APOIA promotes a morning of welcome, affection, and sharing for mothers at Bosque Rodrigues Alves

A morning dedicated to welcome, affection, and sharing marked the celebration of Mother's Day promoted by the Support Group for Families and Caregivers of Autistic Individuals (APOIA) this Sunday (18) at Bosque Rodrigues Alves in Belém. The project is linked to the Paulo Freire Popular Education Center (NEP) of the State University of Pará (Uepa) in Belém. The event gathered around 150 members of the group and their families in a special program focused on well-being and the appreciation of community ties.

“The group was born with the aim of welcoming, supporting, and guiding families of autistic individuals. It is a group that is part of an extension project of Uepa, and its importance lies in welcoming families who need information about autism,” explained Rosi Prado, psychologist and one of the coordinators of APOIA.

With activities that included guided meditation, a discussion circle with psychologist Adriana Seto, cultural and musical presentations, as well as a tribute to the Non-Governmental Organization Amora, the meeting also awarded four phrases selected in a previous activity. At the end, families participated in a collective picnic, concluding the program in a celebratory and connected atmosphere.

“The group comes to support the caregivers. I started volunteering when I began to investigate a possible autism diagnosis for a child in my family, for whom I am a caregiver. For the family, when receiving the diagnosis, we need a support network. As a caregiver, it is necessary to have this care and this space to socialize experiences and guide those who are just starting,” said Nadia Barros, a volunteer of the project.

Need - Professor and head of the Directorate of Inclusion and Student Policies (Dinpes) at Uepa, Scheilla Abbud emphasizes the role of APOIA in light of the lack of public policies aimed at families. “We still have incipient public policies for families, hence the importance of APOIA for the people who are with us and can express themselves in our meetings every fifteen days. They can listen to professionals. The group is very well constituted, with collaborators such as psychologists, therapists, and social workers.”

Scheilla also recalled that the group was institutionalized in September 2023, “but it was born with all this strength to fulfill what it proposes: to ensure support for families and caregivers of autistic individuals. It is a very precious group, and we have received all the support from our higher management, which is essential for this group to strengthen and grow even more.”

The event was exclusive to pre-registered participants and reinforces Uepa's commitment to promoting inclusion and shared care with families in the community. New interested parties can contact to participate in the group here.