Living on the street represents many difficulties for those who suffer from it. While many of us take for granted having a roof over our heads and a plate of hot food on the table, we also overlook the fact that there are unfortunately people in the world who lack things that we might consider essential.
An example of this is having a birthday party, something common for anyone, but for Eduardo, a young man who lives on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the celebration of his 19 years is something that, without a doubt, he will never forget. .
Balloons, cake, soft drinks and snacks, elements that represent a typical birthday party, moved Eduardo, who could not hide his joy at the party organized by Samy Ferreria, a neighbor near the square where he lives.
The fact that Eduardo lives on the street was not an impediment for him to win the affection of all the neighbors. Since Samy moved to the area a year ago, he often saw him in the square, and it didn’t take long for them to become good friends.
Eduardo is a street child who “lives” here in the square next to my house. We always talk when we meet. A month ago, he came to tell me that his birthday would be March 1. I said: Shall we have a party? He accepted it, albeit a bit hesitantly.
Samy immediately proposed a birthday party for Eduardo, an idea to which he agreed. However, he was skeptical, as he did not believe that his friend would be able to carry it out. So Samy not only had the big mission of organizing the party, but she also had to make sure that his good friend trusted her and came to his own birthday celebration.
I spent the whole month telling him that he had to show up at his party… I couldn’t help it, he arrived all happy! It was something very symbolic, this child deserves to be visible to everyone!
After being received with so much affection by the attendees, it was time to break the cake. With a smile from ear to ear on his face, Eduardo made the wish that his heart longs for the most: “To be a fighter for life.” He cut his slice of cake and the celebration continued with the seven guests who supported Samy in organizing the party.
Unfortunately for Eduardo, life has not been easy at all. As a result of the death of his father, he ended up in a shelter for minors, where he remained from the ages of 14 to 18, since he did not have the same fate as his companions who were adopted, for which he was forced to live on the street once they reach the age of majority.
Eduardo does not know their surnames, but he dreams of having a decent house and job and although he strives and works intensely every day, none of that has been enough to see his dreams come true. Although the circumstances have been quite complicated for him, he remains optimistic in the face of adversity, keeping intact the nobility and tenderness that characterize him so much.
Samy shared the emotional celebration on his Twitter account, in which he has received nothing but praise for his noble action, as well as numerous offers of help for Eduardo, for which he had the great idea of opening a crowdfunding hand in hand with his friends to help him. The goal is almost 20,000 dollars, of which only a little over 2,000 have been raised so far.
The objective is to ensure that Eduardo has access to a home for a period of one year, as well as food and psychological help so that he has confidence in his ability to get ahead. As well as financial aid, job offers are also welcome, as Eduardo has demonstrated on numerous occasions his enormous desire to work and integrate into society.
We think, with your consent, of the best way to join forces. The goal is to get our friend off the street.