Tatort-Verein visits Preda Center

The support agency Tatort-Verein from Cologne, came to visit also this March 2012. The famous Cologne based actor Klaus J. Behrendt in the popular TV series Tatort, playing the part of the detective commissioner alongside Dietmar Bar visited the Preda boys’ home and the Manila jails where street children are still detained and jailed by the authorities although such treatment is forbidden by law.

The Preda project is an example of how youth in conflict with the law, and charged with crimes are not criminals, many are innocent but have no money for a lawyer or to pay bail. They are frequently forgotten by the legal system and stay for months in jail without justice. There is no change or benefit for them in prison punishment and by the deprivation of their rights and dignity. Some get sick, are malnourished or are morally damaged and abused in the cells.

The Preda home is open, where they are free to roam about and they can escape and leave if they want, yet 94% of them voluntarily stay and try their best to improve their lives. They get non-formal education, skills training, emotional release therapy to deal with aggression and violent tendencies.

There is rarely any serious conflict between the boys in their home showing that the therapy is beneficial and works well to reduce tension, stress and emotional hurt and anger. The values formation program is also very helpful in giving them values to live by. They are helped to discover their own dignity as a person and are encouraged and affirmed as basically good persons. They generally repent and regret any wrong doing they may have done although 70% have the charges against them dismissed by the judge in the court.

They are allowed to have home visits and stay in contact with there families by the controlled use of a house mobile phone. They can also have home stays when approved by the court. They are taught the computer use and have face book accounts to record the e-changes in their lives, progress when they are discharged from Preda and stay in contact with their friends and staffers at Preda.

They have access to sports: swimming, basketball, volley ball, soccer and many other activities like beach outings and other trips.

Other agencies helping Preda with support for the programme for the past years are Cordaid of the Netherlands, Kindernothilfe, Misereor, and Tatort-Verein of Germany. Caritas of Switzerland is a partner and Irish Aid is also helping with the Human rights education aspect. Preda provided almost 50% of the funds through its own resources.

See More Photos: https://preda.org/en/media/photos/tatort-with-german-parliamentary-visit-at-preda/