Bahay Aurora accommodates children with diverse backgrounds, such as orphans, but also children who have been rejected or neglected by their family. The maximum number of children that we can admit is 45.
The children are divided over the three units (buildings). Every unit has several bedrooms, one bathroom and a living room. One unit is used for the very young children (4-8 years old), one unit is used for the boys and the third unit is used for the girls. Every child has their own bed and locker for his / her personal belongings. There is also a large kitchen where once a day all meals for the children are prepared. Outside there is a great open area with a roof that covers the basketball field and a common playground. The children eat and play here. They can do their homework in a special room where information is given.
To be able to give the children proper shelter, not only a roof is needed, but also nutritious food and good physical, spiritual and above all loving care. We are proud to say that Bahay Aurora has been offering this to street children since 1992 thanks to the support of many people with a good heart.
The children we admit in Bahay Aurora are placed after consultation with and approval from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This can be for a short term or for a longer period. Of course, it is important that the new children fit within the existing group and the possibilities of Bahay Aurora.
Children who are admitted in Bahay Aurora come from a difficult situation and have a lot of negative experiences. They often haven’t had any parental love and care for a long time. To change this process, the children in Bahay Aurora are lovingly and
professionally supervised. We provide them with a home where the children feel welcome and at ease.
The supervision is in the hands of an extensive group of employees and volunteers (sometimes also from the Netherlands): a general manager, social workers and house parents. Furthermore, maintenance staff are employed for the necessary maintenance on the compound. Twice a day there is a team meeting and once a week we discuss the individual situations of children with problematic behavior.
A treatment plan is developed for each child and several learning goals are formulated. The daily reports are in line with the individual treatment plans. There is also a team meeting every month between the local staff (general manager, social workers, house parents) and the board/overall management. Here we talk about organizational structure and culture.
Furthermore, there is a meeting/evaluation with the entire team twice a year. All employees will then be encouraged to contribute to the overall policy. By this way of approach the policy plan is widely supported and it is also a guarantee of good mutual relations, cohesion and motivation of the employees of Bahay Aurora.
For the children, wherever possible, it is our goal to relocate the children in a short time with their official home situation or with family, the target duration is a maximum of six months. If this is not possible the children stay longer in Bahay Aurora.
In our children’s home we prepare them to be ready to be relocated; the time that is needed differs per child. For children who stay here for a long time will be invited for our Halfway Housing Project to be prepared for an independent life. They get their own home and receive homework assistance. If the young people eventually live independently, they can always turn to the people of Bahay Aurora. Just like in normal family situations.
