivelas
David Moreira, 16 years old, Lisbon
I used to be a nurse, when I was in training I did an
internship at IAC, in 6 de Maio neighbourhood, we did
Tuberculosis tests.
My life turned around by 360°. I am an Alzheimer patient.
I am not able to live a normal life any more. There are
many things that I am not able to do anymore, sometimes
I forget things. But I am supported by my family, my
daughter, my grandson. And the days I spend at the day
centre have helped me a lot.
So let’s take a look at my day-to-day life: I like having
fun, living one day at a time, playing football and listening
to music.
My friends: some are true, others are fake, but it’s up to
me to decide who I want to talk to or not. But in the end
they are good people.
My health: it’s one of the best you can think of.
Family: it has ups and downs, like everything in life, isn’t
it?
Housing: it’s no luxury but it’s enough to live well.
My free time: I play football, I listen to music.
School: it’s a good school, you learn a lot at school.
With all of this I forgot to introduce myself. I’m David, I’m
16 years old, I have three brothers and I live in Salgadas
neighbourhood.
Cool
Calm.
Agitated.
Comfortable.
Social.
Friendly.
Student.
Happy.
Being with friends.
João Ferreira, 44 years old, Moimenta da Beira
My life at the moment is good, because I have a lot of
friends; my family supports me whenever they can, as I
have an old granny who has a lot of health problems and,
as she isn’t able to take care of me, I stay with my brother
at ARTENAVE which is my home, which I like very much.
My life only makes sense in ARTENAVE, because this is
where I’m very happy: I have food, clean clothes, a bed
to sleep in, but the most important thing is the affection all
the workers give me and I also visit my granny, my uncle
and my cousins in Mangualde, I like them very much too.
My life is like this… although I miss my parents, my
brother, who left already, I am happy…
Miguel Lopes, 7 years old, Lisbon
Work: when I grow up I want to be an Olympic swimmer.
Daily life: I go to the beach, I go camping, I go to the park.
Bruno Antunes, 13 years old, Lisbon
Hello, I am Bruno, I am 13 years old and I have 8 brothers and sisters. I spend my free time drawing, playing
on the PlayStation and watching TV.
26
|
What I miss…

|
What I miss…
Carlota, Soraia, Cristina, Marina, Inês, Gisela, Diogo and
Vasco, 11 to 16 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
António Ferrão, 52 years old, Alfarelos, Soure
Having a wife that I like by my side but life is like that.
We have to fight to have a better life... getting a job to be
busy.
Crisis Shock
Benfica
being
champion.
Ermelinda Santos, 40 years old, Alfarelos, Soure
I need health and money so that I can fix my house,
which burned three years ago.
Joy
Ideas
Laura Sequeira, 63 years old
Health and money to have a better life.
Youngsters aged 13 to 17, Marinha Grande
Education, health, work, respect toward the others,
love, friendship, affection, solidarity, care, money, family,
an embrace, a smile.
Tiago Lima,18 years old, Braga
Mário Santos, 48 years old, Alfarelos, Soure
28
What I miss is responsibility.
In the past years I haven’t reached all my goals to be
responsible, maybe what I lack is to grow up a little bit.
I miss my father.
What I miss the most is having a job and I would like to
have a bit more money to be able to pay for my things.
Beatriz Cruz, 10 years old, Lisboa
Going for a walk with the whole family.
|
What I miss…
Érica – What is missing in my life is having a bicycle.
Inês – What is missing in my life is a swimming pool in
the brick back yard.
Beatriz – What is missing in my life is having a dog.
M. A. H. S., 14 years old, Lousã
Spending more time with my mother… sometimes I
miss affection, kindness, among other things.
- My younger brother
- Being able to paint
- Having a car
- Kisses on the cheeks
- Money
- My brother
- My dog
Catarina Morgado, 42 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Going to the gym.
New house.
Give me a kiss.
Maria Costa, 49 years old, Moimenta da Beira
What I miss the most is my health because when you
are healthy you can do so many things, for example: I
could work, be at the countryside, I could have a life at
home, I could do many things, I could make lace, which I
like very much, and do other things.
I feel the lack of money to buy certain things that I need
for the house. I need to work in the future, but I don’t
know how it is going to be… It will be according to what
will happen to me in life.
What I also miss is to go on a trip far away, which also is
good for us.
Madalena – What is missing in my life is a two-wheel
motorcycle.
Marlene – There is nothing missing in my life.
Manuel – What is missing in my life is a Toyota iQ to play
with.
Afonso – What is missing in my life is a car to play with.
Tomás – What is missing in my life is a swimming pool in
the back yard.
|
29
What I miss…
Marcos Botelho, 45 years old, Moimenta da Beira
I miss health and a girlfriend who respects me, just the
way I am.
Being at home.
Being with with my mother and father.
To continue my studies and investing in my education.
To grow professionally.
To reach my personal goals.
More generosity, more mutual help, more dignity, more
fraternity, more love, more joy.
Winning the Euromillions.
Travelling around Europe, “like” without borders.
To have more access to culture.
To resist adversity.
More hours of sleep.
A dress for the wedding.
To be happy
To have a good life
To have my own things
I feel the lack of love, kindness, affection, as I am a
person who needs all of this.
Because sometimes life is screwed, it is as good as it is
bad, that is why I hope to meet someone who will make
me happy.
I miss having my life completely fulfilled.
Catarina, 24 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
The beach.
Driving school
Joana, Patrícia, André, 8 to 10 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do
Alentejo
Money and fame!
Filipe Gonçalves,17 years old, PIEFP (Integrated Education
and Training Programme)
What I am missing… a job!
I ask myself why… what the reason is for me to miss
so many classes??
The future… I hope I’ll be very happy.
30
Love
My grandmother
My aunt
My father
My brother
My mother
My motorcycle
Driver’s licence
|
What I miss…
A job…
“Let’s go kids! Mum
has to go to work!”
Erica, 12 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
I have everything I need to be happy.
Affection, because I live closed up in there, I don’t get
a word, affection, kindness. They treat me like a strange
person. My son says only hello, but my daughter-in-law
doesn’t even look at me.
To have a car, to travel around the world, and to go to
England.
|
31
What I miss…
Anonymous, Lisbon
Leandro, 8 years old, Azores
Being close to my family. A home, comfort, peace, and
love.
A delicious meal…
Cristina, 7 years old, Azores
My father, because he is no longer with me; he did
many bad things, and I would like to see him here, outside, one day, to be with him.
I would like to play games and spend days with him.
Bruna, Lisbon
A job, a salary, to raise my son, pay the rent of my
home, which I struggled for a lot and for decent living
conditions, and also to help my parents, parents who are
starting to approach old age and they deserve everything
from me, they deserve all the sacrifice that I can make
even if that means working hours on end so that one day
when they are old and I am too and I can’t work anymore,
they won’t lack the basic survival conditions.
Edmundo, 11 years old, Azores
My father because he helps me.
do Alentejo
I miss my daughter. Going out – I used to go on trips
with my neighbour. I got to know many places that I didn’t
know before. The North of Portugal is very beautiful.
… Money
So many things. Money, for example, to pay small expenses. Health because I have a chronic disease (kidney
disease). Patience to do my things and to take care of my
daughter.
Loures
Many things. A bigger pension, health, kindness, affection. I am mainly lacking money to pay all my expenses
and help my son.
… Sincerity
32
|
What I miss…
What is missing in my life is a job, I am also missing a house and at the moment I am missing creativity to
know what to write and the will to fight for a better future. In the end, I miss believing that everything is going
to change and that my son will have a good life.
Anonymous, Braga
What I miss is my mother’s, my younger brothers’ and
my grandparents’ (on my father’s side) affection.
Anonymous, Braga
What I miss very much is a member of my family who
died many years ago.
I also miss an old friend of mine whom I have known since childhood and who changed schools in the 7th grade.
Anonymous, Braga
My family is everything that I miss…
I miss having a family who supports me and loves me
without judging me…
Trusting myself…
I miss my mother.
Anonymous, Braga
What I miss is my brother because he died of cancer.
He was a very good brother because he helped me with
many things and he said he adored me.
Vasco, Diogo, Carlota, Cristina, Marina, Gisela, Inês, Soraia,
11 to 16 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
What I miss is my grandfather. Taking care of him.
Because of the mugs of coffee with milk that I made for
him and when he was hungry I was the one who gave
him his meal.
That the crisis disappears from the homes, from the
families.
I have everything I need to be happy.
Júlia Silva, Ramada, Odivelas
I miss receiving attention from my family and some
understanding. Apart from that, I have had a good life
and except for a good health, I am not missing anything.
Anonymous, Braga
Affection and lack of love.
|
33
What I miss…
Acácio Silva, 18 years old, Azores
What I am missing is a job, money and a cool life.
To animate the people3 .
Money.
Work.
Happiness.
Love.
Affection.
The people, reunited.
Above all, someone who likes me.
Tenderness.
A kiss on the face.
Hug.
Words of comfort and, above all, love.
Luana, 8 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
I am a happy girl and I think that I am not missing
anything.
Paulo Amaral, 18 years old, Azores
Marriage
A house.
Friends
34
3- This is a reference to a song associated to the 1974 Portuguese revolution,´ O Que faz falta´ by
José Afonso. The chorus translates as: ´What is missing / is to animate the people´ and alludes to
the repression during the dictatorship.
|
What I miss…
What I miss: Dad
Beatriz Cruz, 10 years old, Lisbon
I miss my grandfather on my father’s side, he made me
happy. Because of this, I am sad.
Going for a walk with the whole family together.
Tatiana Pimenta, 11 years old, Lisbon
To have peace, affection, and love.
As I am a person who isolates himself a lot, sometimes
I feel the need to blow off steam, but I have a lot of support from my family.
Ana Vaz, 12 years old, Lisbon
My parents’ affection.
Anonymous, 18 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Carolina Sequeira, 7 years old, Lisbon
What is missing is my father not to be the way he is,
for him to get a job, leave me alone and make my mother
happy.
My sister, my niece, my fellow students.
What I really miss is my teacher.
Lucas, 9 years old, Azores
What I really miss are my toys from before.
My father, my mother, my brother, my uncles and aunts
and my grandparents. My house.
|
35
What I miss…
Cristina, Carlota, David, Dinis, Catarina, Inês, 7 to 12 years old,
Rute, Joana, Diogo, Tiago, Marlene and Diego, 8 to 13 years
old, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
Money, patience, make-up, serenity, respect, luxury,
equality, courage, justice, solidarity, independence, peace, beauty.
A paid occupation; I really feel the absence of having a
washing machine.
Earning my own money, without having to support myself on social funds because this way I could give my
place to someone else who needs the Social Canteen.
I know that many people don’t manage to get on the list
because there are too many people, some of them have
much worse lacks than mine.
At the end of the day what I miss the most is to be able
to govern my house, my life, i.e., work.
Friends
/ health
/ eating
/ health
/ more
holiday
time /
fun
Ruben, 12 years old, Braga
My real family, my brothers, my friends. I always liked
them and, also, I always loved them.
Gonçalo Moreira, 12 years old, Lisbon
Tiago Rosário, 17 years old, Braga
My deceased uncle and godfather.
A person whom I love since I met her at the Scouts.
Andreia and Margarida, 14 and 10 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana
do Alentejo
Money, a new mobile phone, clothes, footwear, peace,
friendship, love… a lot of love!
36
|
What makes me happy…

|
A place with some activity.
Playing on the
computer.
Listening to
songs.
Interacting
with my
“colleagues”.
Playing football.
My family, and during the holidays having my daughters
and grandchildren here.
Christmas, when people do what I want, when I have
money, when I have new clothes, when people are proud
of me, when other people are happy, when I’m having fun
with my friends, when it’s my birthday.
Dancing
Tiago Rosário,17 years old, Braga
My girlfriend, my cousin who is a playful child and my
other cousin who also knows only how to play.
Vasco, Diogo, Carlota, Cristina, Marina, Gisela, Inês, Soraia 11 to 16 years old,, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
Dance, listen to music, to have friends, my family,
health, recollections, funy, spend holidays with my family.
Bruno, Marco, Rute, Marta, aged 9 to 13, Alcáçovas, Viana do
Alentejo
Summer activities with my friends.
What makes me happy… Seeing my family and friends
and all the doctors of ARTENAVE.
38
What makes me happy in the middle of all this is to
know that I have friends everywhere and that many
people like me, even though I disappoint them often.
|
Collective notebook, 3 to 5 years old, Santo António dos
Cavaleiros, Loures
- When Mum kisses and
hugs me
- To have children
- To be rich
- To play with friends
- To play with my brother
- When my father turns
around in a circle with
me and makes me fly
- To play-wrestle with my
uncles
Ana Cardoso, 16 years old, Lousã
All the people with special needs who manage to keep
smiling at life, despite their problem(s).
Seeing my daughter.
Knowing that a person is happy.
Making someone’s day better.
Seeing people’s generosity.
Seeing that a person with a mental disability is becoming
more and more independent.
The will power of special people.
Inês – What makes me happy is gathering my family
and friends.
Beatriz – What makes me happy is to go to swimming
pools.
Érica – What makes me happy is my friends.
The love that I have for my children and to have a love
that I hope will work out.
What makes me happy is the love I feel for my colleagues
and co-workers, who understand me well and a brother
that I have who is amazing and who understands me.
I feel happy in my workplace, which is as if it was my
family.
I know that I can always count on the institution’s
employees and colleagues.
Bernardo Cunha, 16 years old, Lousã
Being with my family.
Going to Cartaxo.
Going to school.
Being with my friends.
Eating Milka chocolate.
A photo of my mother.
|
39
The day centre: I like to come here because I feel useful
and treated with kindness. I collaborate with everything
they ask me to. My grandson is a good friend, but he
doesn’t live with me and he and my ex-daughter-in-law
are the only people who help me and treat me well.
EVERYTHING!
I have a lot of
friends.
When people
play with me.
When people
tickle me.
When people
take me to the
swimming pool.
- Abílio and Ana
- Dolls
- Being in the
institution
I feel happiness in having lived the life I’ve lived, in
having a caring and united family, always in the mood to
help each other and to do good things and to have many
good friends, who always try to keep my spirits up, give
me courage to keep on living. This is what makes me
happy.
Dancing, special people, beach, love, cinema, family,
friends, talking, living, money, swimming pools, singing,
playing, support, joy, playing, attention, travelling, going
for a walk, hope, freedom, getting good marks.
The people who take care of me make me happy, because they have always been my friends and will always
love me.
40
Believing, learning, growing, appreciating, taking
action, regularly spending time with the people who are
closest to me.
Having courage and determination.
My work, children, young people, elderly people, adults,
colleagues, persons.
Paying attention and assistance.
Being fine with all and everything.
Without a doubt, what makes me happy is my family
and friends.
Smiles.
My animals
Friends
Playing
Having a horse
Being with my
family
Joy
Playing football
Guys
Yara, 14 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
So many things… But what makes me really happy is
being close to the people who love me and getting the
attention and affection I need.
|
What makes me happy is a true and innocent smile of a child, the pure look of babies makes me happy.
However, what makes me really happy is my son’s smile and his babbling, the energy he has first thing in
the morning and until the evening; the true love my mother has for all her daughters; what makes me happy
are persons (heroes) who put themselves at risk to save children, their capacity to overcome their fears in
order to help makes me happy.
Inês, 10 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Pedro, 12 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Anonymous, Lisbon
My family and school.
Making somebody happy.
Having food at home
Pedro Lucindo, 10 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros,
Loures
My son is what makes me the most happy and my
happiness is based on his growth, on the small smiles he
gives. In a simple laugh he sets free. I have other kinds of
joys, but he is what makes me really happy! Without my
son, I wouldn’t be anyone or anything anymore!
Loures
Joana, Patrícia, André, 8 to 10 years old, Lisbon
Having my family all together.
Anything!
Seeing my grandson and being with him, because
he is the only person who keeps me company. He is a
13-year-old little boy, but he is very sweet.
|
41
Anonymous, Braga
When my father calls me.
When I make a dream come true.
When I see that I am truly loved.
When I have tenderness, love and friendship from
whom I most love.
Anonymous, Braga
Feeling good.
Being with my friends, with my family.
I like going out with my friends.
Being like this, in my life, which is being pretty cool.
Anonymous, Braga
It makes me happy to be with my parents.
Anonymous, Braga
It makes me happy to see mementos from when I was
a little girl.
Being with my friends.
Having friends whom I can trust when I need to blow off
steam and ask for advice.
I’m also happy when my friends come to me for advice
or to blow off steam, because that way I know they trust
me.
Anonymous, Braga
42
Having a children’s home to support me.
A good memory.
Friends!
My family’s well-being!
Spending the afternoon (and the evening if possible)
watching TV.
|
Simão, 9 years old, Azores
Beatriz, 8 years old, Azores
Having toys.
My family.
Playing with my neighbours.
Riding a bicycle.
Roller-skating.
Going to the swimming pool.
What makes me happy is that my grandmother is
alive.
What makes me happy is that my cousin will be born
soon.
More and more, having a family who cares about me
and having a grandmother who never abandoned me.
I like my family’s name – family Bellamy.
Boyfriend
Nicole, 10 years old, Azores
What makes me happy is when I wake up every day and
I see my wife next to me.
What makes me happy is that my family is united.
Having a school to be able to learn.
Sofia, 7 years old, Azores
Remembering my mother.
Remembering my dog.
They were the only people who loved me to this day.
Playing, roller-skating and Monster High.
Knowing that I contributed to something so that this
proposition will be more than just a memory later.
Knowing that there are causes like this one, where we
can talk freely about our lives, and for that they need to
know our difficulties.
My wife who has been with me for 25 years has known
how to believe in me and never stopped being with me
throughout this whole process. You can only overcome
the obstacles that life presents us with someone’s love.
Without this, it is eternal loneliness. It’s anger, revolt that
we can’t do the right thing. What makes me happy is knowing that a person’s love resists time.
Project:
To work on an activity. To feel useful.
People to like me a little bit.
Biggest happiness: “to die quickly, if possible today.”
Far from everything.
Far from everyone.
To die quickly.
|
43
Márcia Araújo, 16 years old, Azores
When I am with family and friends.
Having a united family.
What makes me happy is to have a shoulder I can
lean on in the moments when I am troubled. To have a
responsible mother and two or three friends I can trust.
Playing, love.
Maria Correia, 48 years old, Moimenta da Beira
44
Dance
|
Music / Tuna 4
Rosa, 3 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
Seeing my mother play.
Having a good relationship with my family. Having a
beautiful granddaughter.
Aurora Fernandes, Ramada, Odivelas
Being busy, always having something to do. Taking
care of the birdies, taking care of the plants, helping the
people who need it.
Daniela, 4 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
I’m happy when I play and go for a walk with my mother
and father.
4 - A Tuna is a traditionnal music group, usually of students, who play traditionnal string
instruments and sing.
|
45
Rafael Antunes, 16 years old, Lisbon
Anonymous, 17 years old, Lisbon
When I went to France.
I was on a boat.
Having money.
Having people who like me around me.
Beach.
Women.
Jiu-jitsu.
Being healthy.
True friends.
To be respected.
Hello, I am Bruno, I am 13 years old and I have 8
brothers and sisters. I spend my free time drawing,
playing on the PlayStation and watching TV.
Having a lot of affection, love, happiness, peace, having my own room, and living in peace.
Anonymous, Lisbon
I feel the lack of money to have a good quality of life.
46
|
David Moreira, 16 years old, Lisbon
A project: IAC is a very good project and really helps
to see how the reality of life is.
A memory: the day I saw my love for the first time
happened on 25/06/2013 at school.
An activity: playing football with all my true friends,
there are few but they are good friends.
An idea: asking my princess Paula if she will go out
with me.
A place: Mafra, it is very calm and soothing.
Someone: my girlfriend, my father and my three
nephews.
Being with my toys.
My family and friends.
47
|
I get sad if ...

I get sad if ...
Laura Sequeira, 63 years old, Alfarelos, Soure
When I see the world full of badness and suffering… so
many people are suffering for lack of love.
If I fail, lose someone special, get bad marks, someone
gets angry, leave the country, divorce, poverty, problems,
punishments.
I get sad when I need to buy something and I don’t have
any money.
When I don’t have what I want, when people disappoint me, when I lose important people in my life, when
someone who is close to me gets sick, when I can’t do
anything to help others, when there is injustice.
If I can’t achieve my goals…
If I can’t do what I want, because of my own fault or
lacking to my duties.
Just thinking of moments with my father…
Marlene – I’ll get sad if I lose my parents and my brothers.
Madalena – I’ll get sad if I die.
Inês – I’ll get sad if they separate myself from my family.
Beatriz – I’ll get sad if I lose my sister.
Manel – I’ll get sad if I lose my family.
Tomás – If I lost my family.
Érica – I’d get sad if I lost my family.
If people don’t trust me.
If I didn’t have any friends.
If people hit me.
|
49
I get sad if ...
Dad is travelling
I remember / Grandmother / Uncle
Watching a handicapped person get sad because they
can’t do something.
Seeing someone break down.
When my brothers are sad.
I feel lonely.
If I don’t leave the house to go for walk at the Botanical
Garden. I would like to go to the Museum of Photography.
50
Francisco Gonçalves, 12 years old, Lousã
When people call me names.
When people make fun of me.
If I don’t manage to do my things and if I become dependent of others.
I get sad when I remember my mother.
Joaquim, 87 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
I miss what God has taken from me.
|
I get sad if ...
Anonymous, Braga
Cristina, 52 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
If I know that the people I love aren’t with me. Some,
because they have died, other because they are far
away from this country. But, in life, not everyone can be
around forever.
I cry!
Anonymous, Braga
They beat me.
Anonymous, Braga
I get sad if people treat me badly.
If I lose my friends.
If I get bad marks at a test.
Anonymous, Braga
If I lose my family.
If someone that I like dies.
If the whole world’s Internet stops.
If I stay a lot longer in this school and if the TV is
broken.
If my family has to split for some reason.
Edite, 82 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
If I stay like this, not being able to walk, for all my life.
I get sad if people hurt my feelings.
Anonymous, Lisbon
If I don’t see my mother happy.
When my children get sick.
When I’m angry all by myself and people come and
bother me.
I am sad, my life is rubbish, I was born unhappy and I
will die unhappy.
I’ll get sad if I lose someone from my family.
I’ll get sad if I don’t find a job.
I’ll get sad if I don’t find a house soon.
If God gives me some joy at the moment of my calling.
do Alentejo
When we get upset with our friends.
|
51
I get sad if ...
Marize Pereira, 53 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Tragic death / betrayal / misunderstandings / jealousy /
prejudice
Dishonesty / yearning / mother / family / far / fear /
solitude / pain!
Bruna, Lisbon
52
If I see an addict with a hangover, if i see maltreated
animals, if i hear, read or see news about child abusers
and rapes.
If my mum puts my toys away.
If my dad hits me.
Edmundo, 11 years old, Azores
When my friends call me names.
When my mother argues with me.
Luana,7 years old, Azores
If people die because of drugs.
|
I get sad if ...
Andreia e Margarida,14 and 10 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do
Alentejo
Cavaleiros, Loures
If someone dies, if I lose my boyfriend, if I don’t have
“money”, if I lose my job, if I’m all alone.
If my mother doesn’t cuddle me and my uncle doesn’t
want to play football with me, if my brother hits me, if my
friends hit me and push me.
If my son asks me for something and I can’t give it to
him.
If people hit me
If people offend me
If I’m punished.
If my parents get angry with me.
I get sad if I don’t have a family.
I get sad.
I get sad if my brother messes with me.
If I get punished.
Nuno Carvalho, 14 years old, Lousã
Losing a friend;
If my closest family members are sad.
|
53
I get sad if ...
Cavaleiros, Loures
Mum I’m sick.
Rosa and Daniela, 3 and 4 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
I get sad when my friends go away.
54
When my dad gives me a beating.
I’ll get sad if I lose my mother and if I don’t have new
opportunities.
When I’m sick or upset for some reason.
If someone makes fun of me or if I fight with my family
and boyfriend.
|
I get sad if ...
I’ll get sad if the world doesn’t stop with all these
wars. The great powers should all hold hands and help
the poorer countries. Violence generates violence and
doesn’t solve anything.
I’ll get sad if Benfica loses (don’t pay attention to this).
I’ll get sad if something bad happens to someone who
is suffering from a serious illness; if I can’t do anything for
those who ask for help.
I get sad when see and hear someone making fun of
other people’s misery, or the disdain with which people
look at others and react when someone asks them for
help.
I get sad when I meet someone who, like me, managed
to overcome and stop using drugs, but later starts using
again.
I get sad because I can’t give my wife the well-being she
deserves; because I have nothing to give when someone
asks me for help. I would like to have a stable situation
and a good financial situation and I’m sad because I
could have had it if it weren’t for my head, always in the
clouds.
Today I see the mistakes I made and I try not to make
them again, and I mainly get sad if no one understands
me and everything I write.
I get sad when people get mad at me for no reason,
when there is no understanding. When my daughter argues with me for absolutely no reason, afterwards she
knows she was wrong but she’s incapable of saying
she’s sorry.
When I try to do something I had always been able to
do and now I’m not.
Anonymous, 18 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros,
Loures
When my mother and sisters aren’t well, if I don’t do
what I want, if the people I like go far away from me;
when my mum cries.
When things don’t go the way I want.
When I see racism.
When I see violence.
When I see inequality.
When I see war.
If there is more poverty.
If there are no jobs.
55
|
I get sad if ...
If I’m on my own.
If I don’t have the means to do what I like.
If a friends betrays me.
Knowing the number of victims of slavery.
When people take advantage and resort to humiliation,
whoever they are.
Being far away or having to leave, when I am needed
close.
Thinking that one day I might have to beg for a better
future.
Racist manifestations or comments.
Excessive consumerism.
Being ashamed not to answer.
Swindling and deceiving!
Cavaleiros, Loures
When I don’t have anything to do, it bothers me.
Losing my parents.
56
- Not having friends
- Not playing with my friends
- Not playing with my brother
- When my friends hit me
- When I get angry with my brother
- When someone pushes me
- When my mum doesn’t help me
- When my uncle doesn’t play football
with me and watches television
- When my mum doesn’t give me
cuddles
If Benfica loses.
Carolina, 8 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Not having food in front of me.
|
I get angry if…

I get angry if….
Cavaleiros, Loures
58
Yesterday: SIC5 “We have to cut the health and education
budgets and salaries.”
Today: SIC “The prices of gas and electricity will go up by
1,3% tomorrow.”
When people upset me.
When I get hit with a sandal.
If my friend turns his or her back on me.
If my sister pulls my hair.
If my parents don’t let me do things.
If flowers die.
When people take or tear my papers.
Cavaleiros, Loures
When I arrive home and they treat me badly. I hear
worthless digs and I’m mistreated by my ex-husband. I’m
sick of this life, I want to be happy, I deserve to be happy
and I will try to be happy.
If mum argues with me and punishes me, if my dad
argues with my mum and I can’t sleep and I close my
ears, if my brother hits me.
5 - A national television channel.
|
I get angry if….
Laura Sequeira, 63 years old
When people have wrong attitudes and lack love.
When people deceive me.
When they lie to me.
When they break their promises.
When they cancel my visits to my mother.
When I can’t be with my classmates.
Youngsters aged 13 to 17 years old, Marinha Grande
When people lie to me.
When I don’t have anything to do.
When someone gives me some bad news, and if that
piece of news is about my family, I break into tears!
When they lock me in a dark bathroom and leave me
there crying.
José Cardoso, 15 years old, Lousã
When people don’t believe in me. When people exclude
me.
If someone from my family gets sick.
If someone dies.
If someone has a negative attitude towards me.
- When people have a bad attitude towards me
- When people pull dangerous pranks on me
- Because of the state of the country
- When people hit me
- When people call me bad names
When people upset me.
When I get hit with a sandal.
59
|
I get angry if….
Nuno Matos, 34 years old, Moimenta da Beira
The TV doesn’t work.
The door makes noise.
The remote control is broken.
The chair breaks.
My parents promise something and don’t do it.
Alexandrina, 68 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
I get lost along the way.
I forget my hairdresser’s appointment.
I feel excluded.
Equality doesn’t exist.
I can’t help.
There is no social integration.
There is no safety or hygiene at work.
People disrespect me.
I don’t resolve yesterday’s problem, today!
When my son goes to get my pension and spends
some of the money without asking for my permission.
I never get angry, because I hear through a magic hearing device that, when someone insults or offends me,
switches off automatically. And as I can’t hear, I don’t get
angry.
I GET REALLY FURIOUS WHEN…
I never get angry, I cry a lot.
I can’t take it anymore and I break into tears.
I don’t make it right when I’m wrong.
People abandon an animal.
I see injustice and I hear lies but I don’t stay quiet, I get
right into it.
Loures
Anonymous, Lisbon
When people call me names.
60
I don’t do anything and I stay at home and don’t go
anywhere.
I get angry with people’s attitudes.
I can get really angry when someone tries to walk over
me.
But what really makes me lose my mind, and more than
angry, it makes me sad, is knowing that someone hurt my
son or simply spoke badly to him.
Someone dies.
|
I get angry if….
Anonymous, Braga
Anonymous, Braga
Aurora Fernandes, Júlia Silva, Álvaro Gomes and Maria
Marques, Ramada, Odivelas
If my sister bites or kicks me.
I get angry when something bad happens and harms
other people, like a disaster.
Someone has a machist attitude towards someone
else.
We get angry if people don’t say we’re right when we
are. It is difficult for us to be misunderstood.
Anonymous, Braga
Daniela, 4 years old, Ramada, Odivelas
If a friend lies to me.
If I find myself in the middle of trouble.
If people treat me badly.
If my family or friends aren’t near to me when I need
to blow off steam or to support me in the most difficult
moments of my life.
I get angry when my father doesn’t take me on his lap.
Loures
If people lie to me, betray me or ignore me. If my father
argues with me. If someone I like gets angry at me. I get
angry when my mother says that my father has got her
one more debt. I get angry when my father tries to control
me.
When people touch my things.
Anonymous, Braga
If I’m discriminated.
If I don’t reach my goals.
If my mother tells me off.
If people don’t respect my needs and privacy.
Some attitudes!!!
If there’s no justice.
When things aren’t the way that pleases me.
If the crisis doesn’t stop.
If there’s no respect.
If rights aren’t applied to all citizens.
If I get unpleasant news.
If I don’t have my essential goods.
If someone’s attitude isn’t correct.
Raquel Silva, 6 years old, Azores
If people fight with my cousins.
When they hit and kick.
Inês, 7 years old, Azores
My father hits me when I do something wrong.
Sara, Azores
If my grandfather beats me.
I get angry when people hit me at school.
I also get angry when one of my friends has a bad
attitude towards me.
I don’t get angry with anything.
I’m indifferent to everything.
I will seriously start to anticipate the inevitable.
|
61
I get angry if….
If they send me to bed at 10 o’clock.
Mariana Almeida, 11 years old, Lisbon
If someone answers me rudely.
If people hit me. If I get bad news. If people take my
things.
Anonymous, Lisbon
When I’m not with my lady.
If people aren’t honest with me.
If they disrespect me.
If people “step” on others to get further along in life.
- My brother hits me
- When my mother sends me to bed
- When my mother doesn’t let me play
- When my mother punishes me
- When my mother tells me off
- When my mother doesn’t let me watch television
- When my father fights with my mother and I can’t sleep
and I close my ears
With a bad attitude.
62
|
I wonder why…

I wonder why…
André, Catarina, Dinis, Inês, David, Cristina, Carlota e Miguel,
Why aren’t there any jobs for the people? Why do they
steal? Why do people kill each other?
I’m called Inês, I don’t have very good marks in maths,
I like dancing.
Bruno, Marco, Rute, Marta, dos 9 to 13 years old, Alcáçovas,
Viana do Alentejo
I wonder why there is such a lack of jobs and why so
many people are going hungry in my country.
There’s pollution, there’s diseases, there is the slaughter of animals, each person has their destiny and can’t
change it, nothing is perfect, people are selfish.
Tiago Lima, 18 years old, Braga
I wonder why I was never loved by anyone… Neither
by mother, nor my grandmother, nor my brother, no one!
There is a crisis in my country
Portuguese / Chinese
Andreia e Margarida,14 and 10 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do
Alentejo
64
There is no peace in the world and there’s the crisis in
Portugal and in other countries. Why does evil exist.
I wonder about the reason why I was the one to come
to an institution.
Why they are handicapped people.
|
I wonder why…
Cavaleiros, Loures
- When my father sends me to bed
- When my father tells me to brush my teeth
- When I can’t play
- When my brother tells me “no”
- When I can’t watch television
- When my brother gets bad marks at school, why can’t
he play on the computer?
Pedro Vicente, 17 years old, PIEF P
Why the court sent me to ARCIL (Association for the
Recovery of Maladapted Citizens of Lousã).
Why didn’t I make the most of school a few years ago?
Telma Cardoso,18 years old, Lousã
Why our country is the way it is at the moment.
Why my family is the way it is.
Why I am here.
Why sometimes the world is so small and so big at the
same time.
Why do we have to go to school?
Why there is no life on other planets?
|
65
I wonder why…
Cavaleiros, Loures
An unemployed couple with two children survives
with a social allowance of € 67 per month.
Cristiano Ronaldo is paid 15 million euros each
season.
66
We meet a person, we get to know them and they change. I ask myself often: why do people get angry at each
other so often? Why?
It is difficult sometimes to believe?
It is so complicated to be well assisted by the public
health services in Portugal?
It is difficult to learn to change?
No-one believes in young people?
We don’t all unite for a good cause?
Loures
I don’t react to my son’s bad words or actions. Why do
I consent to what he does?
My mother has a disease.
Ruben,12 years old, Braga
Brário, 8 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Why does everything go wrong in my life?
They say bad things about me.
|
I wonder why…
Why they beat my best friend.
Why they took my mobile phone.
Why they said things to me about my mother.
Why some people don’t like me.
Why it is they say I’m fat when I’m starting to like myself
and not to have such a low self-esteem. And also the
reason why some people don’t like me.
I hope that… One day everyone understand the reason
why I do the stupid things I do.
Sometimes I dream… sometimes I don’t… I keep
dreaming of celebrities like Rihanna, Justin Bieber…
among others.
I don’t want to suffer anymore because of people who
don’t deserve it.
Why the world is in a bad situation.
Loures
When the earth shakes.
WAR
Some things in my life go wrong.
Inakli, 22 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
I’m not in my country.
Why it is that I’m not working.
Why it is that my family is sad.
Some people starve.
Others have a lot of food.
MOTHERS WHO kill
Abortion
Misfortune
Why I am always far from whom I love?
I love Aunt Silvina, Aunt Célia, Uncle Rafa, Aunt Rita,
Uncle Mário, Nené, Renato, Bia.
|
67
I wonder why…
I wonder why there are no opportunities for young people in my country. I wonder why young people have to leave
Portugal to have an opportunity to show who they are and what they’re worth.
I wonder why there is Injustice at the moment, why the rich have everything and don’t share with the poor who don’t
have anything.
I wonder why there are more and more elderly people who are abandoned and end up dying alone.
I wonder why children starve when there are adults who are always eating.
Anonymous, Braga
Why it is that there are victims of domestic violence in
the world.
I don’t know the truth about my past and why they try
to deceive me and hide the truth knowing that it is a right
that I have.
Anonymous, Braga
Why it is that I behave badly and I don’t behave properly.
Why it is that sometimes I don’t respect others.
Bruna, Lisbon
68
Why I don’t have my daughter in my arms, why my
parents are not eternal, why there is so much marginality
in this world, so much lack of education, so much misery,
so many people who live miserably without a roof to live
under, so many mothers who hurt their children, so much
lack of love, respect, gratitude and compassion.
Anonymous, Braga
Why people are mean, not only to others, but also to
themselves.
Anonymous, Braga
Why the world is so cruel and unfair.
Why the older ones always get the blame.
Why it is that in this harsh world where there is so much
hunger and misery, there still is someone who is squandering money on futile things.
Why there is so much injustice in the world.
Why I had to be born.
Anonymous, Braga
There is so much cruelty, evil.
Why it is that people’s lives are so (harsh) cruel.
Why it is that there is so much difference in the world.
People don’t know what friendship is.
People betray people.
|
I wonder why…
Why there are people who do drugs in the world.
Porque é que não tenho uma família junta
Porque é que no mundo há pessoas más.
Why I don’t have a room to play in.
Why my parents fight.
I wonder why there is no joy where I live.
Some starve
I wonder why I am disobedient sometimes.
Sometimes I don’t respect the youth workers and sometimes I answer them badly.
Paulo Amaral, 18 years old, Azores
Why I can neither read nor write.
Why I didn’t use my head when I was at school.
Why I wasn’t responsible when it was needed.
Why I didn’t make the most of school. Why I was
irresponsible.
69
Anonymous, Lisbon
others have food.
Why my mother has to work so much to give me what
I need?
|
I wonder why…
Sometimes I catch myself wondering why me: I started
by being born in the belly of someone who didn’t want
that, because as soon as the opportunity arose to get
rid of me when I was seven, I was sent to a boarding
school without knowing what was happening to me. I
hadn’t done anything wrong to anyone for them to shut
me away in a school without ever coming to see me. It so
happens that I found out later that because there was a
lot of misery at the time, they couldn’t raise me.
So why did my mother go and build a new family, had
more children and stopped worrying about who she left
behind?
That is why I wonder why I was abandoned by my own
mother.
Did that condition my life?
Why I am always far from whom I love?
Why so much unhappiness for only one person?
Why my God?
Why me?
Aunt Silvina,
Aunt Célia,
Uncle Rafa,
Aunt Rita,
Uncle Mário,
Nené,
Renato,
Silvana,
Bia.
Loures
Why there are so many selfish people who think they
are better than the rest. What my future will be like, where
I will live, if I’ll have a job or not. If my father will be the
way he is forever.
Why there is racism.
Why there is disrespect.
Why there is a crisis.
Why there is violence.
Why there is injustice.
Why there is inequality.
Why there is no authority.
70
|
I wonder why…
Matilde, 8 years, Lousã
In the world there are earthquakes.
In my family there are always arguments.
In my country there are lies and the crisis.
I wonder why I am not rich.
Why, in Portugal, there are so many people who need
a home, why there are so many crises.
In my country there are bad people.
Ana Vaz, 12 years old, Lisbon
In my world there are bad people.
Anonymous, Lisbon
I wonder why I was born.
Why we are in a crisis.
Why I am like this.
Anonymous, Lisbon
Why, where I live, there is so much violence and so
many deaths. Why the world is so cruel, and my family
isn’t more united.
I wonder why I can’t go to the swimming pool?
Márcia, Azores
Why I am sick and I can’t walk.
Why I can’t read or write without help.
Maria Correia, 48 years, Moimenta da Beira
Why the world can’t be always good?
|
71
I hope that…

I hope that…
Tiago Rosário,17 years old, Alfarelos, Soure
One day I can be a father!
The world doesn’t end.
That I find joy, peace, love and hope.
Tomorrow will be better.
Some day we will all be different people, all equal, with
no prejudice.
Life gets better.
My country’s future can be different.
do Alentejo
Youngster aged 13 to 17, Marinha Grande
I’ll be happy
The crisis ends
I can reach my goals
To go to all the summer concerts
I’ll always have friends
I’ll be happy and rich
Caderno coletivo, 3 to 5 years old, Santo António dos
Cavaleiros, Loures
That I’ll become a teacher and a singer and that I’ll
have a lot of friends.
The world becomes better, that discrimination stops
existing, that there will be more education support for
people with special educational needs.
do Alentejo
Tomorrow I’ll have a new mobile phone, a new house,
a new car.
Evil, crisis, revolutions won’t exist anymore.
School goes well
Each day will be better than the last.
|
73
I hope that…
…in the future… I’ll be able to help my mother in every
aspect.
…I’ll become someone.
…I’ll have my own life.
…I’ll study what I want.
…I’ll work the job I want, which is marine biologist.
Anonymous, Lisbon
That everything changes and that the people start
changing their habits, because without that the world
won’t change.
I’ll be part of
the tuna6
I’ll be part of
the puppet
show
Bruna, Lisbon
…I can feel safe.
…I’ll have the right to a fair salary, given the tasks I carry
out.
…justice will be really just.
…I can become older with dignity.
Everything goes how I hope it does. To have strength
and courage to face the problems that may arise, whether
they are personal, economical or global problems…
I hope that today’s babies and children won’t see a
world that is worse than it is already. And that the global
problems stop, or at least appease themselves.
Anonymous, Braga
I hope that tomorrow our life will be much better.
74
Anonymous, Braga
I’ll go home.
Anonymous, Braga
I’ll go back to being near my family and that I have a
better life.
6 - A Tuna is a traditionnal music group, usually of students, who play traditionnal string
instruments and sing.
|
I hope that…
One day people can forgive me, understand me, also I hope that one day I’ll know the truth about
my past, my origin and my real family. And if one of my family members is still alive I hope they’ll
know me. I also forgive the people who hurt me, and I hope that one day I’ll be my son’s greatest
pride.
That Isabel will be happy.
The country gets better, that the government helps
those who are most in need, that the salaries go up, that
people give food to those who are hungry and a job to
those who are unemployed.
That death arrives quickly or I will have to go and meet
her.
They always let me stay here, because I’m happy here.
Health to live one day at a time.
I always keep living my life with the same joy and courage
as I have until now. I hope that I keep maintaining the
same civility, the same honour, the same respect. I hope
my life will end in a happy way and that God helps me.
That in the future I’ll be a better person.
That my mum gets well.
Anonymous, Lisbon
This gets better (our governors) because though some
people are living well, there are others who want to eat
and don’t have food.
|
75
I hope that…
Anonymous, Braga
The future changes and that I manage to reach my
goals…
That I manage to make all my dreams come true,
especially the dream to become someone important and
to make a difference in this world.
That the people who “need help” have more opportunities
in life.
That this planet changes.
I’ll be close to my family.
That no-one else goes through what happened to
me. Since I was a child I have had to face life like an
adult, always with the expectation to create good values
in myself. I learned the hard way, but it worked. Even
without parents I never stopped believing in love, in
honesty, in my Country, in work that shapes and moulds
the character that defines a Man.
I hope that tomorrow people walk by me and see me
as a person with dignity and not like a poor wretch. I also
hope that there’ll be support for those who need it. I hope
that one day there won’t be so much misery in the world.
I hope that I will rise to the occasion of protecting my
loved ones from the difficulties life presents us with.
I hope there will be more love and understanding.
Simão, 8 years old, Azores
That my father and my mother stay together.
I hope that one day we can go to Aquaparque.
Anonymous, Lisbon
76
Tomorrow will be a better day.
|
I hope that…
Cavaleiros, Loures
- I’ll be happy
- I’ll become a teacher
- I’ll become a singer
- I’ll have many friends
- I’ll share the toys with my friends
- I’ll be my mum’s friend
Loures
There’ll be no war.
There’ll be equality and respect.
I’ll have a good future.
There’ll be more work possibilities.
There’ll be less unemployment.
That my father finds a job in another country, that I
manage to finish school and to get a good job; that I
manage to live the life I’ve always dreamed of and to give
it to my children. I hope that my sisters will be successful
people in life and that my mother finally manages to find
peace of mind, and of course, that she’ll be happy.
|
77
I hope that…
I hope I’ll go camping this year.
That my club will be champion.
Tomorrow the world will be much better.
Anonymous, Lisbon
That our politicians become better and that they fix
what they ruined.
Cristina, Carlota, David, Dinis, Catarina, Inês, 7 to 12 years
old, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
Yara, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
One day everyone understands the stupid things I do.
78
The world doesn’t end in 2014.
I want my brother to be my size.
That my tablet gets fixed.
That I have more friends.
|
Sometimes I dream…

Of having a job.
Of a future,
If I’ll fail my tests,
If I’ll die.
Of wealth.
Of being a paediatrician.
That the world can be better.
Of a better life, how different it would be if I had a
family, how different it would be if I was understood, how
different it would be if people hadn’t hurt me. I dream that
I am special and that I am loved.
Of my friends
Of my motorcycle
Chicks
Of many things
Family
I dream of my
brother
That my sister
has already grown
up
Of having
everything I want
Of being a father! I dream of bathing my son and holding
him on my lap…
I dream of getting married, of having an enormous
house…
I dream of being happy!
Tiago Rosário, 17 years old, Braga
80
Of being a football player because I like football…I am
fan of Benfica, Barcelona, Bayern München, Santos…
and I’d also like to be a fireman, because I’d like to put
fires out.
Andreia and Margarida,14 and 10 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana
do Alentejo
Of my dear brother and of my family.
That i had a child, that i got married, that i travelled to
other countries, that i´m a millionaire and that i was a
queen/princess.
|
Happiness is within everybody’s reach.
Tomorrow will be better than today.
Of monsters and of my family.
Carla, 12 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
That my life is wonderful.
Loures
Of sharks.
- Of having a Porsche GT Carrera
- Of having a luxury house
- Of having as much money as Cristiano Ronaldo
- Of being famous
- Of winning the 2 thousand euros with the scratch cards
- Of winning the Euro Millions and helping a lot of people.
That I help a lot of people to be happy. I dream of giving
food to the hungry, of taking care of children who need
care, affection and love. Dreaming like this makes me
happy.
São, 40 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Of having a house.
Of the beach when it’s sunny.
António Pereira, 54 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Of travelling with my family.
/ Of having a bus.
I don’t dream, I only have nightmares. I don’t even
sleep so that I can’t dream. Sometimes I daydream that
I’ve won the Euro Millions.
Com um mundo melhor onde não há injustiças.
Of leaving Casa das Cores7 and of going to live with
my mother.
Of having my own life.
Of having children.
Or, simply, of being happy.
7 - Casa das Cores is a temporary foster centre for endangered children, in Lisbon.
|
81
Anonymous, Lisbon
Sometimes I dream of a life full of luxury, like a big house, big cars… And with a nice and full bank account.
But in reality…
I live with everything that I’ve ever asked for!
As a matter of fact, I live in a reality that is bigger than my dreams. I have everything
I need next to me. My son is my luxury! My wealth!
Anonymous, Braga
Sometimes I dream that one day my father will come
to visit me, because he has been absent for five years,
separated from my mother, that he will take me for a walk
and let me spend a month or fifteen days at his house.
But his partner (companion) never lets him call me or
spend a day with me. I dream of this day and I hope it
happens.
I’m a rich woman, famous for helping people all over
the world and that my name has importance in society,
because of making a difference, of helping children,
elderly people, handicapped, people who really need
help, but people from all over the world.
Bruna, Lisbon
82
I would help so many people and give them a good life
if I won the Euro Millions. I also dream of having a good
job, an ok salary to raise my son, to have one or two more,
who knows maybe one day adopt a child. Sometimes I
dream of what it would be like if I could hold out my hand
to those in need… not just of money, but of other things
that are very important in life. For instance, love, respect,
gratitude, dream. There are so many people who don’t
know what those are, because unfortunately they were
raised carelessly, or who were neglected. I dream of how
it would be to have my daughter who died after 5 months
of pregnancy, in my arms and having her again, giving
kisses to her brother Salvador inside my belly.
Anonymous, Braga
Sometimes I dream that I’ll have a Pit Bike (motorcycle)
but unfortunately no one will give me one. I have a friend
that I have known for a long time and he will give me one.
Anonymous, Braga
Of having the best that there is for me.
Anonymous, Braga
Of being able to be everything in the world.
I dream that I’m an adult and that I already have a lot
of jobs.
|
When I was a child I knew what dreaming was, but as the years went by I realised that life isn’t like what we dream of.
Things happen when and how they have to happen, the only thing that remains for the childhood years, of the age of
dreams as I call it, was hope. Hope that the wars end, hope that children stop starving while others eat to excess, hope
that there won’t be any more elderly people abandoned in hospices or in their homes, and finally, hope that all together
we can change the world to make it a better place.
Of a party.
Sometimes I dream that my grandmother and my
mother died.
Sometimes I dream that my grandfather is alive.
Anonymous, Braga
Of being in the Dragon Stadium (FC Porto stadium).
Of going to the moon and visiting the whole world to
help those most in need.
Of being stabbed to death.
Of life.
Of a fair world.
FREEDOM
That I’m walking into a church dressed as a bride.
I dream that I have someone who likes me and makes
me happy.
I dream that I am in a desert looking at the horizon,
watching the sun set and rise again.
I dream of having a good life, a house with a lot of love
and affection.
I dream of having someone in my life and of making my
dreams come true.
Of being famous.
Of being a football player.
Of having a computer.
|
83
Cavaleiros, Loures
Sometimes I dream that I am rich and that I go on a trip
with my family.
Of having my family always with me.
That wolves and snakes appear.
Of Daniela, Rosa, Carina, Tânia.
Of my first communion.
84
That everything that happened to me was just a dream,
but it’s a lie. This world is very cruel.
I don’t deserve what I’m going through.
I can’t stand so much sadness any more.
Acácio Silva, 18 anos, Azores
Sometimes I dream of having a nice house, of having
everything I want, a job, and being a good head of the
family.
Of receiving a bit more affection.
|
Yara, 14 years old, António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Sometimes I dream of being a hairdresser.
…sometimes I don’t… I keep dreaming of celebrities like
Rihanna, Justin Bieber… among others.
Anonymous, Azores
That my mother is close to me.
That my mother lives with me and that we are playing
with a jump-rope.
Sometimes I dream of having a good house, of having
what I want, work, a good head of the family.
That me and my wife are at the front of an enormous
foster home for all the dependencies or other difficulties
people have.
In this dream I’m also very rich: this way I can do
something positive, something that actually makes me
feel useful, with my wife’s support. Organizing all this
isn’t easy in the beginning but in the long term people
start to see their lives change for the better thanks to the
family-home. I know it’s just a dream, but in reality what
I would like to do is to help other people who are having
difficulties. Whatever the difficulty is, there is a solution
for everything, except for death.
In my dream everyone is well supported at every level.
Especially the family values, which are never forgotten.
After going through so many difficulties, the people who
leave the family home stay well-structured on every level.
Later they come back to visit us and to support those
who are still there. Success rate, 100%.
Playing and dancing with
Mickael.
|
85
do Alentejo
…of my future
Anonymous, 18 anos, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Diogo Alves, 10 years old, Lisbon
That this world, this society where we live ends forever
and that a much better world is created, a society with
more values. And I dream of having a lot of money to
make my sisters and my mother the happiest people in
the world.
That I have Barcelona shirt and on the back is the number ten and the name Messi.
Of terror films or a field of flowers.
Of my future.
Of being rich.
Of my family.
Of going to the Moon.
That racism never exists.
That the world is full of happiness.
That slavery never existed.
That my school is being demolished.
86
Anonymous, Lisbon
Of monsters.
Anonymous, Lisbon
That I’m in another country where the situation is better.
That I’m with Matt Hatter.
|
The future…

The future…
Cavaleiros, Loures
I hope that the future will be better than the past.
To be happy and grown-up!
In the future I would like to have health and to continue
to be loved by my husband, children, grandchildren and
friends.
As I am studying Fashion everyone says I’ll get a job
abroad, but the thing is that however bad Portugal’s
situation is, I don’t intend to abandon it.
I want to have children, a family, to get married… like
most people.
I hope that it can be different for my son and for all the
children in the world.
Anonymous, Lousã
To work in whatever there is.
To build a family and to have my own house.
To get into the Air Force and the fire brigade.
I hope there won’t be war in Portugal.
To be happy and to help others, to create an institution
of support for those most in need, to have a good quality
of life, to be a doctor, to be a football player.
Telma Cardoso, 18 years old, Lousã
My future is closer than I thought… I’d like to travel
around the world and to work in a sport’s shop in Coimbra.
For my future, what I always idealised was to have a life
in which I can have my own life without having to worry
about what can be coming my way.
And I hope that the future of Portugal and Europe will
be a good future, where difficulties are easily overcome
and where we are all equal, without any differences
between poor and rich, because wealth is in the heart of
each person.
Everyone has the right to a better future than this one,
and I hope that our future will be one of the better ones
and not one of the worst. And that today’s youth and
children, who have financial difficulties, also manage to
go to university.
88
Of my friends
Of my dogs
€.
Of my family
I hope it will be
good.
Of my father
Of my house
I hope I will be
happy.
Not to have this crisis in Portugal.
To be happy and to have a family.
|
The future…
When I’m 18 I want to leave ARCIL and to go to my
real home.
I want to be a hairdresser, to learn things that I haven’t
learnt.
I want to have a son named Miguel.
As people say… The Future belongs to God. I don’t
want to create many expectations for the future, because
I don’t know how tomorrow will be.
I would like to have a cheerful future full of children,
youth, joy, good mood, a lot of tenderness, not only in my
family but around me, for everyone.
(I imagine my future as a mother with children,
grandparents and grandchildren, all together, to share
knowledge from generation to generation)
I wish for a future with family and friends, good friends.
In the future I want to evolve with serenity.
I believe that my vocation is in the social field, to work
with and for the people.
Who knows?
- I want to go to England to be a guitar player with my
band
- To form a band
- I want to get married
- I want to have a son called Caîn.
- Persons with physical incapacity should have a good
accessibility in their homes
- Accessibility in the shops
- I want to go to Hawaii
Cavaleiros, Loures
I would like to travel around Europe to know the
wonderful things there must be all over this world. To
pass each frontier so that I can run to every corner and
take from each landscape a memory so that, later, I can
say to myself: I managed to make that dream I wanted so
much come true, but for the moment only my imagination
is travelling.
89
Smiling happy
happy smiling
happy happy
|
The future…
My and my son’s future depends on what is going to happen in Europe in the future but if it keeps going this way, unfortunately I can’t predict a cheerful future when I take into account mainly the politicians, who in their vast majority are
corrupt, the wars and hunger beyond our borders. At the moment, like the majority of the young people of what we call
the “struggling generation”8 , I wonder what future I will have? What future the next generations will have? What future
will Europe have?
Érica, 12 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
I want the world to be happier.
Union at home – Father, mother, me.
Love.
At school with Joca, Bruno and Luís.
90
I dream of being a woman with an excellent posture toward society, helping people who have been or are going
through what I have been through, working with children,
elderly people, people with problems.
With this, I want to grow as a person, I want to learn,
because we are always learning. I want to travel around
the world or around Europe with my son, so that he can
also see the world or Europe and the reality of life. Maybe
when I’m 32 and my son is 16 years old, he will be as old
as I am now, I think he will be grateful.
The future… Is in ourselves!... we have to build it with
the people we love the most! The future is created by
us…
It is in God’s hands. Only he knows how to answer
this question. This is way it’s better to keep dating, and
enjoying life.
8- Geração à rasca´, literally meaning ´the struggling generation´, is a movement against austerity,
the economic crisis and the work conditions, that started in Portugal in March 2011.
|
The future…
Cavaleiros, Loures
- To be happy
- To be tall
- To be friends with everyone in
the world
do Alentejo
Bruna, Lisbon
I hope that it will be promising because now I am going
to be a mother if it’s God’s will, I will have my son Salvador in my arms. So I’m thinking about the future more
than ever, and in the future I want to give everything that
is good and the best to my son. I have thought a lot about
emigrating, it never happened, but who knows maybe
one day, even for my son’s good.
My future will be school and work.
Anonymous, Braga
I would like my future to be, to have a wife, children,
and to be happy, to have my own house…
Portugal’s future.
|
91
The future…
I would like my neighbourhood to be safer and to have
more trust.
In the future I would like to live in a prettier, cleaner place.
I would like to ride a plane.
Érica, 8 years old, Azores
I will be a teacher.
Anonymous, Braga
My future is to be a movie star.
Anonymous, Braga
I hope that I can make the dreams I have always wanted
to come true, come true.
Anonymous, Braga
To be happy.
To be someone.
To go to France.
To build a big family as I have always dreamed of.
To create firm ties – family, children, etc.
“Don’t worry, be happy” - (Bob Marley)
The future
We will get old.
I want to be a dentist.
92
|
The future…
Anonymous, Azores
I would like to follow the right path.
I would like to go outside Europe.
I would like to have good health.
I would like to live a happy future.
I have ideas… I want to do something
Work.
End the crisis.
Have my own company.
Have my own car.
Have a stable life.
Win the Euro Millions.
Give blood.
Aurora Fernandes, Júlia Silva, Álvaro Gomes and Maria
Marques, Ramada, Odivelas
What can we dream of for our future when we are
already 80 years old? We have already lived a life, we’ve
worked, built a family, now we’re retired, we live with our
children, one day at a time.
There will be flying cars.
Loures
I want to be a teacher.
I hope that all debts are cancelled and that there will be
a better distribution of money between citizens.
My future!!
To have a good job.
To have a good atmosphere at home.
To have what I want.
To be a good head of the family.
My future will be very happy and fun with all my friends.
Mariana Almeida, 11 years old, Lisbon
I want to be a model.
To be a hairdresser, to have a structured family and a
good job.
93
Dating.
Playing football
|

André, Catarina, Dinis, Inês, David, Cristina, Carlota and Miguel
, 8 to 12 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana do Alentejo
To travel, to be a doctor, to make friends.
Cavaleiros, Loures
To take good care of planet Earth and to contribute to
the Peace.
To study so as to guarantee myself a good professional
future, so that I can have a better quality of life.
Anonymous, Lousã
To get a driver’s licence for cars and motorcycles.
To go to the swimming pool during the holidays.
To spend a few days out of Lousã.
I want to do things
I want to be an architect
I want to play
€
I want a better future
More friendships
I want to play
I want to PLAY
M.A.H.S., 14 years old, Lousã
I have the idea of, one day, going to live with my mother.
Work, dance, have a better future, do sports, be famous.
do Alentejo
- I want to go to the music academy
- To help people so as to incite them not to pollute
- I would like to be a music teacher
- To help people not to be racist
I would like to paint and draw: princesses.
When I grow up I would like to have a child.
To go out.
To build a house in a tree.
…to make the world a better place
|
95
Elizabete, 21 years old, Lisbon
I want to create projects to help young people who are
lost, who wander about with neither future nor perspectives. I want to dedicate my life to help youngsters who are
like I used to be, a little diverted from reality of the world
in which they are living.
I want to do something good for those who do bad
things to me.
A party for the family.
I have ideas to change the world but for that to happen
I have to change myself.
I want to have a good life.
To help good people.
And to pray for my dear friends and family.
Anonymous, Braga
To spend my time with my family and friends.
Anonymous, Braga
I have the idea to travel to many countries and to meet
new people.
To transmit values to the younger ones.
To have time for myself.
To help orientate children and youth.
To dance and be famous.
To have a good profession.
To sing.
Loures
Something good for the whole world.
96
To work with a
tractor.
A possible dream.
|
Cavaleiros, Loures
Shelter for
youngster
in trouble
Anonymous, Braga
I want to buy my dream car.
I want to see a bird fly without having to worry or bump
into pollution.
To get my driver’s licence, to finish my Law degree, to
get the job I want, to get married, have children and give
them everything that I didn’t have and that I think they
should have.
I want to merge or unite human genes to wolf genes.
To turn the African continent into a great power.
I have the idea to open a place to sew for customers,
but I have to learn how to sew better.
I really want to do something.
I would like to learn how to ice-skate.
I would like to see the Pope.
|
97
Cavaleiros, Loures
But I need people to have understanding.
To have my own business.
In order for our country to have a better future, the idea
is to incite everyone to participate in political life.
Everything I dreamed of when I was little!
- To treat the
planet well
- Peace
Jéssica, Azores
I want to throw a “pyjama party”.
Sandra, 8 anos, Azores
To be happy.
To do tumbles on the slide.
I and my wife could become caretakers on a farm and
we could plant, raise animals, pick fruit, or we could watch over schools, swimming pools and all kinds of work
surveillance is a part of.
I want to do something but at 61 years old I’m too old to
work and too young to be retired: only in my country…
Not to suffer, not to be stuck at home doing nothing, not
to be without a job.
Against war.
Against racism.
Against gender inequality.
98
Diogo Alves, 10 years old, Lisbon
I want to do something, but no one gives me a chance.
Not even washing stairs.
Not even in a supermarket.
Nothing.
Nobody cares about me.
I am transparent to this world.
I want to come to the IAC – Child Support Institute, to
be with all my friends.
To form a group who, every Friday, would go and clean
the IAC’s street.
|
I have ideas
I want to surprise my mother.
TO FORM A MUSIC BAND with my friends
To study, to be someone.
I have ideas, I want to do something that can be useful
in someone’s future.
I want to do something that satisfies me, something
positive, something that makes me happy.
To be a good father. I want to have tillage of 100 cows
and have a good future for my children.
|
99
I don’t want any more…

Cavaleiros, Loures
To be sad, poor and sick.
To destroy the Universe, to throw rubbish on the ground,
to pollute the planet.
Poverty, racism, lack of education, injustice, crisis,
discrimination, people who judge me unfairly, the
Portuguese government’s hypocrisy.
People to make fun of me.
People saying I’m from ARCIL.
People calling me handicapped.
People to pollute the planet.
Racism.
War in the world!
To live the life I have been living…
Luís Pereira, 18 years old, PIEF P
To miss classes !
- Changes in my life
- To see my father
- To live with fear
- People to chide me
Economic crisis.
Discrimination.
Lack of educational support for people with any level
of handicap.
Families without the possibility to give their children a
good quality of life.
Nuno Carvalho,14 years old, Lousã
To see people suffer.
To be sad.
Cavaleiros, Loures
Bruno, Marco, Rute, Marta , 9 to 13 years old, Alcáçovas, Viana
do Alentejo
101
…sadness
… Misfortunes
|
Carla, 12 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
To live in Portugal.
Fighting or wars in the world.
Fighting
Anonymous, Braga
I don’t want to suffer any more, either for love or for
friendship.
I don’t want any more heartbreak.
I don’t want my parents to fight any more.
Cavaleiros, Loures
Goodbyes
102
- To destroy the universe
- To throw rubbish on the ground
- To pollute the planet
- To put cigarettes on the ground
- Hunting
- Killing
- War
|
Un(employment)
War
Cristiano, 12 years old, Azores
Drugs in my neighbourhood… They go and smoke in
the corners, they go and sell to people and then all the
others can become addicted.
Unhappy things.
Anonymous, Braga
I don’t want to be Portuguese any more.
Lack of respect and lies.
Suffering!!
Injustice!
Hunger in the world.
Ricardo, 32 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Poverty.
Catarina, 24 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
Beatriz, 8 years old, Azores
Evil.
…to be beaten,
…to drown.
That people steal my mobile phones.
That my dogs die.
Alexandrina, 68 years old, Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Loures
To have the sad life that I have.
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103
To be mistreated.
I don’t want to be all by myself.
I don’t want to have the life I had, mistreatments.
I would like to change my life completely.
There are thing that I would still want but I can’t. My
weak little pins can’t take me anymore. The only thing I
can do is watch and think that someone will do it for me.
Anonymous, Lisbon
Distance, sadness, problems, hypocrisy, lies, suffering.
Nuno Matos, 34 years old, Moimenta da Beira
Pollution in the sea.
Pollution in the air.
Anonymous, Lisbon
Rita, 28 anos, Cascais
To suffer from bullying. Discrimination against more
teenagers.
Negativism.
Revolt.
Distress.
Sadness.
Bad news.
Anonymous, Braga
To go to school!
104
To be upset!
|
I don’t want to behave badly with the youth workers
any more.
I don’t want to disrespect what they ask me to do any
more and I hope that I can take advantage of what’s left
of the eight months to do activities with my friends.
Crisis, bullying, and lies.
I don’t want to be sad any more.
Anonymous, Lisbon
Bothers, problems, unemployment.
The life I had when I was addicted to drugs and alcohol.
However, I have been able to change my life around. I
stopped being addicted to drugs altogether and I can say
with absolute certainty that I was born again and this new
life is much better. If I managed to do it, everyone can do
the same. You don’t need to suffer. You just need to really
want to and ask for help people who know about these
things. Getting better is difficult, but being on this side is
really worth it. That’s why I can say that I don’t want that
any more.
I don’t want to touch weapons as was the case in the
Portuguese ex-colonies, where I went to defend my
country and I ended up seeing horrors, I lived the war. I
really suffered a lot in those days.
Anonymous, Lisbon
Troubles, mugging, drugs, crisis.
Maria Teresa Rolland, 18 years old, Lisbon
Yearning, suffering, sadness.
do Alentejo
Spiders, snakes, hens, grasshoppers, toads, frogs.
The crisis to continue
Sadness
Fighting
105
|
I don’t want any more work. I want fun.
Loures
Fights with the other students.
My parents to be together, because that’s what I
believe, that in my life and my family’s life many things
will get better. To see my mother paying for my father’s
things. I don’t want to live this difficult life any more, where
there are only problems, disappointment, fake people,
hypocrites, and people who only think about money.
To fight with my girlfriend!
106
|
|
Information
Title
“From words to actions”
Original title
“Das palavras aos atos”
Project coordination
Child Support Institute – Instituto de Apoio à Criança
(IAC)
Collaboration
Building Together Network – Rede Construir Juntos
Editing
Child Support Institute – IAC
Research, Documentation and
Childhood
Largo da Memória, 14,
1349-045 Lisbon
Portugal
Support
IAC – Research, Documentation and Information Centre
about Childhood
Responsible: José Brito Soares
IAC – Building Together Forum – Fórum Construir Juntos
Responsible: Paula Duarte
IAC – Project Street – Projecto Rua
Responsible: Matilde Sirgado
Information
Translation
Clube Intercultural Europeu: Morgane Masterman
Proofreader
Natalia Telega-Soares
Editorial coordination
Cláudia Manata do Outeiro
Cover, graphic design and pagination
Nuno Domingues
Text and drawing selection team
Bruno Pio
Cláudia Manata do Outeiro
Isabel Porto
Matilde Sirgado
Paula Paçó
Website
www.iacrianca.pt/fromwordstoactions
Printing and post-printing
Empresa Diário do Porto
Print run
100 copies
Technical support team
Ana Tarouca
Bruno Pio
Cláudia Manata de Outeiro
Fernando Carvalho
Pedro Pires
ISBNs
978-972-8003-47-0
Legal submission
399770/15
|
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From words to actions….

Transcrição

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