Helping Families Break Cycles of Violence

The New Year is right around the corner and Fundación Junto con los
Niños (JUCONI) is ready to turn the page on 2014 and begin anew. Your
donations have meant so much to us over the last three months and we
are so excited to be moving forward with exciting new activities in
Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Your donations have helped JUCONI continue the therapeutic work that
has reached more than 90 families in the northern communities of
Guayaquil in 2014. Right now JUCONI has 30 families in the control
segment of our newest remedial work with 30 separate families in the
investigation portion of the project. In addition to the therapy based
work with 10 trained psychology specialists, we have continued our
community based work with both our sports club and art club.

Here at JUCONI we have focused on our art club that began a new unit
in October. This project has worked with over 100 children within the
JUCONI program to reflect on the past year, and think about what is on
the horizon for each child. One tradition very popular in Guayaquil is
the use of papier-mâché dolls to represent the past year and our art
club has emphasized the use of these dolls for each child as a way to
reflect on 2014 and think about what is in store in 2015. Throughout
the unit, each child has reflected on what JUCONI means to them while
also thinking about the last year in their lives. These dolls have
been completed throughout weekly sessions in three communities in
northern Guayaquil and will be given to each child to have for the
holiday season.

While participating in a local tradition that has become immensely
popular throughout Ecuador, we have also had a lot of fun in the
communities using glue, balloons, newspaper, and magazines to compile
a summary of the past year. It’s not easy to sum up 365 days, let
alone in a small doll, but our friends of JUCONI have done quite well
for themselves! Here at JUCONI we are looking forward to the
incredible work ahead of us in 2015, and are so glad that you are with
us to help end child labor in Guayaquil.


Sincerely,

Joseph Amiri