Co-funded project "Baby's Dowry"

2 Description of the Project: The Republic of Cyprus Social Welfare Services implement the Project “Baby’s Dowry”, within the framework of the “Food and/or Basic Material Assistance to the most deprived”, Operational Program of Cyprus, which is co-funded by the European Union’s Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, for the 2014-2020 financial period. The beneficiaries will receive “Baby’s Dowry”, a pack with specified items suitable for babies, and will also take part in Accompanying Measures. Attending a lecture on AccompanyingMeasures is mandatory in order for the beneficiaries to receive the pack. Accompanying Measures aim to: • Enhance parental skills. • Help families become better equipped to overcome any possible challenges • Inform families who will benefit from the Project, about other government Schemes/Projects, making it possible for them to get involved in the community and enter the labour market. Having a baby: Having a baby is an important part of people’s lives. Parents have to take on a new role and assume other kind of responsibilities in order to help their child develop intellectually and physically, and raise it until it becomes an adult. When a child is born, a lot of things change in the life of a couple, firstly, because they become parents and secondly, because during the first years of its life, the child is totally dependent on its parents. It is important for a child to grow in a stable environment, which covers its basic needs, but also its other needs as well (e.g. emotional, intellectual etc.). A parent should be able to cover the basic needs of a child, such as to provide shelter, food, clothing, footwear, etc. from the very beginning. At the same time, parents should love their child, listen to it carefully, and make it feel safe enough to confide to them. The child should be encouraged to make friends, take part in sports and leisure activities, in order to develop a positive sense of self, become more creative and more sociable.