4 weeks of previous workshops around the theme of children's rights
72 hats with the different rights written on them
Enough balloons to decorate the whole room
1 clown
1 gigantic piñata
20 liters of refresco (lemonade)
72 hyper 7 to 11 year olds
Let it all come to a boil in a two hour gathering of games and fun, and... voila!
Carmen (in pink) overwhelmed (in a good way) by the high energy level!The rights of the children in Belén are ignored and violated on a daily basis. Abuse, lack of access to healthcare, long hours of work from a young age, discrimination based on skincolor or socioeconomic status, and lack of access to education are just some of the problems they face on a regular basis. Teaching them that they indeed have rights, and the power to claim them was therefore quite the challenge. But I think it got through to them eventually, and we ended the topic with gathering the three groups that we work with, throwing one big party!
The kids screaming, practicing their right to use their voice!
F.L.: Rosa, Damaris, Alexandra, Marcos (a canadian volunteer dressed up as a clown), and Linda.
Confession: I want to bring these girls home with me! Deborah and Linda are the cutest..
It was a beautiful sight seeing canoes full of confident, colorful, and content kids, returning home after the party.
One of the boys was picked up by his mom who normally runs a small corner store. During the rainy season, as the water rises, she packs her canoe full with all her merchandise and paddles from door to door!
Tired and happy after a long afternoon..
1 comment:
Hello! I am trying to find a direct contact with La Restinga to plan some volunteer work in Iquitos... any help with this would be very very much appreciated! It looks like an organization I would like to work with. please contact cellvia AT yahoo DOT com thanks, and keep up the good work!
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