Casa Eudes, a shelter for young women and girls whose families can no longer care for them, lies just off a hectic street in Cuidad Juarez. The shelter is run by a group of nuns, and currently houses 36 girls, though it can house up to 60. We spent the past week living there, eating with the girls and speaking with the nuns about the needs of the institution. Casa Eudes is made up of a cluster of buildings, surrounding a dusty main courtyard, often used by the girls for basketball. The tops of the outside walls are lined with shards of glass to keep out the violence that is a reality in the surrounding area. Indeed, within our first two days, a man was shot while inside his car, not far from the entrance to the shelter...
The girls at the shelter live there for a variety of reasons. Some have parents who have died, some have parents who cannot afford their care, some have been sexually abused. The trauma of these experiences impacts the girls daily. In hopes of obtaining psychological care, the Sisters have allowed graduate students in psychology to meet with the girls. Unfortunately, many ask the girls to open up about traumatic experiences and then leave when the semester is over. The girls are bright and vivacious but often stifled by the lack of activities available to them. Many of the girls attend school but struggle with the costs of uniforms and books.
We were struck by the incredible support structure the nuns have implemented for the girls. The older girls are encouraged to be truly independent in their chores and are mature as a result. Yet, Casa Eudes lacks the resources necessary to fully support the intellectual and educational development of the girls. There is no working internet access. The books available are limited. Field trips are taken in a run down 20 year old school bus. Most importantly, a lack of resources makes education seem like a distant possibility for the girls.
As part of our mission to increase the educational opportunities for young women and girls in Juarez, we intend to fund Casa Eudes in the form of resources and stipends for the girls to stay in school, and potentially attend university or trade school. We were incredibly moved by the strength and warmth of this institution.