Casa viva
Encyclopedia
Casa Viva is a non-profit organization
based in Wheaton, Illinois
and San Jose, Costa Rica
. Casa Viva seeks to place children who have been separated from their families into a safe, caring family. Casa Viva is Spanish
for “Living Families” or “Living Homes.” The model of international child care that Casa Viva has created:
Casa Viva primarily cares for social orphan
s, and also cares for true orphans.
to build an orphanage and train nationals to care for the children there with Kids Alive
. But there had to be a better way: a less expensive, less institutional, quicker way to care for children internationally. They began to dream of a childcare model that does not require new buildings and that places children in families rather than in homes.
Moving to Costa Rica
in 2005 they began to network with local churches, recruiting families belonging to those churches to care for children. Children who have been separated from their biological families are placed in families on a short term basis while their family is identified and counseled. Children are also placed in Casa Viva homes long term when it is impossible for the child to be reunited with their biological family. Children placed in a Casa Viva home have the advantage of growing up in a home that is surrounded by extended family
, local church
, and the support of the Casa Viva center.
- one in Eastern San Jose and a second in Grecia. In partnership with the Viva Network and Toybox it has identified Bolivia
, Peru
, El Salvador
, Nicaragua
, Mexico
and Paraguay
as the next sites of multiplication.
model, but with two primary differences:
In some cases, the financial benefit of already-established government-based fostering has become a primary motivator for families to be host foster families. Casa Viva does help families cover the cost of caring for the child but relies heavily on Biblical motivation and mandates to care for the orphan in need.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
based in Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
and San Jose, Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
. Casa Viva seeks to place children who have been separated from their families into a safe, caring family. Casa Viva is Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for “Living Families” or “Living Homes.” The model of international child care that Casa Viva has created:
- Doesn’t rely on ongoing American funding
- Is nationally based
- Uses the social network of ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches to identify and train families
Casa Viva primarily cares for social orphan
Social orphan
Often it is assumed that all children living in orphanages are orphans. However a closer study of children found in orphanages divides children into two categories: true orphans and social orphans. A true orphan is a child with no parents or extended family to care for them...
s, and also cares for true orphans.
Casa Viva’s History
In 1998 Philip and Jill Aspegren moved to the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
to build an orphanage and train nationals to care for the children there with Kids Alive
Kids Alive
Kids Alive was a Japanese rock band formed in 1998 when bassist Akihiro Yamamura, vocalist Yuta Aihara and guitarist Hiroshi "Keiji" Kanno signed up for Kids Records. Their first major debut single was released in 2002. They changed over to the Cutting Edge label for their next five singles and...
. But there had to be a better way: a less expensive, less institutional, quicker way to care for children internationally. They began to dream of a childcare model that does not require new buildings and that places children in families rather than in homes.
Moving to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
in 2005 they began to network with local churches, recruiting families belonging to those churches to care for children. Children who have been separated from their biological families are placed in families on a short term basis while their family is identified and counseled. Children are also placed in Casa Viva homes long term when it is impossible for the child to be reunited with their biological family. Children placed in a Casa Viva home have the advantage of growing up in a home that is surrounded by extended family
Extended family
The term extended family has several distinct meanings. In modern Western cultures dominated by nuclear family constructs, it has come to be used generically to refer to grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, whether they live together within the same household or not. However, it may also refer...
, local church
Local church
A local church is a Christian congregation of members and clergy.Local church may also refer to:* Local churches , a Christian group based on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and associated with the Living Stream Ministry publishing house.* Parish church, a local church united with...
, and the support of the Casa Viva center.
Casa Viva Today
There are currently two Casa Viva Communities in Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
- one in Eastern San Jose and a second in Grecia. In partnership with the Viva Network and Toybox it has identified Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
as the next sites of multiplication.
Alternative to Orphanages
Orphanages, whether private or government run, are institutions that are expensive to run and the good ones often become inundated with children sent there by the authorities. This reduces the quality of care and leaves the institution and its staff overworked and under equipped. While the physical needs of the child are met, often psychological needs of a child, the privacy of a child, and integration into their home culture are found to be lacking. This led Casa Viva to begin creating a program, similar to England and the United State’s foster careFoster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
model, but with two primary differences:
- Church based
- Little financial incentive
In some cases, the financial benefit of already-established government-based fostering has become a primary motivator for families to be host foster families. Casa Viva does help families cover the cost of caring for the child but relies heavily on Biblical motivation and mandates to care for the orphan in need.
Children Raised in Families
It has been shown that children raised in orphanages do not develop as well physically, cognitively or emotionally as children raised in family based settings.Related International Child Care Organizations
- Casa Viva - http://www.casaviva.org
- Kids AliveKids AliveKids Alive was a Japanese rock band formed in 1998 when bassist Akihiro Yamamura, vocalist Yuta Aihara and guitarist Hiroshi "Keiji" Kanno signed up for Kids Records. Their first major debut single was released in 2002. They changed over to the Cutting Edge label for their next five singles and...
- http://www.kidsalive.org - Toybox - http://www.toyboxcharity.org.uk/
- Viva network - http://www.viva.org