Introduction

On 28th September, 1970, Obra das Mães established its first nursery, namely St. John or São João in Portuguese, in honor of Saint John the Baptist.  The nursery’s mission is to promote universal love, giving support to children from families with financial difficulties and showing the spirit of social solidarity of Obra das Mães.  On 1st September, 1995, the organization opened its second nursery. The São João nursery in NAPE has 1,200 sq.m. of indoor space, with an outdoor area of 450 sq.m. Currently, 142 children are registered at the nursery, between the ages of three months to three years, with 6 activity rooms and 33 employees. Professional teachers, nurses and technical staff oversee daily operations.

Mission

The mission of the São João nurseries is to keep pace with the evolving demands on the quality of care, encouraging full development of the personality of each child. The key to success is to maintain close communication and cooperation with parents, design the most effective age-appropriate educational programme and provide young learners with a general knowledge of different fields and contexts. In addition to the constant update of our objectives and teaching methods, the organization focuses on the healthy growth of pupils in terms of their physical and intellectual development, with special attention paid to the stimulation of their intelligence and feelings.

Principles of Care:
  • Encourage appropriate personality development;
  • Provide diverse education so as to gain the spirit of participation in various activities;
  • Encourage pupils to adapt to community life through a variety of activities, including games, songs and sport, so as to inspire not only each child’s potential, but also help them to become more responsible, autonomous and independent;
  • Defend the rights of children and cultivate their interests at every stage of growth. Through various activities, the organization seeks to increase their creativity and independence.