who need it, and that more than 3,000 begging and wandering street children
are still condemned to moral and physical destruction.
Also noteworthy is the temporary action of feeding children begging in
the streets organised by CENTOS, the so-called “cauldron operation”. At several
points in the ghetto, 300–400 portions of coffee with bread were served
for some time. The operation lasted several weeks, but due to the lack of adequate
funds it had to be stopped, despite its usefulness.
CENTOS also takes care of the children of refugees and the resettled at
Points. Such care consists in running common rooms and feeding children.
Nearly 30 day-care centres have about 3,000 children in their care. They
conduct day-care activities under the direction of special care-giver, organise
games and playtime, and, to some extent, school classes. In places that
lack common rooms, care-givers take care of children. Children at the Points
receive special nutrition. In addition to normal soup, they are provided with
breakfast, thick groats with bread, while weakened and sick children receive
additional cooked meals and milk. Given the tragic situation at Points and
the deplorable circumstances of those children, it is obvious how important
the care that CENTOS provides for them is.
CENTOS also makes sure that children enjoy the summer. It was a very
difficult matter, as there were few suitable areas in the small and densely
populated Warsaw ghetto for that purpose. Despite everything, however,
CENTOS managed to run fifteen child-care Points. Various squares, larger
courtyards, and gardens were used and children could spend time outside in
the air and in the sun under the care of qualified instructors and educators.
They cultivated flowerbeds, did sports, and played games, all the while keeping
the areas clean and tidy. More than 6,000 children a day come to these
squares. Since leaving the borders of the ghetto was impossible and due to
the tightness, dirt, and dust in the summer, the day-care centres campaign
played a particularly important role in the general care of the children and
made their lives at least partly more pleasant, while simultaneously taking
care of their physical fitness.
2. House Committees and childcare
Due to the scarcity of material resources available to social institutions,
the latter were not able to provide care for all children who needed help.
