Child Protection Ecuador Project #18239

Helping Families Break Cycles of Violence

by Fundacion Junto Con los Ninos (JUCONI)

Project Report | Nov 14, 2018
Full Bellies & Happy Hearts: 2018 Camping Retreat

By Tatyana Ray | Global Giving Project Leader

This fall, JUCONI hosted a two day sleep away camp for 100 adolescents and children. All of the attendees were from families that receive in home therapeutic visits from our team once per week. At the camping retreat everyone had the opportunity to sleep in tents! One of the many goals of these activities is to provide marginalized children in Ecuador with the opportunity to learn and play in a way they may not normally have access to.

The camp kicked off with ice breakers and activities to get the children energized! Then, in smaller groups we continued with activities tailored to each age group focused on concepts like team building, leadership, working together and other important related life skills. The children had the opportunity to spend time in nature, eat nutritious homemade food prepared by the JUCONI team and go swimming. There was even a mini soccer championship in which teams competed against one another!

In addition to the rest, relaxation, and games that were offered, the children also had the opportunity to show how much they’ve learned about their rights as human beings. In some of the weekly groups that JUCONI facilitates, the children are provided with an understanding of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In order to keep these somewhat evaluative activities fun, the participants demonstrated their knowledge of concepts through a variety of mechanisms, for example evening skits. In the group I was a part of the children put on short theatrical performances about peer pressure, as well as drug and alcohol prevention. After we wrapped up skits it was time for dinner and bedtime prep. This was followed by a musical gathering where the JUCONI children danced a variety of their favorite Ecuadorian styles from salsa choke, to marimba, and more!

Throughout some of Latin America there is a saying, “barriga llena y corazón contento,” which translates to “a full belly and a happy heart.” The children truly embodied this as they blissfully dozed off after the dance party with bellies full of protein, rice, delicious plantains and fresh local vegetables. Providing safe spaces like this for children living in situations of vulnerability is essential to their development. With donors like you, we are able to sustain programs like the annual camp and also include older mentors in the process too.

In addition to the children and JUCONI staff, the camp also included 10 older youth who currently serve as weekly mentors to the younger children in the community groups. These mentors are all from the vulnerable areas that JUCONI works in and serve as a bridge to the communities. Everyone one of them has “graduated” from the same groups that the younger children now attend. These older youth range from 14 to 23 years old and serve as role models, guides and support systems for the younger children in the weekly youth groups. The mentors are also active members in collaborating with the JUCONI team to facilitate activities in their communities.

Hoping you head to sleep with a full belly and a happy heart!

Sincerely,
Tatyana Ray

Links:

http://www.juconi.org.ec/

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Oct 18, 2018
The Power of Human Connection: Therapeutic Family Bonding

By Tatyana Ray | Project Leader

The families JUCONI works with rarely have the resources to participate in some of the most basic moments of connection. Attachment and developing healthy intergenerational coping skills are not priorities in communities where the focus is always on basic needs (e.g. shelter, food, water, security, rest etc.). Birthday celebrations and family outings (like sharing an ice cream or going to the beach) are common past times for those of us who have grown into adulthood with access to resources and social services. Leisure experiences like this allow us to unplug from daily life and remain emotionally and physically attached to the members of our communities.

It is for this reason that JUCONI works to provide spaces in which the families can begin to have experiences of shared joy and create positive memories together. JUCONI gives access to activities and spaces that promote human connection for the families. These moments start small and can include things like singing happy birthday with a cake for the first time, or sharing a meal with all the members of the family present. The importance of practices such as these are of critical value as they have a longterm impact on the collective joy of the family. In addition, these seemingly small moments create lasting positive memories for children living through intergenerational cycles of trauma.

In these inital moments of reconnection it can sometimes be overwhelming for the families. For this reason, trained JUCONI team members and therapists support the parents and children to process their traumatic experiences in spaces of healing. JUCONI works to aid the families in developing their coping skills, offers weekly in home therapy sessions and works to strengthen the bonds between family members.

In many families that JUCONI works with, the majority of their life experiences have been characterized by social suffering and hardships. So, it is with our complete gratitude that we thank you for your generous donations – all of which allow for traditions like these therapeutic family bonding activities to continue!

Sincerely,
Tatyana Ray

Links:

http://juconi.org.ec/who-we-are/

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Mar 19, 2018
Parenting Skills for Teenage Mothers

By Ashay Janousek | Volunteer

Ecuador, and most of Latin America, has been struggling with high rates of teenage pregnancy for over 3 decades. There are many explanations for the large numbers of young people becoming parents; some can be attributed to the poverty that pervades these countries and the lack of education surrounding sexual health and practices. Realities from these circumstances are that many young mothers are not prepared nor well informed about what becoming a mother entails and what to expect. These young girls, ages 13 to 19, are part of a cycle in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Guayaquil, Ecuador and their own experiences with their mothers that leave much to be desired.

JUCONI recognizes this pattern all too well and wants to help these young mothers enhance the bonds between mothers and children. By strengthening the relationship between the two, these families can lower the likelihood of violence within the household and prevent future teenage pregnancies in their children's lives. JUCONI offers a space for young mothers and their children to attend weekly and cover topics such as best practices for caring for infants and toddlers, various forms of discipline for toddlers, and nurturing the mother and child bonds. One such mom is Isabela and she became a mother at the age of 15. Her mother had her around the same age and many aunts, cousins, and siblings have had children in their teens. Isabela grew up with 10 brothers and sisters and didn't get to spend much time with her mother due to work, cooking meals for all 10 kids and then having to go to sleep early in order to have enough energy for the next day. Isabela has only one child and says she would like to wait to have another child so she can enjoy the time now with her son. She says she enjoys these weekly meetings because she wants to create beautiful memories with her son, memories that she didn't get to have with her mother.

JUCONI members and mothers do art projects within these weekly meetings like creating photo frames in which the mothers decorate and later add pictures of their children and themselves. Another art project is to create a memory book in which moms record special benchmarks of their infants such as their weight and height, first words spoken, date they took their first steps, and so much more. Their children are encouraged to be there so that this is a shared activity that they look forward to each week. This space also provides the young mothers an opportunity to share ideas, successes, and failures that they have experienced so that others can benefit from practices that worked and learn from those that didn't. We at JUCONI believe in these women's futures and that together, we can change these cycles and provide better opportunities for families. We are very proud of our young mothers and we hope you are as well. Thank you for your donations and for your kind encouragement.

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