Following the “Stuffed Animal Drive” organized by the Genève-Servette Hockey Club on January 14, we received a call asking if Casa Alianza would be interested in receiving stuffed animals to give to the young people in our care. Indeed, thanks to its success, this campaign managed to collect more than 17,000 stuffed animals! It was with great pleasure that we accepted.
Fortunately, one of our supporters was heading to Guatemala the following week, so we sent him a bag of stuffed animals to distribute to the young residents… Here is Manuel Guzman Quiroa’s account of his day at La Alianza Guatemala…
“I’m Guatemalan and studied in Europe. My family still lives in Guatemala, and I visit them from time to time. Since I was traveling light, I asked Casa Alianza if they had anything to send to Guatemala. That’s when Margot told me I could bring some small stuffed animals for the girls and babies living at the La Alianza residence.I went to the residence with my parents. When we arrived, I found the place to be very secure, which intrigued me. I check in at the front desk, we count the stuffed animals, and I see the teachers smiling: there are 71 of them—exactly enough for all the girls and babies.
We then walk through long hallways, decorated with plants and murals inspired by Casa Alianza’s work. It’s nice; it’s beautiful. We pass a door separating a second section of the residence—where the classrooms and playground are located—and then notice a third area further on: the nursery, where the babies are cared for. An employee explains to me that the girls are being held against their will at the residence as a protective measure because they are being targeted by human trafficking networks. This complex reality weighs heavily on the daily lives of both the residents and the staff.
Finally, we meet the girls, who are laughing. Their teachers explain to them that they’re going to receive a gift from Switzerland. I realize that I have no preconceived idea of what it will be like when I give them the stuffed animals. I then sense a disconnect between my gifts and their age: they are no longer children, but not yet teenagers.
I begin handing them out and notice that they are genuinely happy to receive their stuffed animals. Once everyone had been served and since there were still some left, a teacher suggested that the pregnant girls and those who were already mothers take another stuffed animal for their babies. A large number of them came back—almost all of them. After expressing their thanks and saying their goodbyes, they left.
Just then, a very elegant woman arrives and introduces herself as the director of the residence. We head toward her office, passing the art teacher along the way, who explains how the residence’s theater troupe has won drama competitions against other schools. He smiles humbly as he details the program of care and intensive education provided to the residents. The Director then goes on to discuss the work of Casa Alianza. After more than an hour of discussion, I realize that the Director is in fact Dr. Carolina Escobar Sarti, one of my favorite Guatemalan writers. Her clarity, tenacity, and intelligence struck us deeply.We left La Alianza with the feeling that this organization is a leading force in the fight for the rights of children, women, and victims of sexual violence and human trafficking in the region.”
A big thank you to the Genève-Servette Hockey Club for donating these stuffed animals and to Manuel Guzman Quiroa for transporting them to Guatemala. This allowed us to bring joy to the La Alianza residence!
We still have one suitcase full of stuffed animals to bring to the field during the Secretary General’s next mission. If you have any baby clothes to donate for that trip, please contact us.
