Brazil: real lives

"Make yourself at home" is the motto of ChildFund's Toy Library program in Brazil. In the libraries, children find comfortable spaces to come together and to play.

The program, started in 1999 and run by ChildFund Australia's affiliate organisation in Brazil, primarily reaches rural children through 54 libraries in the states of Minas Gerais and Ceara. The libraries bring educational toys like blocks and puzzles to children who have few or no toys at home.

At the toy libraries, children can also play games, listen to stories, try out musical instruments or create works of art. Such opportunities are rare in poor communities where children spend most of their free time helping at home.

Early childhood development and parenting classes are also held at the toy libraries. While children play, parents learn about topics such as malnutrition. At toy-making workshops, they craft ordinary objects into playthings such as sock dolls and wooden cars.

The toy-making workshops help parents understand that they can provide toys for their children with household materials. Parents learn that simple activities - like throwing a blanket over a table to make a playhouse - can create endless hours of pleasure for their children.