In north-western Lithuania, many children live in disadvantaged families who face problems such as poverty, violence and unsafe street life. The children often grow up without parental supervision, spend a lot of time on the streets and thus miss school. In 2012, the Municipality of Viekšniai established a day-care center with the purpose of providing children with a safe and secure environment, providing them with creative leisure time, language and social classes, helping them with their homework and providing hot meals. The day care center is run by Malteser volunteers and social workers with a lot of empathy and creativity. The renovation of the day-care center building was financed by the Regine Sixt Children's Aid Foundation, so that the children have a new homework room, a playroom, as well as a kitchen and toilets.
