Ana is our local full time project manager. Since joining us in early 2005 Ana has worked tirelessly to help Maria and the children and her achievements include:

• The new roof on the refuge
• Refurbishing the inside of the existing refuge
• Building the new kitchen and Bathroom
• Many other imporvements to the refuge
• Forming the local NGO (SOMAR)
• Much lobbying and legal work with the authorities
• Forming relationships with local companies and organisations

Ana has also put together a wonderful group of local trustees who between them now run SOMAR. Ana handles all the day to day operations in Salvador, and current projects include:

• A new child care and community centre
• Opening a charity shop
• Planning and preparing the way for the new orphenage

Ana's main duty however is to look after Mari and the children. Ana has been organising classes for the children and providing a whole range of supports for everyone at the refuge, from hygene to finding some older teenagers work.

Ana is working very hard to lay the groundwork for the new child care centre and orphanage. This includes getting to grips with a lot of local legislation as well as the practicalities of location etc.

Tthings are moving rapidly and we look forward to reporting lots of encouraging news soon.

After two years of beating our heads against various brick walls Ana is a breath of fresh air and we are very excited about the next few months.

Ana is the only paid member of staff at Children of Bahia and is a vital on the ground resource who is looking after Maria and making sure she is getting everything she needs whilst the new refuge is planned and organised. Ana does have a part time assistant, a lovely girl calles Sachibama who is similarly very passionate about helping Maria and the children. Sachibama's wages are very kindly paid for by one of our wonderful supporters Maralyn, who has also been paying for the office rent. We had to get an ofice to form the NGO and when Maralyn visited Salvador in 2005 she saw the real need for an office and has marvelously provided one for us.

Ana's assistant Sachibama (left) and on the right a picture of the SOMAR office

SOMAR is giaing its own momentum now which we are absolutly deligahted about. It is become far more than we had hoped for, a local group of trustees who are dedicated to helping the thousands of street children in Salvador. SOMAR is however completly reliant on funding from Children of Bahia and we are working ahrd to raise the necessary funds both to continue the wornderful work already achieved, and to fund the new chid care centre and the new orphanage.

Once we get the new centre the office will move in there to save money, and we hope to hear in mid February if we have secured the funding to get the new building.

The very best way people can help is to give money. It sounds mercenary but that's what is most needed to help the children. Local people are volunteering to help but we need to get, equip and run a building, and that costs money.

You can make a donation Online now - please help if you can.