Marginalized children in Valka

In May of 2000, the Red Cross in Valka, Latvia, opened a support centre for families at risk, where children can participate in after-school activities. Childhood has been providing financial support to the centre since 2001, making it possible for the centre to grow and become a vital institution in Valka.

Because of the support from Childhood, Valka Red Cross has been able to employ more staff and expand its activities in order to broaden preventive efforts among at risk families. The centre has developed close collaborations with schools, social services, hospitals and the police in Valka.

Valka is a small town bridging both the Estonian and Latvian borders. About 7 000 people live in the Latvian part of the city, a city with many social and economical problems. Political reforms and a membership in the European Union have turned Latvia into one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. But the differences in living standard are enormous, and more than two thirds of the families in Latvia still live below the poverty line.

Many children are growing up with parents who suffer from alcohol or drug abuse, and a lot of these families are not able to feed their children every day. The harsh circumstances also make domestic violence common. Children are often wandering about the streets of Valka, committing minor crimes, drinking alcohol and ignoring school.

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Children in Latvia

Maja Svenonius, Childhood