Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Humocaro (Fides Service) - A new children's dental center was recently inaugurated in Humocaro, a rural area in the state of Lara, Venezuela, where very humble people live. The new center was dedicated to the memory of Matteo Candini, an Italian child who died of leukemia, and is located within the pediatric clinic "Ángel de la Guarda" (Guardian Angel). The country of Humocaro, with nearly eighteen thousand inhabitants, is located in the Andes and extends into a valley surrounded by peaks that reach two thousand meters above sea level. The village houses are all built of wood and mud, the majority of children are malnourished and leave school early. A big problem for the locals is the lack of adequate care because medicines are very expensive and houses often have no toilets, running water and electricity.
The Trappist Monastery of Our Lady of Coromoto in the area of Humocaro is a reference point for the entire local community. Under the inspiration of Sister Chiara Piccinini and the local San Antonio Foundation, the Association of Volunteers for International Service (AVIS) have supported the pediatric surgery "Angel de la Guarda" since 2003. Today the clinic is the only one in the area able to offer care to over 8 000 children and continued support to their mothers. The latter, in fact, participate in training activities on health and hygiene, in order to be able to ensure a healthy development for their children. The inauguration of this new dental practice is followed by another initiative. On 21 May this year, a group of doctors allowed the visit and the free treatment, pediatric dentistry advice, vaccinations to more than two hundred children and young people from the local community (among them children supported at a distance). The center was made possible thanks to fundraising by Stefano Matteucci and Amistad Group and through a European Union project in partnership with AVIS. Venezuela is the fourth largest oil exporter Country but with half the population living below the poverty line. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/09/2011)
