In 1995 Fundacion Junto Con Los Ninos (JUCONI) began with a mission to help street children and their families in Guayaquil, Ecuador. This project will help to break the cycle of violence within families living in extreme poverty through weekly therapy sessions and intervention based youth groups. JUCONI works to improve self-esteem, emotional resilience, and empower families to better manage their unique challenges and stresses. JUCONI: for a world without violence and free of child labor.
Past traumas impact how people raise their children. These experiences can prevent them from developing the internal capabilities that enable them to cope with their own lives and the hardships in a proactive way. Opportunities are minimized due to complex family situations and families cannot gain access to traditional social services. This can lead to children who grow up to be involved in criminal activities or acts of self-destruction.
Our therapeutic process is based on building a positive relationship that provides a transitional attachment to both parents and children, while it gradually helps parents and children process their traumatic experiences. After attachment, trust, and mutual respect have been achieved, the family can start to think and consider their own goals and make decisions that benefit everyone. Families will receive a monthly food basket, weekly personalized therapeutic visits, and additional assistance.
The therapeutic process with the family and the child means that children become agents of their own change in a healthy environment for their development, free of family violence. This process not only has an effect on current issues experienced by children and their parents, but also ensures that siblings and future generations grow up with enriching family relationships that underpin their success as citizens able to make a positive contribution to society.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).