Children Advocate for Rights & Transform Community

Since its founding, the Children’s Community Action Project has been working to educate children on their human rights, as well issues relevant to their families and community. It works to give children a sense of awareness of their community, build their self-esteem, and teach leadership skills. As the leaders of the project are young adults from Guasmo Sur, the slum community in which they work, the leaders are in touch with the challenges the children face.

Entering into its third year, the program continues to teach these topics to the 70 children who continue to participate in the program. Jose Luis Echeverria Lara, a 22-year-old native of Guasmo Sur, began as the the community development organization that houses the Children’s Community Action Project, continues to work to develop curriculum and oversees the implementation of the youth program. Ana Andrade Sanchez, once a youth leader, now coordinates the youth leader training program and works with the group of teenagers who lead the weekly children’s group activities.

Over time, the group of youth leaders has lost some leaders when they graduated from high school, but the remaining five leaders form a tight-knit group. Recently a teenager who participated in the children’s groups has joined the group of youth leaders, exemplifying the personal growth and leadership skills that the children are absorbing.

Recent lessons, always taught through interactive games and activities, have been: environmental conservation, civil rights, civic engagement, and more.

Recent purchases, using funds donated through GlobalGiving, have been books with games and activities for children, a television used to show educational programs and for social activities, food and activities for the international “Day of the Child” in recognition of the Rights of the Child.

Ana Andrade Sanchez and Jose Luis Echeverria, translated by Dana Hill