Recovery of Puerto Rico through Youth Leadership

Dear friends,

We hope this update finds you in health and peace. The current pandemic is affecting each of us in ways we could have never imagined. Nonetheless, we are hopeful that the measures taken by each country and person will allow us to overcome this crisis.

Although the year 2020 started with a 6.5 magnitude earthquake which had the most devastating effects on the southwestern region of Puerto Rico, our Community Youth Leadership Program started its second training module, known as Tiboco II. This module follows our successful pilot program which graduated 11 youth with new and advance leadership skills in 2019 thanks to your support.

We are extremely excited to see 11 new young participants begin their journey to become ethical and solidary community leaders. This group is composed of youth from different residential areas of the Municipality of Naguabo, a beautiful township located in the eastern region of Puerto Rico, boasting with beautiful nature and coast, but also ridden with poverty and lack of services for children and youth. Many of the participants have already shown interest in volunteering and leadership within their schools, universities and communities. The training module we are offering will allow them to acquire new skills to serve more widely and effectively.

January was dedicate to learning about social activism from the human rights framework. Participants began to identify their social purpose, what they want to contribute to the country and their communities, as leaders. February was focused on learning about the reality of organized communities and the role of youth leaders within them. They specifically learned about the work of eight communities located in San Juan (known as the G-8 organization and the Enlace Project), their struggles for fair housing and better environmental conditions, specifically the Dredging of the Caño Martín Peña, along tidal channel which is contaminated an affects the community’s health and wellbeing. This experience sparked the participant’s interest in contributing to improve environmental conditions in their own communities. As part of this workshop, they also visited abandoned urban areas, which have been restored and repopulated through art. They had the opportunity to relate to urban centers and how art is an alternative to initiating social transformations.

These first two months of the Tiboco II Project show the possibility that more young people can transcend the social risks they face and stand out by assuming leadership at the community level.

These activities are possible with your support! Would you consider continuing to support these youth in strengthening their ethical and solidary leadership skills, and from that context serve their communities?

Thank you and keep safe,

Your friends from Jóvenes de Puerto Rico en Riesgo, Inc.