During the year 2022, Mundo de Talentos carried out four projects in the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, in the south of Mexico, with a total of 260 students. The four projects include:
1 group of 20 5th grade students from different primary schools in Oaxaca
Below, we present the details of these four projects.
2022 was the fourth consecutive year in which Mundo de Talentos was able to implement its program with two groups of fifth and sixth grade students from public elementary schools in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. During the first semester of 2022 we continued with a pandemic situation where many families still did not participate in extracurricular activities. Even during January, we had to suspend some sessions due to the high rates of infection with the coronavirus. Fortunately, we noticed a big difference from the start of the 2022-2023 school year when many more new participants wanted to enroll than we can accept into the program. During the year we were able to implement the technology, journalism, comprehensive health, arts, social sciences, trades, visual arts, innovations, entrepreneurship, and research project modules. In addition, we carry out many special sessions, focused on topics such as computing, water system management, civil protection and the operation of a fire station.
In most of the sessions of the second semester of the year, more than 40 students participated, since we allowed a little more than the original quota of 40 to register. Normally, the modules begin with an introductory session where the topic to be discussed is explored. Regarding the arts module, for example, the different expressions of art and what they include are investigated. With the integral health module, we start by discussing what health means and what forms of health we know about, including physical, emotional and psychological. Then different jobs are presented that are related to these areas. We keep in mind that students have prior knowledge, so during the introductory sessions existing ideas from the children are explored. The methodology that Mundo de Talentos applies in terms of vocational guidance focuses on the development of the soft skills of the students. The science module emphasizes the importance of observation and asking questions while during 'innovations' we work on the ability to try new things. In the section on the Mundo de Talentos methodology.
2. Alumni project (San Cristóbal)
After participating in the Mundo de Talentos program for two years, our students receive their diploma and continue to be part of our community in the Graduates project. Every year, this group in San Cristóbal de Las Casas is nourished by 40 students. The activities are broader than the basic program and are implemented monthly instead of weekly. In addition, it is not a requirement to continuously participate in the workshops: students will be part of the group of graduates for life and can participate whenever they want. For the design and preparation of the sessions we have the Alumni Council: a group of 6-8 young graduates who are in charge of designing the content of the program. Through the graduate project we offer courses and workshops aiming to:
The activities are diverse and are aimed at continuing to motivate young people to continue studying and training. They are also invited to participate in certain activities with the new generations to serve as an example and source of inspiration. In total, we implement a minimum of 10 workshops with graduates per year. In addition, the Alumni Council has monthly meetings to propose and prepare the sessions.
In November 2022, the graduates went on an excursion to the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Pablo Guardado Chávez University in Tuxtla Gutiérrez (the capital of Chiapas). They visited the nursing area, the delivery and expulsion area, and the microbiology laboratory. Another example of the activities of the graduates was a visit to the Parmentier Culinary Institute in San Cristóbal de Las Casas during the Gastronomy masterclass. Chef Julio César Martínez Orantes shared the basic aspects of gastronomy and the correct handling and preparation of the ingredients. He also focused on reducing food waste. After this introduction, the students got to work and prepared a delicious Bolognese pasta tart and a fruit tart.
We also held online sessions with graduates during 2022, for example, with employees of the human resources company Randstad México. During this interactive session they learned about Randstad's work and how to prepare as a candidate for a job opening. Along with the speakers, they focused on the importance of designing a good curriculum. What kind of skills do you mention? What is the importance of an extracurricular activity? Through a role play they practiced interview techniques; How do you introduce yourself? Our former students finished the class inspired and with their first resume on paper.
During 2021 we developed the preparatory work for the expansion of our vocational guidance activities towards the rural area of Chiapas. We were able to connect with a secondary school, located in the municipality of Teopisca, 30 minutes from San Cristóbal de Las Casas, that was interested in participating in the program. During the first months of 2022 we implemented a pilot project with students of 1st and 2nd year of secondary school in Teopisca. Young people of this age decided to want to continue studying, which is why it is an excellent time to continue motivating them through a process of vocational guidance.
We carried out 10 Saturday sessions, with 20 students. The professions and crafts that were covered during the pilot were intercultural communication, gastronomy, biology, jewelry, social work, production of tropical plants, and psychology. On Saturday, May 14, we celebrated the closing of activities, in the presence of parents, and school authorities. In general, everyone agreed that the project had been of great value and had all the potential to continue. The intention was to continue with our vocational guidance activities in rural areas as of September 2022, however, a series of security incidents that occurred in the municipality of Teopisca did not allow the project to be executed. At the end of 2023 we decided to suspend the Mundo de Talentos activities in rural areas indefinitely.
From September to November 2022 Mundo de Talentos implemented a pilot in the city of Oaxaca that was fully funded by the sponsor and educational partner Hotel con Corazón. The Children's Museum of Oaxaca (MIO) lent us its facilities throughout the pilot. The alliance with the MIO made possible an excellent implementation of the activities in a highly inspiring place. The pilot was carried out with 20 students from various public primary schools. After a very positive evaluation from all involved, we could continue with this class of 20 students in January 2023. With sufficient financial support, we will continue with another full class of 40 students in September 2023.
During the pilot, we implemented eight sessions on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. in the facilities of the Children's Museum of Oaxaca, with the following themes:
Based on the results we obtained from the surveys and the evidence from parents, students, and speakers, we conclude that the pilot in Oaxaca was a great success. As of January 14, 2023, Mundo de Talentos has continued work with the 20 students who signed up for the pilot. The program will include six modules divided into 4 sessions each, apart from a series of special sessions, to complete the first year of the project in June 2023. Mundo de Talentos aims to open a new generation of 40 students in September 2023 once we achieve sufficient financial support. Hotel con Corazón will continue to be our sponsor and educational ally as of September 2023. The workspace will continue to be the Children's Museum of Oaxaca (MIO).
During the past few months, Mundo de Talentos was able to start a new project year in Chiapas and Oaxaca with much energy and many students. Finally, having entered the post pandemic phase, families appear to crave enrolment in interesting extracurricular activities again, so the groups of Mundo de Talentos are more than full! Many children are on a waiting list to see if someone drops out and they might be able to join the activities at a later point.
The groups in San Cristóbal de Las Casas started with exciting modules; the first-year group with Visual Arts and the second-year group with Social Sciences. During the Visual Arts module the students learned how to create a story board and to get into the role of a cameraman or an actor. The videos they created will be shown in the Kinoki Theatre in December as a festive end of the year event. During Social Sciences, the children learned about the importance of understanding our own history, how to be an empathic person and about the different ways of addressing conflict. Ending this module during the Day of the Dead festivities, the students will reflect on the meaning of these types of traditions for society and compare them with other traditions throughout the Mexican history.
Also, the second generation of Mundo de Talentos alumni started to meet with the first group, and together they are now sixty students in total. In September, they met with employees of human resources company Randstad Mexico. During this interactive masterclass they learned about the work of Randstad and how to prepare themselves as a candidate for a vacancy. Together with the guest teachers they focused on the importance of designing a good cv. Through roll play they practiced interview techniques. How do you present yourself? What are the do’s and don’ts? Our alumni left inspired and with their first cv on paper! In October, the alumni took control of the kitchen of the Parmentier Culinary Institute in San Cristóbal de Las Casas during a Gastronomy masterclass. Chef Julio César Martínez Orantes shared the basic aspects of gastronomy and the correct handling and preparation of ingredients. He also focused on the reduction of food waste. After this introduction the alumni got to work and prepared a delicious bolognese pasta and fruit tart.
Finally, we are proud to have been able to initiate a Mundo de Talentos pilot in the city of Oaxaca, in September. The project has met with great enthusiasm both from the participating children and their families and from all kinds of collaborating people and organizations. We are fortunate to implement the sessions in the Oaxaca Children´s Museum (MIO), a beautifully renovated train station and museum. Professions to be explored during the pilot include the areas of aviation, tourism, pastry, painting, podcast production and virtual reality.
For example, during the podcast session, the children learned about what kinds of tools are used to create audio, including voice, scriptwriting and editing sound effects. By applying these tools themselves, the students produced their first Mundo de Talentos podcast, like real communication professionals! The painting class consisted of an excursion to the studio of Oaxacan artist Tomás Pineda who is recognized in Mexico and abroad for his work. In a very passionate way, he guided the students around and showed the them the different kinds of art he practices like painting, ceramics and woodworking. Tomás shared how his profession allows him to work from home and to expose in various parts of the world. After the tour it was time to get creative! As the students worked on their own pieces, Tomás showed them various applicable techniques. At the end of the day, they left very inspired and with their own piece of art.
During 2023, we plan to open an official second Mundo de Talentos location in the city of Oaxaca. The positive first results of the pilot strengthen our belief that the amplification to this region is a logical and necessary development, both for the organization of Mundo de Talentos and for the children of Oaxaca. Please follow us on social media to be informed about this exciting new phase of our activities!
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Mundo de Talentos Report - July 2022
At the end of June, the 40 students of the second generation of Mundo de Talentos graduated! After working with us for two years they received their well-deserved diploma in the presence of their parents, brothers and sisters and guest teachers. On this festive day we looked back on all the adventures and encounters they lived together and we enjoyed a live demonstration of the parkour guest teachers. Our newly grads are excited to continue with the program of Mundo de Talentos Alumni after summer holidays. A few weeks earlier, our alumni Alex and Yamil visited the second-year group to explain about what it means to be an alumni and what kind of activities can be expected from the alumni project. Alex and Yamil shared their experiences of the past year and invited the students to become active members. Our group of alumni is growing! It’s great to see how involved they are and eager to keep on developing themselves.
Also, during the past three months Mundo de Talentos implemented a pilot in the village Teopisca, at 40 minutes from San Cristóbal de Las Casas, in the Highlands of Chiapas. Our coordinator, Miguel Contreras, worked with 20 very motivated and enthused students of the jr. high school José Antonio Gutiérrez Gutiérrez. All kinds of guest teachers visited the pilot and inspired the students with their passion like biology, social work, jewelry, agronomy psychology and other topics. It was a great success! The students are eager to continue with the program. After evaluating the pilot with the students, their parents and the team of the high school we are excited to share with you that we will kick off officially with Mundo de Talentos in Teopisca with 40 students from September 2022!
Great news about the expansion of Mundo de Talentos! During the first days of June, we visited Oaxaca de Juárez, the capital of the southern Mexican state called Oaxaca, to meet our new colleagues of Hotel con Corazón and other possible collaborators. We had several inspiring interviews and found a coordinator for the pilot! In September 2022 we will start working together and design the program to be implemented in Oaxaca during September to November. Our first days in Oaxaca were especially pleasant because of the warm welcome we received by Saskia Fiselier, Erica Donkers, Silvana Corres and the rest of the team of Hotel con Corazon! At the end of August we will be back to start preparing for this brand-new initiative.
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Due to a sudden rise in covid19 cases, we decided to stay at home for two weeks in January. Fortunately, in the beginning of February, we were able to meet again in person. Our students kicked off with the module Technology. Together with waterfront engineer, Jorge Lacruz, of the shipbuilding company Damen they dived into the world of vessels. Jorge is originally from Venezuela and shared his personal experience with the kids. What it is like to work in another country and culture and what kind of skills are needed to be able to fulfil the job of a waterfront engineer. He also emphasized the importance of teamwork. No ship is built without good teamwork! Jorge brought various scale models to the classroom and the students put this into practice right away, with great results! It was great to have a Damen employee in the classroom again. We are grateful for Damen´s ongoing collaboration with Mundo de Talentos.
Also during the Technology module, our first year students met with Ángel José Solís Domínguez, who studies Mechatronic Engineering. He was a source of inspiration and shared with our students how he got to win a 100% scholarship at the university Tec de Monterrey to study a degree in Engineering. Together they dived into the world of mechanical electronics and they discovered how to make a jet propulsion rocket with space aerodynamics! During the last class of the Technology module, our eyes turned green and our minds became more aware. We went to Parque el Encuentro where specialists from Cántaro Azul shared their experiences in Eco-Technologies, water management and ecological alternatives in environmental care. Our students learned about the pH and hardness of the water, observed samples under a microscope and learned about dry toilets. Everything aimed at sustainable environmental management.
In February, Mundo de Talentos took its first steps outside of San Cristóbal de Las Casas. We kicked off with our pilot project in the village of Teopisca in Chiapas! Together with 20 very motivated students of the high school José Antonio Gutierrez and with their parents we started the activities of our program. We are very excited about this new adventure and will evaluate these first steps in May/June. Our goal is to start with a complete group of 40 students in Teopisca in September 2022.
Also during the past few months, we introduced a new module; Innovations! This module aims to bring out creativity in our students and inspire them to think outside of the box. Our second-year students met with guest teacher Juan Carlos Aguilar, from Jaguar Cycles, who produce bicycles and other objects with bamboo. Together they discussed and presented how innovation and creativity are strongly connected and part of their daily lives. The next week, our students met with guest teacher and engineer, Carlos Garcia of Technologías y Energías del SE, who works with solar panels. It was a complete success and very inspiring class! Carlos explained the importance of the use of solar panels how they work and how you install them. Our students learned how to put this into practice right away. After a session of great teamwork, the students were able to test their own solar panels in the sun, with great success!
During the module of Arts and Crafts our first-year students met with Genaro Cruz Moreno and Roberto Francisco Pérez Alcázar of training/beauty centre and barbershop lesc-Glamour. The guest teachers shared their work experience based on the history of barbershops. They emphasized the importance of a good service to guarantee a pleasant experience for the clients and explained more about the costs of running a business. The students learned various techniques in handling combs and scissors. In addition, they studied the anatomy of the head for the use of technical vocabulary in a barbershop.
During these past few months, our first-generation alumni met with some covid-related bad luck and several sessions were cancelled. Fortunately, in March they could continue with their Mundo de Talentos journey, and dived into the world of odontology with dentist Alba Cruz and her team. During this masterclass they learned about the skills that a dentist needs to develop and what kind of study should be completed. During the second part concentration and focus were needed when our alumni made prototypes of teeth! And with the participation of a lab rat, they could observe the cleaning of the mouth.
Last but not least, in March, our students visited the firemen in San Cristóbal de Las Casas!
They learned about the noble work of firefighters, the importance of teamwork, fire management and how to avoid risks at home. The students observed how the truck and the hoses work, and they got to experience how to slide down the fire tube! And during class a notification came through… A grass fire was attended. It was incredible to see the fire man in action and how quickly they respond to the call. Very exciting and inspiring!
In September, Mundo de Talentos started a new school year, still with some corona-related restrictions and difficulties, but with lots of energy and new modules. The second-year group experimented with design and handicrafts during the Fashion module. They also worked on their perceptions of what is supposed to be male and female and the ethics around these issues during the Gender module. For example, Alberto López, male fashion designer and owner of the brand and shop Kuxul Pok in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, shared his work and life experience with the kids. Alberto has indigenous roots and comes from the village Aldama in the Highlands of Chiapas where he learned the traditional techniques of weaving and brocade. As a youngster he moved to San Cristóbal following his dream and became a very talented textile designer. During the last two Fashion Weeks in New York he was invited to present his work!
On November 11, the Mundo de Talentos Alumni Committee, had the great honour to receive a delegation of 15 ambassadors from the European Union in Mexico who visited San Cristóbal de Las Casas. The event took place at Gallery & Restaurant La Tozi. Together with the staff of La Tozi, the alumni prepared different typical drinks from Chiapas that were served during the evening. In front of the delegation the members of the committee shared their Mundo de Talentos’ experiences and learned about the role of the embassies and the European Union in Mexico. It was a very interesting and interactive evening with great interest and many questions, both from the delegation as from our alumni. We are extremely proud and impressed by how our alumni presented their selves and represented Mundo de Talentos. For our team, the alumni and their involved parents, who were present as well, it was a very special evening that we will not forget!
In September and October we welcomed two new board members! Mexican lawyer Carlos Valencia and Spanish naval engineer Juan Pablo Molina have both followed Mundo de Talentos´ activities during the past years and are happy to contribute to the continuous growth of the project by taking place in the board.
Carlos Valencia Carlos R. Valencia has shown great interest in our project and supported Mundo de Talentos from the side line in various ways. We are very pleased that he is now an official member of our board and that we can intensify our collaboration.
Juan Pablo Molina has been involved in Mundo de Talentos since the start. As a former employee of Damen, he visited our project twice. During the module of Technology, he shared his passion for Naval Engineering as a guest teacher with our students.
In October, we received great news from Chicago. We are very excited to share with you that the IMC Charitable Foundation extended their financial collaboration with Mundo de Talentos for the coming three years with a donation of 75.000 USD!
We are incredibly happy with the ongoing trust and support from the foundation. This long-term collaboration gives us the opportunity to keep on offering our program to hundreds of children in Mexico and to expand, develop and professionalize our organization.
A concrete example of this expansion is that we will introduce our vocational guidance activities to rural area in the state of Chiapas. In February 2022 a pilot will take place in the village Teopisca, 30 minutes from San Cristóbal de Las Casas. It will officially start with 20 high school students with a duration of 4 months. After this initial phase, we will evaluate the process and implement necessary adjustments to start the first official generation with 40 students in September 2022. You can follow the developments of our pilot project in rural area on our new project page on GlobalGiving.
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