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In the poor house of the Goiris Giménez family, the temperature is above 36 degrees and a chicken comes running in from the garden. Couple Juan (85) and Josefa (84) are sitting at the kitchen table with their guest, SRK ambassador Laetitia Guarino (30). Juanita, as her parents affectionately call their daughter, runs in circles, one after another: the 39-year-old has severe autism, does not speak, lives in her own world.
“He’s excited, he’s not used to strangers,” explains the father. The three of them are talking and laughing. Suddenly Juanita sits on her mother’s lap and after a while reaches for Guarino’s hand. “Juanita has never done this before.” In the past, there were times when parents locked their daughters at home.
Laetitia Guarino has been an ambassador of the Swiss Red Cross (SRK) since 2018. In 2015, she was crowned Miss Vaudois, Switzerland, and today she works as an assistant doctor at the plastic and hand surgery clinic at Inselspital Bern.
To protect everyone
Guarino says that as an ambassador, it was important for him to see SRK-funded projects directly on the ground. This time he went to Paraguay, a small and unknown country compared to its neighbors Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina. SRK has been supporting disadvantaged people since 1977, especially in rural areas of Paraguay. Since the corona epidemic and due to climate change, they have been even more affected by poverty.
And so Laetitia Guarino traveled through corn and soy fields to Laguna Negra, a farming village east of the capital Asunción. The Goiris Giménez family lives there. The parents of the seven children earned a living as simple farmers.
Her daughter Juanita has acted differently since she was born. At the age of twelve he was diagnosed with the highest level of autism. No one tells parents what this developmental disorder is, and they can’t afford advice or medication. Juanita’s father told the Swiss visitor that for a long time he and his wife believed that Juanita’s suffering was caused by power lines. “We had no idea how to deal with its special nature.” Laetitia Guarino listens carefully and asks how Juanita is behaving.
His mother says he is difficult to live with. Juanita repeatedly tore her clothes, ran around naked, screamed and beat for hours. To prevent their daughter from wandering around the village, her family put bars on their house and a privacy curtain out of shame. Mothers in the village threatened their children: If you do not obey, you will be thrown into prison with Juanita! Josefa: “We were completely overwhelmed, often at the end of our strength.”
Luckily, 41-year-old Yannylce Ortiz arrived a year ago. The local psychologist volunteers with the Paraguayan Red Cross and heard about the situation. “When I first saw Juanita, she was naked, dehydrated and emaciated. His family treated him like a baby. Out of ignorance.” Ortiz informs parents, brings them medication, and parents don’t have to pay anything.
Thanks to the medication, Juanita now sleeps at night and is calmer during the day. Juanita keeps her clothes on, her mother massaging her with her rough hands; So her daughter can now eat and drink on her own. “Now Juanita can live. We are much better off too.”
Ortiz visits the family every Wednesday, asking questions, giving advice and taking Juanita for walks. Today, Juanita also reaches out to Guarino. The three of them walk hand in hand through the village. Juanita hums to herself, sounding happy. The children are no longer afraid of Juanita, she is now accepted.
Because Red Cross volunteers also sensitized the village people. Laetitia Guarino also takes part in such a workshop. A woman says she is a victim of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Guarino is shocked: “Good, women have someone they can trust.”
Violence is the agenda of the day
“Many children and young people also experience this firsthand on a regular basis,” says Ortiz when Guarino visits Virgilio Barrios’ village school. There, Red Cross volunteers train teachers to recognize alarm signals in children at risk of violence. Volunteers advise children to call the emergency number 147 in case of domestic violence.
Laetitia Guarino is also quickly finding confidence at school. An eight-year-old boy tells him that he was abused by his uncle. “I feel good that I can entrust this to Red Cross volunteers. “We are all grateful to them.” Teacher Lidio de Jesus Britos: “The children’s mood has improved since the volunteers provided psychological help. And they learn faster.” The Red Cross trained 77 volunteers across the country; their experiences are now shared in Uruguay and Argentina.
Guarino says that meeting Juanita and her family on his return to Switzerland showed him what is important in life. “Take your time and open your eyes and heart!”
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
