During the month of June, we took the children of Poder Joven to a cookie factory and learned about all the logistics and coordination that go into the production of the delicious items. The kids had the opportunity of making their own cookies and reflected on the importance of making efforts at school to earn a degree and be able to run a factory or accomplish any other worthwhile job.
During the month of July, we had the opportunity to go bowling with the children of Poder Joven one afternoon. For most of them, this was the first time in their lives that they went bowling. Children enjoyed showing their talent and ability to learn a new sport.
In August, we rewarded a group of children who have been very doing well in school with a cooking class. The activity has been announced since February to motivate children do well in all their classes. The strategy worked very well because many kids excelled at school during their first academic semester. Children were taught to prepare pizza, chicken burritos, lemon frosty, and decorative chocolate candies.
We are convinced that our children will achieve great goals in the future if we empower and trust their capabilities today.
During the month of May we held a workshop for teenagers called “Visualizing our future.” The objective of this activity was to help the children understand the importance of setting relevant goals in life, and then create a plan of specific actions/decisions they must carry out daily towards that goal. Furthermore, we invited the kids to become aware of unhelpful habits that could divert them from their plans.
In our efforts to offer meaningful activities to the children, we created an alliance with one of the main public libraries in the city of Medellín. Through it, children learn science in many fun ways. Children get access to computers, watch documentaries, play games that stimulate their creativity and intelligence. Through activities like this, we make sure that Poder Joven is more attractive to the children than the “the street activities” which they are exposed to such as begging, crime, sexual exploitation, and drug consumption.
As part of our constant search for alternatives to provide well-being to our children, we held a crafts workshop with therapeutic purpose. Through an activity called “the hugging kitten” the children created rag dolls to their liking, using their personal designs and favorite colors; Then, they wrote a story to relate themselves and their rag friends and reflect on their fears and challenges in life. The kittens symbolize those people such as friends, teachers, and family whom they can trust and seek comfort whenever they need it.