Little Heroes with Big Dreams: who are the children of Barrio Sagrada Familia?

There are stories that deserve to be heard, shared, and supported.
So take a moment, settle in, and come with us to Paraguay, to meet our young friends living in the Barrio Sagrada Familia.

We are in one of the most fragile shantytowns on the outskirts of Encarnación, Paraguay. A stretch of makeshift homes built of timber, bricks, and corrugated metal, standing beneath the international bridge that links Paraguay to Argentina. Here, families face daily life without access to safe drinking water, with inadequate sanitation, widespread unemployment, limited education, and—far too often—survival tied to informal or illegal activities.

And yet, in the midst of these challenges, something remarkable persists: the resilience that life naturally carries within itself and the steadfast presence of the Canossian Mothers. Thanks to them, our young friends play, learn, connect—and, above all, they dream.

Are you ready to meet them, and discover who they hope to become?

There is Bianca, a cascade of dark curls and wide, thoughtful eyes. She has grown up in a house plagued by severe damp, which has caused her significant respiratory problems. Yet, with her contagious smile, her lively spirit, and her generosity, she has become a little leader at the Canossian Education Centre.

Then there are siblings Eliezer and Yadini—he with jet-black hair and a gentle gaze; she determined, focused, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Their mother is unable to work due to legal complications, and the family lives in constant, exhausting economic instability. Still, these two beautiful children never lose heart. They love learning, they cherish their friends, and they form an integral part of a community that supports and protects them.

Juan Ángel is a calm, sweet boy, with hazel eyes, a footballer’s fringe, and a wise demeanour. His mother, raising her children alone while working as a domestic helper, struggles to make ends meet. Yet Juan Ángel is creative and reflective—he loves to paint and draw the world around him, filling it with colour.

Milagros, with her lively pigtails, sweet smile, and wide eyes, lives with Down syndrome and has faced serious health problems since birth. She shares a small home with her parents, her sister, and her sister’s newborn child.

Rodrigo is the son of a young mother who became a parent before she had time to grow up herself. He has almond-shaped dark eyes, a playful smile, and gentle ways. His entire family depends on his grandmother, a strong woman who sells sweets and fruit cups at the border crossing. At three years old, Rodrigo still does not speak; he communicates through gestures and sounds.

There is a thread of love that binds all these stories together: the encounter with the Canossian Mothers of the “Santa Maddalena di Canossa” Educational Centre and the “Sagrada Familia” Health Centre—two places where, every day, these children and their families find safety, welcome, listening, support, and concrete opportunities. And before all else, they find the freedom to dream.

And so today, Bianca dreams of becoming a police officer, ready to protect the most vulnerable. Eliezer also wants to defend those who suffer injustice—he hopes to become a lawyer. Yadini imagines herself as a doctor, but also a hairdresser, someone who can care for others in every sense. Juan Ángel wants to become a firefighter, saving those in danger.

Milagros, thanks to the care she receives at the Health Centre—paediatric support, nutritional aid, physiotherapy—has taken her very first steps, a milestone full of hope. She has not yet decided what she wants to be when she grows up; for now, happiness is enough—playing, laughing, and learning with her friends.

And Rodrigo? With the support of the Health Centre’s educators, he is learning to communicate, and soon he too will tell us what he dreams of becoming. His mother is also supported and guided, so she can continue helping him at home.

Have you noticed? All these little ones dream of becoming something that allows them to help others. They want to give back the care and kindness that have been offered to them. Because in the end, solidarity—like joy, like hope, like love—is contagious.

Changing the future of these young friends is possible.

All it takes is a hand extended, a concrete gesture, a heart willing to help.
The rest will become blank pages waiting to be filled—with stories of resilience, renewal, and life rediscovered by these extraordinary children.

To find out more about the Barrio’s project and support it, please click HERE