Family of Families
The Working Boys' Center - A Family of Families serves the working boys and their entire families. This characteristic makes the WBC a unique agent for social change.
The strength of a society depends on the welfare of the whole family. All members of the families of the working boys receive the benefits provided by the WBC and learn a technical profession. In this way they contribute to the elimination of unemployment, one of the determining factors of poverty.
Our Ten Values and programs to achieve the goals we propose are:
- Loyalty
- Personal Formation
- Family
- Religion
- Education
- Health
- Work
- Recreation
- Economy
- Housing
The family is the essential component of the WBC, which seeks to strengthen union, mutual respect and solidarity of the family and the community.
There are weekly meetings directed at personal formation and strengthening families so that they may become agents of their own prosperity.
Service to the community is an important aspect of formation. Each member participates two hours daily in “family activities” aimed at strengthening commitment in this area.
Consolidation of religious formation is helped by daily Eucharistic celebrations, faith sharing groups and opportunities for annual reflection or “retreat experiences”.
Sunday community work gangs strengthen the commitment to the neighborhood. This program focuses on helping one another to build and better housing and basic neighborhood services.
Budgeting and savings programs promote financial planning and putting money aside for housing and other family needs.
THE FINE ART OF BAKING
Franklin Rey, WBC Graduate 1998
“I joined the Center with my mother and my 5 brothers and sisters in 1979. Although I was a teenager, in many ways I was the “father” of the family. What did the Center do for me? A great deal. Here in the Center I was educated, grew as an integral person, and came to understand the importance of Moral Values which are being lost in our society. In the Center I met my wife, who is my right arm, and the light of my life, with whom I have two beautiful children. The Center gave me the opportunity to study and graduate in the art of baking.
Today I work in the “Modern Bakery Group” as a department head and Commercial Evaluator of product development. I travel throughout Ecuador and South America and share my knowledge acquired in the Working Boys' Center.”