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.
Aware of children’s need to play, we frequently take them to different outdoor parks where they can have fun and strengthen their mental and motor skills. Specifically, in the month of February we took them on an ecological walk on one of the city’s hills. Of course, everyone was happy, and in the end, Salomé, one of the girls in the program said: “I feel very happy at the foundation because the teachers understand us, teach us and bring us to these fun parks. These are moments that I will never forget”.
For 8 years we have been implementing yoga classes to strengthen the physical development and mental peace of the children we serve. This has been a wonderful initiative as everyone participates with enthusiasm and has achieved a meaningful level of control of their own bodies and emotions. Some have also said that they like to do yoga at home with some regularity and that when they grow up, they would like to continue their practice to feel calm and relaxed.
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.
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.