Our Founding
The story behind the institution
In December 1951, Amigos dos Pequeninos was founded and approved by a charter (Alvará) dated 20 December 1951, published in the Government Gazette (Diário do Governo) no. 297 on 27/12/1951.
Silves was an area of real social and economic hardship, and this moved an initial group of four people to come together to provide food, hygiene care and every other essential to disadvantaged children.
The First Steps
The institution quickly became a landmark in the life of Silves, providing weekly medical care for children and their mothers, organising holiday camps and giving essential goods and clothing to families at Christmas.
Milestones
An educational and teaching dimension is added with the creation of the socio-educational pre-school (Jardim de Infância) and the arrival of the first qualified early years teacher (Educadora de Infância).
Investment in our facilities: the Nursery (Creche) and Pre-school areas are enlarged, the after-school centre (C.A.T.L.) is created, a gym and swimming pool are built and the outdoor spaces are improved.
Early intervention begins with the "Quebra-Nozes" project, part of the Ser-Criança Programme.
"Bem Crescer" is set up under a Cooperation Agreement as the institution's Early Childhood Intervention (I.P.I.) service, following the end of the Quebra-Nozes project.
"Bem Crescer" becomes part of the Portimão Local Intervention Team (ELI-Portimão), covering the municipalities of Silves, Monchique, Lagoa and Portimão.