Mikko Takkunen | Photographer

Hogar Dulce Hogar

This is a project done at a children’s home called Hogar Dulce Hogar (’Home Sweet Home’) in Mexico City. ‘Hogar’ is a home for over 60 children, from 10 months to 13 years old. The children come from different kinds of backgrounds: some come from the streets and shelters for homeless, battered or terminally-ill women, whereas others have been abandoned by their parents, and some who have been left there by their parents simply cause they could not afford to take care of the them, and others who have been taken forcefully from abusive families.

Most of the children spend all their time in the home, but the older ones go to school from 2pm to 6pm five days a week. Also, some of the children are occasionally picked up by their parents for the weekend. Hogar Dulce Hogar tries to do the best it can with limited resources and staff by providing the children with shelter, meals, clothing, education, medical attention and various recreational activities, all paid for by donations. One can sense the tremendous care the children and staff have towards each other, but one can also see that a lot of the children suffer from different kinds of trauma, both physical (there are children with fetal alcohol syndrome) and psychological (abandonment and mistreatment) due to their background.

Hogar Dulce Hogar has asked me not to identify the children by name.

One of the ‘tias’, Sonia, takes care of the under three year olds. The Hogar Dulce Hogar orphanage has a staff of less than ten adults, all of whom are female with the exception of the mini van driver, who is in charge of taking the children to school. The children have been divided into three different groups depending on their age (under 3s, under 6s, and under 13s) most of which are overlooked by just one adult, despite the large group sizes. The rest of ‘Hogar’ staff is for catering and administration.
  
The orphanage is secured with high walls and barbed wire from all sides.
   
One of the young girls, who had been taken to Hogar just three weeks prior.
     
  
Girl peeping to a room meant for the under-3s.
   
Two children who didn't feel like participating in practicing the High School Musical performance with the others.
   
The food is served twice a day. It is paid for by donations like everything else.
     
  
The older children go to school from 2 pm to 6pm five days a week.
   
Boy found sulking in his bedroom area, while others were out having fun practicing their High School Musical performance.
   
Some of the older children help put younger ones to bed
     
  
The younger ones go to bed already soon after 5pm and even the older ones are usually in bed by 7.30pm