Mary Jo Phillips Methodist Daycare Center of Asuncion, Paraguay
Project Information
Caring for our little ones, Mary Jo Phillips Methodist Daycare Center opened its doors in Asuncion, Paraguay, in 1998. It is located in a very low-income neighborhood surrounding the local Methodist church. We care for children ages 2 to 4 so that their mothers can work to help support their families.
Describe the need affecting community
The families in our community have many spiritual, economic and educational needs such as:
- Spiritual training for the whole family;
- School readiness for children from low-income families;
- A loving, safe environment;
- A place for parents to leave their small children while they work; and
- Low-cost childcare for neighborhood families.
How will this Advance project help to address the need?
With our high standards of both spiritual and early childhood education, the students will adjust easily to the educational system of Paraguay. They will thrive as they enter kindergarten, where, often, more than 30 students learn in a traditional classroom. Our goal is that students will be in the top of their class.
Monthly workshops given by a trained Christian child psychologist will prepare parents to guide their children to succeed for the rest of their lives.
For over nine hours a day, instruction, educational play activities, and meals (breakfast, lunch and snacks) are provided in a loving environment at a very low cost to the parents. The scholarships for the remainder of the funds are provided by loving individuals, families and local church groups from the United States that support our ADVANCE project.
Describe the primary goal of the project
The primary goal of the project is to provide a loving, Christian environment where children develop cognitive skills and creativity, putting these into action though play.
Describe the change you would like to see in the community as a result of this Advance project
We would like to see important changes in the families that we serve such as:
- Parents and their children come to Christ.
- Parents and their children open their minds to new ways of learning.
- Students develop lifelong learning skills that allow them successfully to enter kindergarten and continue with a strong educational foundation.
- Students develop intellectual curiosity that lasts a lifetime.