Preparate para la vida

Growing up I used to see kids selling candy at the stop lights of my native Bogota. They were there all day sometimes, making money for someone else, and often not going to school at all. I did not know it then, but that was my first encounter with child exploitation. Since then I’ve learned about many other injustices, discussed their causes, implications. I used to think that although it is easier to live with your eyes closed to certain realities, we all must face them, acknowledge them, or they will go on forever.

Things have changed. I now believe that merely facing, acknowledging, discussing the problem will not make it go away, though it can be productive, but that real change will only come of action. I believe in activism and service at the local level, but this summer I was ready to venture into Latin America, my native land, and at least attempt to offer whatever help I could. Thanks to Nexos Voluntarios I found a way to do exactly that: travel to Peru and work as a volunteer with a group of people that have dedicated their lives to improving those of others.

The poverty of the region, the exclusion of particular groups and the unequal distribution of wealth, cultural factors, particular family situations, such as violence or dysfunctional dynamics, and, of course, a limited access to a quality education are all factors that exacerbate the already problematic reality of sexual and labor exploitation of minors in Peru. Capital Humano y Social Alternativo is a non-profit civil association that seeks to promote human and social development throughout Peru, and Preparate Para La Vida, the program I worked with, is one of its sponsored projects.

The premise of Preparate Para La Vida is that a good education can give children the tools to face life with dignity and a full knowledge of their rights, duties, and how to defend themselves; rather than merely combating the symptoms of exploitation, the project seeks to empower the children themselves.

I went to Peru wanting to help these kids to leave their jobs and dedicate themselves to school completely, knowing full well that possibilities for advancement and a better life are limited without a proper education. But things were not that simple. The reality I found was very different from that ideal scenario of easy solutions. If the kids worked, it was most often not by choice, but because of necessity. When the combined income of both parents was insufficient for even the most basic of necessities, it was up the children to contribute monetarily. Although in some cases the working hours that the minors held were so onerous that school was out of the question, plenty of kids simply worked before or after school. Though not ideal, that is their reality. They have no choice, because without that little extra money, they would not be able to buy school supplies or to replace those shoes they outgrew. So the recurring theme was this: we cannot force children to stop working, so how are we going to help them while keeping their realities in mind?

As I mentioned before, empowerment was the key. Because it was often hard to keep up with school and six to ten hours of work each day, Preparate Para La Vida offers tutorials in language and mathematics free of charge, to help the kids keep up with their school work. Moreover, to help meet the demands of an increasingly technology-oriented world, the project also offers free computer classes, where the students could become proficient in the use of Windows, Word, Excel, Power Point, and the Internet. Psycological support and counseling were also available.

What most inspired me about the work that Preparate was doing were the Skills for Life workshops. These consist of 12 different sessions that dealt with self-esteem, assertiveness, the rights and duties of children, sexual and reproductive health education, conflict resolution, managing situations of risk, making a life plan, and labor and sexual exploitation. These are also offered free of charge, and because they are dynamic and entertaining, teaching mostly through various games and lively activities, children really benefit. The results were not necessarily evident overnight, but they were most certainly immense. While I was in Iquitos, I had the chance of participating in these workshops with a group from a home for girls that had been sexually exploited or had been in situations of violence. Before we started working with them, many ran away from the home because of internal conflicts, returning to a life of prostitution. They were mostly maladjusted, and they had severe behavioral problems. Though slowly, the workshops seemed to help. Some still wanted to run away from the highly structured institution, but their new skills in conflict resolution helped to improve their internal dynamics. Their better self-esteem and newfound knowledge of their rights became a motivator in school. It was incredible to see the, albeit small, changes that made a big difference for many of the girls, girls that had been neglected or abused most of their lives. It was there that I discovered the enormous effect that empowerment could have on young lives.

Though it is impressive how much the people of Preparate have accomplished, especially when considering the few resources they have, it is promising to think of how much more they can achieve with some help. There is no lack of enthusiasm among the dedicated professionals and volunteers, and the little funds they do have are very well-allocated, but more is still needed. For example, part of their strategy in combating minor exploitation is sensitization, that is, raising awareness about the issue itself, and problematizing child labor, but they have very few resources to do so. They have no cameras to gather visuals or record testimonies, and very little funds to print materials.

I definitely learned more than I contributed to Preparate’s effort in rescuing children from exploitation. The program, the realities, the experiences all changed me, they inspired me, and now I hope to continue to help any way I can. Because they are in need of funds to expand their capabilities, I plan on raising funds. They have a very small library (if the few books they do have can be said to constitute a library), so book drives are in the works as well.

The project taught me about the immense benefits of empowerment through the children I worked with, and I can’t help thinking how much other kids could also accomplish with the right tools. I believe that any child, whether in a situation of risk or not, can profit from the Life Skills workshops, so I hope to be able to replicate them in the town where I attend college. It won’t be easy, but I believe it’s worth it. The success stories I witnessed in Peru are proof.