Benposta

Benposta (from the Galician words ben and posta, meaning "well set"), known in Spanish as "Ciudad de los Muchachos" (City of Youth), is a communal charitable organization for troubled youth. Benpostas are places for abandoned, marginalized youth around the world. Each Benposta has its own parliament and administrative and political positions like mayor, counselor, etc.

Benposta (from the Galician words ben and posta, meaning "well set"), known in Spanish as "Ciudad de los Muchachos" (City of Youth), is a communal charitable organization for troubled youth. Benpostas are places for abandoned, marginalized youth around the world. Each Benposta has its own parliament and administrative and political positions like mayor, counselor, etc. ==History== The concept, and first city, of Benposta was founded by Father Jesús Silva in 1956¹. The first City of Benposta was founded in Seixalbo, outside of Ourense, Galicia, Spain. Benposta was designed as a peaceful and safe home for homeless children, particularly those affected by poverty or violence. Commonly known as "The City of Youth", Benposta cities originally had no adult residents, other than Father Silva. The city was governed and maintained completely by the children. Since its inception, Benposta cities have opened around the world. Some Benposta cities now include adults as residents, many of whom have grown up in Benposta. The adults in Benposta have identical rights to the children, they are not superior, and do not function as guardians. ==Structure== The Benposta cities around the world vary in structure, however the central principles remain the same. Central to all Benposta cities is the equality of residents. Every resident is considered a citizen of Benposta, even the youngest children. All citizens have equal rights and responsibilities. The fundamental principle of Benposta is that all residents are treated as equals. Each Benposta had a government or council, elected by every member of the community, even the youngest children. The council makes all the decisions regarding the maintenance of the community. Tasks within the community are performed by the citizens. These tasks include cleaning, making furniture, tending to the garden, and working in the kitchen. ==See also== ==References== ==External links== https://web.archive.org/web/20080209235949/http://www.shinealight.org/BenpostaE.html http://www.yidff.jp/97/cat091/97c105-1-e.html

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