Soccer & Life Skills for 100 Kids in Haiti

Green cards, laughter and more goals!

 Even though it has just been two months since the last report, so much has happened in Haiti that we already happily present you this new update! In the last report we wrote you that from September to December, we planned the expansion of Fútbol Más to the new school and gave the children there a first glimpse of the program that would hopefully be changing their lives soon.

We are pleased to inform you that the ´match has now truly begun´!

Two months after the arrival of those ´unknown people´ to their school who talked about green cards and soccer classes, the children can now look forward to classes and wake up knowing that today will be the day they´ll have class again! For them to have this opportunity is already unimaginably great, but right now; even more so. Unfortunately, the country currently is having problem with the elections, which causes the society to be unstable. The classes, built on positive reinforcement, offer the children the opportunity to really disconnect, feel safe, enjoy and be themselves for a moment. The classes started on the twelfth of December, a very important date for the Haitians since it was on the twelfth of December 2010 that an earthquake devastated the country and left many homeless (the very reason that Canaan, the place where the classes are given, came to existence: many people fled there).

We already explained you a little bit about how we use the green card: as a ways of reinforcing positive behaviour. In one of the first classes, a funny situation occurred after the use of this green card (tarjeta verde), which was a perfect example of how it can bring joy to the children and teach them about values. During one of the days´ exercises, a short match was played. One of the players during this match, had her shoelaces untied. She however, did not notice this, also not after a boy repeatedly yelled it at her (she was too focussed!). This boy, from the opposing team, then took the matter in his own hands. He ran to her, stopped her, and started tying her shoelaces right there, during the match. The professor saw this, and rewarded the player with a green card, and explained why to everyone (part of the use of this card). Then one moment later, when he turned around and started the match once more, he found only two children running ?! What was going on: all the other kids were untying and tying the shoes of other children! The following minutes were filled with laughter!

We thank you once more for bring such joy to the children and giving them this possibility!

Well; what else has happened since the beginning of December?

1. The two Chilean professionals with experience in the methodology arrived, set up an office, and started to train the local professors in the green card methodology.
2. The materials were brought to the school and the field was painted. You might see this as just small details, but in reality it is not. For the children this is a significate and positive change. From one day to another, they suddenly have materials and a soccer field on their school with the promise of upcoming classes!
3. After this, the teachers of the school were given classes about the methodology and were taught about the changes that the teachers will be noticing in the children in the months to come.
4. The first meeting with the parents took place and was attended by many parents! This was also the first meeting that the Chilean teachers gave in the local language: Creole. The topics of this meeting were: the objectives, methodology, what they could expect, and the participation that is expected from them.
5. The training of the ´young-leaders´ started. This is a very important part of the methodology. In this methodology, adolescents who demonstrate leadership are detected by the professors and are motivated to become the next generations’ leaders. If they are willing to be, they will be trained to become resilience-trainers and are taught teaching skills, the methodology, leadership and more.

When asking Sara -a young leader that just started her training- about why she wanted to participate as a future example to the other children, she said the following: ´I would like to explain that I love Fútbol Más. You know why? Because It does not only help your body and hygiene, but also in my and their development. I would like to see that they (the children) love me as much as them (the trainers), they seem to appreciate it so much and I love that. I would love to be the future of soccer for them.´….´The green card is important because then everybody is happy and work as a team, when you earn one it makes you even more motivated. Greetings to all the other children in the other countries!´

In the upcoming weeks the team in Haiti will organize an activity with the teachers, a second workshop with the young leaders and a new training in the methodology for the teachers! We are looking forward to present you more updates in the upcoming months!

Links:

• http://www.futbolmas.org