Give school & love to abandoned girls in Mexico

Several studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of expressing emotions through art in children that have experienced abandonment.

The girls at PA were very lucky to be selected by a Mexican Foundation to participate in an Art Expression Workshop. A year has passed since the girls first began to receive weekly art classes at home.

We can proudly say that they have discovered in art an extra vehicle to express their feelings as well as to discover their abilities and talents in this area.

At the end of this school cycle, the Foundation made an art exhibition in which the projects of the participating children were presented. The exhibition took place in an important place in the city, and there were prizes for the most outstanding paintings.

Two of our girls received first and second places for their work. They were surprised as well as pleased to realize that their paintings were selected among many others.

This experience awakened their curiosity to get acquainted with artists from Querétaro as well as to better understand the underlying meaning of these paintings.

As a result of this experience, new horizons have opened for them, awakening within them the light of creativity. As these abilities grow, we are sure they will develop a new-found sense of self-confidence, allowing them to transcend their fears of taking risks in their life.

We all hope one day we will have great artists in PA.

Links:

• web site

Our five youngest girls have been participating, for the past three years, as full members of the State of Queretaro Simphony Choir. Being members of this Choir has both been a privilege and a responsibility as it requires discipline, commitment and consistency. These attributes reflect on their everyday life behavior.

As the five girls and Puerta Abierta have committed to these responsibilities, the results have been growing. Their first public presentation two years ago was a total surprise to us all. The Choir choreography and performance gave us pride and joy, and the girls were motivated, happy and proud. Other presentations followed before different public audiences, including local, State and Federal government authorities. The Choir director and founder, a young, energetic man, himself having grown in a foster home, applied to have the Choir accepted In the 2014 Cultural Olympics, to be held this past July in Riga, Latvia. The Choir qualified and was accepted. Our five girls were to be part of this adventure. They received the economic support from several parents of other girls in the Choir and from our local Municipal government, as well as from funds obtained from several Choir presentations. Finally, the great day for travelling came up, even though there were a number of obstacles to overcome, among them just getting their passports!

For the Choir Director, having our girls being able to make the trip to Riga was of utmost importance, having a common child background with them. Being a believer that music, while providing discipline, is also an extraordinary emotional educational experience, it would allow them to view the world with different eyes, knowing that their lives would be positively transformed.

True to this belief, our girls have been transformed by this outstanding experience. Their current vision is that they can achieve their goals with determination, motivation and perseverance, in spite of whatever obstacles come their way. They now know that they can find the resources within them and in their environment to solve great problems.

For all of us at Puerta Abierta, this event has given us great satisfaction and a reflexive moment. As we continue to guide these young girls, we have to be conscious how the same experience has impacted each one of them in different ways and wether it has been significant or not . This confirms that education is an ever constant process to find the individual needs to make our girls better human beings.

Links:

• World Choir Games Riga 2014

Our family is turning 10 years old!  Along these years we have been learning the benefits of being well educated women, with structured thought processes and abilities to express our opinions, dreams and desires.

As we have been going through our education process throughout these years, we have been opening and exploring new horizons. Our imagination has been pushed beyond our initial expectations, and now we feel we are truly the creators of our personal and family projects.

We cannot skip mentioning that we have also gone through an education of our feelings, and our character. We have learnt to think with our hearts, and be thankful for all the loving care and beauty that surrounds us. We are aware that we can be successful as long as we continue believing in ourselves that we are valuable as human beings. Thus, we are obligated to use our freedom in a wise way, choosing those paths that take us to new challenges to be better persons

We are convinced that education is a never-ending endeavor, with new learnings every day, taking us to being more conscious and responsible, so that our actions are directed to building a healthier and better balanced environment.

We want to thank Global Giving for the opportunity given to us, to continue dreaming and generating change in our world and move forward towards building and caring for this universe in which we live.

And ask you to keep supporting our girls dreams today 25^th of june beggining 12 noon EDT in the Microsoft Youthspark Bonus Day that will be matching funds at 100% 

Give now a brighter future to all our girls!

Thanks to you all,

Margarita, Mercedes, Ana Gaby, Karla, Angeles, María, Lupis, Juanita, Moni

Community Social Work 2014

It is amazing to see our girls evolving in different walks of life as they grow and mature

Just recently they had the opportunity to do social work in a very poor rural community. This

environment was somewhat similar to that from where they originally came. They had the chance

to socialize with girls their age, play with children and meet their families. After observing this, I could

realize the difference that the formal education they are getting is imprinting in their behavior.

Their interaction with their peer group during this community work showed that they were able to take

a leadership role, giving instructions and suggestions,organizing activities and giving answers to questions

posed by the group. Their performance during sport activities was also remarkable.

They were made aware of the social and material limitations that families have in such communities,

showing empathy, generosity and a natural tendency to serve their peers.

This experience has certainly left a mark on them, while assuring us all at Puerta Abierta that their

education will be making them better citizens, while giving them hope and a solid foundation for their

future in life.

As you have been part of this ongoing project we want to ask you if you would be willing to help Puerta Abierta

in a of a great opportunity we have next june through Globalgiving Yourh Spark Bonus Day. We are asking you

to become a Captain Donor, you know our project and believe in it so it would mean help a lot!  Dont worry we

would provide all the emails drafts for you in order  to reach your family and friends .

Please contact us via email

puertaabierta.connie@gmail.com 

or FB Puerta Abierta IAP Querétaro

lvd

Links:

• web page

FEBRUARY 2014

Ana Gaby & Moni

Living in any social Group or society generally generates camaraderie but also competition among

its members. When this competition is healthy, it brings the best of each individual

These two sisters, Ana Gaby and Moni, the last family members of our family at Puerta Abierta,

did not arrived from a supportive and challenging educational environment, but did arrived with

a lot of discipline. We were greatly surprised when with a lot of courage,effort and perseverance

were able to cope with a new and more demanding educational level. Their performance so far

has been outstanding, showing that attitude and discipline can overcome any difficult

This example has motivated the rest of the girls in Puerta Abierta, to improve their grades,

studying harder. The end result has been a better and more competitive academic level handled as

a game amongst the girls.

It is important to underline the will and pride that these two sisters have, empowering them to

overcome their academic disadvantages at the start of this unintended, but productive contest.

Their example has motivated the rest of the girls, showing how to bring the best within them and

allowing them to achieve higher goals.

This event has taught us how a quiet, determined and consistent example as shown by Gaby

&Moni is a very effective technique to stimulate and/or change our behavior.

Links:

• web page