Fundación Acción Solidaria provides educational support to more than 200 children in the Nigeria neighborhood of Guayaquil
In the “Nigeria neighborhood” south of Guayaquil, one of the main concerns of mothers is the well-being of their children. Going out to work and leaving them alone is one of the most difficult experiences they face. In response, Fundación Acción Solidaria -FAS (“Solidarity Action Foundation”) has launched a project that provides support to more than 200 children and young people through a center that offers an educational program and a sports program, completely free of charge. This allows mothers to participate in a sewing workshop, which will help them obtain work and support for their homes.
FAS carries out these programs because it believes in the importance of the integral development of disadvantaged people and communities. Made up of professionals and volunteers, FAS implements programs ranging from community development to technical training. Its mission is to promote a dignified life and empower communities, allowing them to become agents of their own progress.
Free education and sports for children in the Nigeria neighborhood
“The goal is that the spaces offered by SAF serve to provide children and young people with opportunities and tools for their personal growth and development,” explains Valeria Ortiz, psychologist and cultural promoter at FAS.
Children participate in morning and afternoon sessions at no cost to their mothers. Elizabeth Olvera, a tutoring instructor, explains: “We have children from 6 years old who are in first and second year of primary education, to children who are already in second and third year of high school.”
According to Valeria, “if children and young people do not receive a good basic education, they could miss out on future opportunities.” For this reason, current activities are crucial. These include tutoring, mentoring, computer teaching and continuous learning assessment, with the aim of expanding their scope in the future.
Valeria adds that in the future they plan to offer vocational guidance to improve employability, encourage entrepreneurship and promote education among young people.
On the other hand, some mothers of the children and young people participate in a sewing workshop offered at the same centre, which allows them to learn new skills while their children receive educational support and human training.
In addition to the educational program, a sports training program is offered, which currently welcomes 138 young people to train on a synthetic field. The “Club Sport Barrio de Paz” seeks to instill values in young people. Lisandro Landázuri, sports teacher in charge of the club, says that they are prioritizing the formation of values, starting with simple gestures such as greeting.