It has been far too long since I wrote, and I wanted firstly to wish everybody a Very Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.
I am not too sure why I have found it hard to write this past month, but it is now time to make up for it, with an update of some of the things going on here at Casa Alianza Nicaragua.
Two weeks ago we went up with a group of 15 kids to the northern highlands, to participate in a three day camping event, as part of the National Scouts movement. Sounds like a mix for disaster, right? Me, 15 at-risk teenagers, and two tents. But the truth is, it was fantastic. Often in Managua we are really restricted in what we are able to do. The contamination and insecurity of the ciry creates an enviroment where it is a lot harder for kids to really be able to develop in a positive way. But once out in the open, with big green spaces and fresh air, the difference was amazing. A number of the discipline problems we face on a daily basis vanished, as all the kids participated very actively in the various different Scout type activity.
It is without doubt a huge honour to spend time like this with a group of kids, all of which have faced the most extraordianry trauma, through life on the streets or awful violence, but are now finally able to behave just like kids, and for a period of time no longer burdened by the difficulities they have faced.
........
On the 24th December I celebrated my second Christmas here at Casa Alianza. Once again, the day was filled with joy but tinged with sadness.
It is lovely to share Christmas with the kids, join in the singing and the activities, and then sit down to lunch together. Kids who have left our residential programs during the year come back, and many bring their family members to share in the day.
But for a number of the kids we care for, Christmas is not quite so happy. Many have no family or no place to go, and they will be staying withous throughout the period, whilst we have managed to send a number of their friends back to their family homes for a few weeks.
For these kids, Christmas is very tough. We have prepared a full schedule of activities so that they can feel part of a family here at Casa Alianza, but we all know that doesn't quite take away the sadness. The most important things we can do for these kids is show to them that no matter what, we will be there for them, and we will do our very best to provide them the love and support they need.
Children like this, with no family or no place to go is far to common throughout the world. And as I have writtten above, and as I have said many times on this blog, providing these kids wity love and showing them that there people who will care for them and respect them, is something we are all capabale of doing.
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.
About Me
- Simon Walters
- My name is Simon Walters - I work for Casa Alianza Nicaragua. Casa Alianza Nicaragua is a non-profit NGO, working to protect, support and rehabilitate children living on streets, victims of abuse, violence, abandonment, commercial and sexual exploitation and human trafficking. I work as a specialist member of staff, coordinating healthy and sustainable activities for the kids in our protection, and on the international development side of things - working with all the Casa Alianza sites in Latin America. I hold a MA in International Law and Human Rights from the United Nations University for Peace, and a MA in History from the University of Edinburgh. I am very involved in the Model United Nations, and in 2009 served as the Founding Secretary General of Mostar International Model United Nations, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I also have experience in English teaching, coaching public speaking and debating, acting and radio presenting.
Tuesday 27 December 2011
Monday 7 November 2011
Time to talk 'revolutionary' politics
By a landslide victory, Daniel Ortega and Nicaragua’s Sandinista Party (the FSLN) has just claimed victory for the third time, and the second time in a row (despite a law prohibiting Presidential re-election).
The FSLN is Nicaragua’s so-called revolutionary party, the party which brought justice to Nicaragua, defeating the dictatorship of Somoza. Sounds great. What a shame it is such a farce, especially in terms of protection offered to children, teenagers and women, something which should be vital to the concept of a revolution.
When Ortega returned to power in 2006, the first thing he did was introduce a complete ban on abortion. In a country where girls as young as 11 years old are being raped and exploited sexually for commercial purposes, to not allow the option of an abortion, at least in emergency situations, remains a diabolical violation of the human rights of women and girls.
In his previous administration, Daniel also tried to tackle the problem of children living on the streets. He introduced the project of Programa Amor. What Programa Amor did was simply find all the children living on the streets and take them back to their families. Great, job done, right? Wrong! In fact, it could not be further from the truth. No child ever chose the streets. Every child living on the streets are victims of violence, abuse or many other complicated factors in which they need holistic support and assistance, to recover physically and mentally. Simply finding the kids and taking them back to their families solves nothing, and in fact puts the child at much greater risk. But, according to our newly re-elected revolutionary government, they are helping children in need.
Over the past few months, the FSLN election campaign could not be missed. Throughout Managua, bright pink and yellow posters showing Daniel’s smiling face were everywhere to be seen. At nearly every roundabout in the city, children from about 14 years old and above, would stand at the roundabouts every single day, singing, dancing, and flying the flag of the FSLN. It didn’t seem to be of concern that these children shouldn’t be spending their entire days on the roundabouts, but that they should be at school. On the contrary, if you want to fly the flag and wear the party t-shirt, well then, education is a secondary concern. What’s more, whilst on the roundabout, many of these children were drinking and engaging in sexual relations.....once again, it doesn’t matter, if you are flying the Party flag, all over concerns are out the window. To be on these roundabouts many of these children were offered money. I don’t think I really need to write about the massive risks of creating values such as these in children and teenagers in the name of revolution.
As part of the campaign, I recently saw a demonstration of the Female Youth Wing of the FSLN at a park in Managua. After the speeches took place, there was a dance competition. The girls had to dance as sexily as possible, rubbing against the male organizers. I was shocked that this was the perception of ‘female equality’ being promoted at an FSLN rally.
This newly re-elected government is guilty of completely failing to provide long term healthy and sustainable alternatives to those most vulnerable. Earning $5 in a day to stand at a roundabout does not provide any form of long term solutions. I really hope changes are made, that the government begins to see, that if it wants to claim to be the revolutionary party of the Nicaraguan people, it must seek to find long-term solutions to the problems Nicaragua is facing.....if not, my job will be a lot harder than it needs to be.
..................
And while on the topic of politics, on this same day, Guatemala has elected a former military general to be their new President. There is considerable evidence that the President elect (Otto Perez) is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Guatemala’s 36 year civil war.
He promises a military solution to the problems of violence and insecurity in Guatemala. Great, so we are tackling violence with violence. I thought 36 years showed that that tactic doesn’t really work.
............
We will keep doing all we can at Casa Alianza, but it is about time the government started playing its part too, especially the one's which claim to be acting in the name of 'revolution'.
The FSLN is Nicaragua’s so-called revolutionary party, the party which brought justice to Nicaragua, defeating the dictatorship of Somoza. Sounds great. What a shame it is such a farce, especially in terms of protection offered to children, teenagers and women, something which should be vital to the concept of a revolution.
When Ortega returned to power in 2006, the first thing he did was introduce a complete ban on abortion. In a country where girls as young as 11 years old are being raped and exploited sexually for commercial purposes, to not allow the option of an abortion, at least in emergency situations, remains a diabolical violation of the human rights of women and girls.
In his previous administration, Daniel also tried to tackle the problem of children living on the streets. He introduced the project of Programa Amor. What Programa Amor did was simply find all the children living on the streets and take them back to their families. Great, job done, right? Wrong! In fact, it could not be further from the truth. No child ever chose the streets. Every child living on the streets are victims of violence, abuse or many other complicated factors in which they need holistic support and assistance, to recover physically and mentally. Simply finding the kids and taking them back to their families solves nothing, and in fact puts the child at much greater risk. But, according to our newly re-elected revolutionary government, they are helping children in need.
Over the past few months, the FSLN election campaign could not be missed. Throughout Managua, bright pink and yellow posters showing Daniel’s smiling face were everywhere to be seen. At nearly every roundabout in the city, children from about 14 years old and above, would stand at the roundabouts every single day, singing, dancing, and flying the flag of the FSLN. It didn’t seem to be of concern that these children shouldn’t be spending their entire days on the roundabouts, but that they should be at school. On the contrary, if you want to fly the flag and wear the party t-shirt, well then, education is a secondary concern. What’s more, whilst on the roundabout, many of these children were drinking and engaging in sexual relations.....once again, it doesn’t matter, if you are flying the Party flag, all over concerns are out the window. To be on these roundabouts many of these children were offered money. I don’t think I really need to write about the massive risks of creating values such as these in children and teenagers in the name of revolution.
As part of the campaign, I recently saw a demonstration of the Female Youth Wing of the FSLN at a park in Managua. After the speeches took place, there was a dance competition. The girls had to dance as sexily as possible, rubbing against the male organizers. I was shocked that this was the perception of ‘female equality’ being promoted at an FSLN rally.
This newly re-elected government is guilty of completely failing to provide long term healthy and sustainable alternatives to those most vulnerable. Earning $5 in a day to stand at a roundabout does not provide any form of long term solutions. I really hope changes are made, that the government begins to see, that if it wants to claim to be the revolutionary party of the Nicaraguan people, it must seek to find long-term solutions to the problems Nicaragua is facing.....if not, my job will be a lot harder than it needs to be.
..................
And while on the topic of politics, on this same day, Guatemala has elected a former military general to be their new President. There is considerable evidence that the President elect (Otto Perez) is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Guatemala’s 36 year civil war.
He promises a military solution to the problems of violence and insecurity in Guatemala. Great, so we are tackling violence with violence. I thought 36 years showed that that tactic doesn’t really work.
............
We will keep doing all we can at Casa Alianza, but it is about time the government started playing its part too, especially the one's which claim to be acting in the name of 'revolution'.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
It was about time......Working with the kids to protect our environment
In Nicaragua as a whole, there is worryingly little concern about protection for our planet. Rubbish is happily chucked onto the streets, and it is equally common to see people burning their plastics and garbage. There is not one single recycling plant in the country.
For the kids we care for, environmental care is also a fairly abstract concept, and on the whole one of little concern.
It is bearing this in mind that at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we have decided it is time to turn the tables around, and we are now doing what we can to make sure all the kids we care for and support are fully aware of the dangers of global warming, and aware of what they can do to protect the environment.
In light of this, I thought I would share a few things happening at Casa Alianza to carry this out:
We are currently working with the British Embassy in San Jose, and the British Ambassador to Nicaragua, who have prepared a quite brilliant animated film called Odyssey 2050. The film is set in the future, and concerns the destruction being done to the planet. After the film, the kids contribute to the development of the film by putting forward their own ideas through group discussions, art work, poetry and other forms of expression. It is proving to be a great way to get kids involved in environmental protection.
We are also working with environmental students at the University of Central America to train members of staff and kids on what we all need to be doing to protect the environment.
We are trying to get as many kids involved as possible in recycling projects, including making floral decorations out of old bottles, or earrings out of used drinks can.
We are also planting our own crops in the green space avaliable at our main residential center.
It is a work in progress, and one that in reality we are only just starting, but I am delighted we are doing it.
As I said at the beginning, for the kids we work with, caring for our environment is largely a foreign concept. We now hope to show to kids that by caring for our planet they are not only engaging in very important and necessary work, they are also gaining new skills and abilities, which is essential in their recovery process. As such, we have a double aim, one to make sure we are doing what we can to be environmentally sustainably, and secondly, in doing so, our kids learn that through doing this, they themselves are stronger and more sustainable individuals.
As the program moves forward, I will try and update the topic from time to time.
For the kids we care for, environmental care is also a fairly abstract concept, and on the whole one of little concern.
It is bearing this in mind that at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we have decided it is time to turn the tables around, and we are now doing what we can to make sure all the kids we care for and support are fully aware of the dangers of global warming, and aware of what they can do to protect the environment.
In light of this, I thought I would share a few things happening at Casa Alianza to carry this out:
We are currently working with the British Embassy in San Jose, and the British Ambassador to Nicaragua, who have prepared a quite brilliant animated film called Odyssey 2050. The film is set in the future, and concerns the destruction being done to the planet. After the film, the kids contribute to the development of the film by putting forward their own ideas through group discussions, art work, poetry and other forms of expression. It is proving to be a great way to get kids involved in environmental protection.
We are also working with environmental students at the University of Central America to train members of staff and kids on what we all need to be doing to protect the environment.
We are trying to get as many kids involved as possible in recycling projects, including making floral decorations out of old bottles, or earrings out of used drinks can.
We are also planting our own crops in the green space avaliable at our main residential center.
It is a work in progress, and one that in reality we are only just starting, but I am delighted we are doing it.
As I said at the beginning, for the kids we work with, caring for our environment is largely a foreign concept. We now hope to show to kids that by caring for our planet they are not only engaging in very important and necessary work, they are also gaining new skills and abilities, which is essential in their recovery process. As such, we have a double aim, one to make sure we are doing what we can to be environmentally sustainably, and secondly, in doing so, our kids learn that through doing this, they themselves are stronger and more sustainable individuals.
As the program moves forward, I will try and update the topic from time to time.
Monday 10 October 2011
About time to write...And a story about birthday´s
For those of you who have been kind enough to follow this blog, please accept my apologies for not having written anytihng sooner.
As you might be aware, at the end of July, I headed back to the UK for a month. After a great time with friends and family, I arrived back out here to Nicaragua at the end of August. I have been back working with Casa Alianza Nicaragua for just over a month now. For some reason I have found it difficult to process my thoughts since being back and to put them in writing, but will now try and start doing so again.
My new contract has me working part time in exactly the same position, in the area of Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, working directly with the kids to provide healthy and sustainable forms of activity. The other half of my time will be spent working on a new project with all of our Casa Alianza sites in Latin America (Honduras, Guatemala, Merxico and Nicaragua) to develop a brand new websaite representing the work being done in all of the countries.
Of course those who know me, know I am not exactly a computer person, and I am much more about the work direct with the kids, but still, I am sure I will make it work out ok. It does mean that on this blog I will be able to propvide stories about the kids here in Nicaragua, and the work being done by all of our sites in Latin America.
So I guess that is about it for a personal level. Despite a few doubts about my new position, all is well, and I am, on the whole, happy to be back out here.
Before I leave it for today, it´s time for a stroy to start off this new set of entries.
In a few days I turn 26, so lets do something about birthdays:
For the majority of the kdis we work with, celebrating a birthday is a distant concept. Many who do not have docuemntion, don´t even know when there birthday is. For others, the daily grind of trying to survive a life on the streets, or abuses and explitation, means that there is nothing much to celebrate.
But every child should be able to celebrate their brithday, in fact, I almost think it is something that should be mentioned in the Universal Declaration on the Right´s of Children.
As such, every month at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we hold a birthday party for all of the kids who have turned a year old over the course of the month. The event invovles a very special recognition for each child, birthday cake, songs, dancing, sporting competitions, and most importantly, the chance to be a kid once again, and have the space to celebrate and have fun and feel very much part of a community based in the values of love and respect.
It is actually not that easy to coordinate such events. The kids have undergone such trauma that is much more difficult to simply have fun than it might it appear. Birthday parties such as these, therefore, do not work miracles in suddenly creating groups of kids running and playing and just wanting to enjoy themselves. But what it does shoow to everyone, is that when they are ready, here at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we will always be offering that space, and although it may be tough to adjust to that new way of life, we will always be making it happen.
I hope that makes sense.
To be honest, I´m not really a big fan of celebrating my own birthday, it kind of makes me a bit homesick, but I guess this year I might just view it a bit differently, beacuse being able to celebrate your birthday is a privilege and quite a wonderful thing, and so this year, by knowing I have such wonderful people around me, near and far, wand knowing that there have always been people to celebrate it with me, will make it that bit more special.
Its good to be writing again!
As you might be aware, at the end of July, I headed back to the UK for a month. After a great time with friends and family, I arrived back out here to Nicaragua at the end of August. I have been back working with Casa Alianza Nicaragua for just over a month now. For some reason I have found it difficult to process my thoughts since being back and to put them in writing, but will now try and start doing so again.
My new contract has me working part time in exactly the same position, in the area of Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, working directly with the kids to provide healthy and sustainable forms of activity. The other half of my time will be spent working on a new project with all of our Casa Alianza sites in Latin America (Honduras, Guatemala, Merxico and Nicaragua) to develop a brand new websaite representing the work being done in all of the countries.
Of course those who know me, know I am not exactly a computer person, and I am much more about the work direct with the kids, but still, I am sure I will make it work out ok. It does mean that on this blog I will be able to propvide stories about the kids here in Nicaragua, and the work being done by all of our sites in Latin America.
So I guess that is about it for a personal level. Despite a few doubts about my new position, all is well, and I am, on the whole, happy to be back out here.
Before I leave it for today, it´s time for a stroy to start off this new set of entries.
In a few days I turn 26, so lets do something about birthdays:
For the majority of the kdis we work with, celebrating a birthday is a distant concept. Many who do not have docuemntion, don´t even know when there birthday is. For others, the daily grind of trying to survive a life on the streets, or abuses and explitation, means that there is nothing much to celebrate.
But every child should be able to celebrate their brithday, in fact, I almost think it is something that should be mentioned in the Universal Declaration on the Right´s of Children.
As such, every month at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we hold a birthday party for all of the kids who have turned a year old over the course of the month. The event invovles a very special recognition for each child, birthday cake, songs, dancing, sporting competitions, and most importantly, the chance to be a kid once again, and have the space to celebrate and have fun and feel very much part of a community based in the values of love and respect.
It is actually not that easy to coordinate such events. The kids have undergone such trauma that is much more difficult to simply have fun than it might it appear. Birthday parties such as these, therefore, do not work miracles in suddenly creating groups of kids running and playing and just wanting to enjoy themselves. But what it does shoow to everyone, is that when they are ready, here at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we will always be offering that space, and although it may be tough to adjust to that new way of life, we will always be making it happen.
I hope that makes sense.
To be honest, I´m not really a big fan of celebrating my own birthday, it kind of makes me a bit homesick, but I guess this year I might just view it a bit differently, beacuse being able to celebrate your birthday is a privilege and quite a wonderful thing, and so this year, by knowing I have such wonderful people around me, near and far, wand knowing that there have always been people to celebrate it with me, will make it that bit more special.
Its good to be writing again!
Thursday 14 July 2011
A 10 month reflection
So as I mentioned in my last entry, I happily took the option to stay on for further year here and keep doing the work I love doing. Before I start up in the new position, I will be heading back to the UK for about a month, at the end of July. As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to reflect upon these 10 months that I have been working at Casa Alianza Nicaragua.
During these months, I have had the opportunity to work with over 500 kids coming from very difficult nd traumatic backgrounds of abuse, violence, extreme poverty, exploitation and life on the streets, and do what I can to help them turn their lives around, and provide the opportunites and tools for them to do so.
I have climbed volcanoes with gang members, helped coordinate national sporting events to provide alternatives to drug use, worked out on the streets were kids live and sniff glue, participated in workshops to help combat the crime of human trafficking, and done what I can to provide healthy and sustainable activities, respect, love, understanding, discipline and support to all the kids we work with.
It has, on the whole, been a remarkable experience. There have been low points - getting Dengue Fever right at the start was probably the highlight of that, and there have certainly been times where I have felt the work getting too much for me. In spite of that, I love what I do, and I am aware how privileged I am to be in this line of work.
I also remained convinced that Casa Alianza really is quite a remarkable organization. The work it puts in to support, defend, protect and rehabilitate children and teenagers is phenomenal and vitally important. All the kids we work are provided with shelter, food, education, skills training, psychological support, legal support, family reintegration processes, medical care, activities and trips. The work also extends to the communities and their families, in order to build capacities and tackle the problems at their root levels.
So there it is, 10 months at Casa Alianza Nicaragua, and one more year to follow. It has been tough, very tough at times, but that’s all part of the fun.
No child or adolescent ever chose to live on the streets, no child or adolescent ever chose to work in the sex industry or on the streets under the baking sun selling cigarettes and chewing gum. As such, we will keep working to try and ensure kids are not forced into those situations, and keep supporting all those who are.
At this point I remember the tragic words of Nahman, a child living on the streets of Guatemala, brutally murdered by Guatemalan police. On his gravestone are the words which still inspire me more than ever -
"Solo quise ser un nino, pero no me dejaron" - I only wanted to be a child, but they didn´t let me.
More than ever, we want to let children and teenagers have the childhood and adolescene they deserve and are entitled to, no longer robbded of it in cruel and inhuman ways.
I remain grateful to all who read this blog and support the work of Casa Alianza.
During these months, I have had the opportunity to work with over 500 kids coming from very difficult nd traumatic backgrounds of abuse, violence, extreme poverty, exploitation and life on the streets, and do what I can to help them turn their lives around, and provide the opportunites and tools for them to do so.
I have climbed volcanoes with gang members, helped coordinate national sporting events to provide alternatives to drug use, worked out on the streets were kids live and sniff glue, participated in workshops to help combat the crime of human trafficking, and done what I can to provide healthy and sustainable activities, respect, love, understanding, discipline and support to all the kids we work with.
It has, on the whole, been a remarkable experience. There have been low points - getting Dengue Fever right at the start was probably the highlight of that, and there have certainly been times where I have felt the work getting too much for me. In spite of that, I love what I do, and I am aware how privileged I am to be in this line of work.
I also remained convinced that Casa Alianza really is quite a remarkable organization. The work it puts in to support, defend, protect and rehabilitate children and teenagers is phenomenal and vitally important. All the kids we work are provided with shelter, food, education, skills training, psychological support, legal support, family reintegration processes, medical care, activities and trips. The work also extends to the communities and their families, in order to build capacities and tackle the problems at their root levels.
So there it is, 10 months at Casa Alianza Nicaragua, and one more year to follow. It has been tough, very tough at times, but that’s all part of the fun.
No child or adolescent ever chose to live on the streets, no child or adolescent ever chose to work in the sex industry or on the streets under the baking sun selling cigarettes and chewing gum. As such, we will keep working to try and ensure kids are not forced into those situations, and keep supporting all those who are.
At this point I remember the tragic words of Nahman, a child living on the streets of Guatemala, brutally murdered by Guatemalan police. On his gravestone are the words which still inspire me more than ever -
"Solo quise ser un nino, pero no me dejaron" - I only wanted to be a child, but they didn´t let me.
More than ever, we want to let children and teenagers have the childhood and adolescene they deserve and are entitled to, no longer robbded of it in cruel and inhuman ways.
I remain grateful to all who read this blog and support the work of Casa Alianza.
Thursday 7 July 2011
Staying On
It was, to be honest, a tough decision, and I am really very grateful to some of my friends and family who helped me out on it.
Anybody who reads this blog will know I absolutely love the work at do, but at times it can be tough and draining, and living in Managua (not exactly the safest or friendliest city in the world) never makes it easier.
So when the National Director of Casa Alianza Nicaragua offered me the chance to stay on for another year, as a regular member of staff in place of being a volunteer, I was faced by a dilemma. Do I go for it for one more year, is it now time to head on to something new, or even to head back home?
It took a lot of thought, but I have decided to go for, and accepted the opportunity to continue working out here for another year.
I have been exceptionally fortunate, and done a lot of wonderful jobs in a lot of fantastic countries. But one of the main things that I have really discovered out here, is that to truly make a difference, takes a lot of time, and a lot of commitment.
I would say, in all honesty, that it took me more or less six months here before I really understood how to work best with the kids and the other members of staff. In those six months I had to really work hard to learn the patience, understanding and the discipline needed to work with these kids, that I have talked about in previous entries. I also had to learn how to keep my own motivation and personal faith high, in spite of considerable challenges to it.
I would now happily say that I have got to the level where my understanding and practice is now strong enough to be able to really do positive things. For me, the project I set up, which I wrote about last month, as been a major example of this. It took a long time and a lot of effort to get to this level, where I have felt confident enough in myself to set up projects which I really feel might benefit our kids, but now I am there.
As such, to move on and do something new, or maybe to head back to Europe, just didn’t seem right at this point. I feel very privileged to have got to the stage where I am at with the kids and other members of staff, and it would be too much of a shame to lose that.
As such, this blog will be active for at least one more year, and I will do my best to keep the stories coming as we keep working to protect, support and rehabilitate the lives of children of have gone through existencies that no child would ever choose, including living on the street, substance abuse, commercial and sexual exploitation, human trafficking, violence, abuse and abandonment.
For those in Europe/UK, I will be flying back to the UK at the end of July to catch up with family and friends, and will be about until the end of August, before heading back out here to Nicaragua.
Anybody who reads this blog will know I absolutely love the work at do, but at times it can be tough and draining, and living in Managua (not exactly the safest or friendliest city in the world) never makes it easier.
So when the National Director of Casa Alianza Nicaragua offered me the chance to stay on for another year, as a regular member of staff in place of being a volunteer, I was faced by a dilemma. Do I go for it for one more year, is it now time to head on to something new, or even to head back home?
It took a lot of thought, but I have decided to go for, and accepted the opportunity to continue working out here for another year.
I have been exceptionally fortunate, and done a lot of wonderful jobs in a lot of fantastic countries. But one of the main things that I have really discovered out here, is that to truly make a difference, takes a lot of time, and a lot of commitment.
I would say, in all honesty, that it took me more or less six months here before I really understood how to work best with the kids and the other members of staff. In those six months I had to really work hard to learn the patience, understanding and the discipline needed to work with these kids, that I have talked about in previous entries. I also had to learn how to keep my own motivation and personal faith high, in spite of considerable challenges to it.
I would now happily say that I have got to the level where my understanding and practice is now strong enough to be able to really do positive things. For me, the project I set up, which I wrote about last month, as been a major example of this. It took a long time and a lot of effort to get to this level, where I have felt confident enough in myself to set up projects which I really feel might benefit our kids, but now I am there.
As such, to move on and do something new, or maybe to head back to Europe, just didn’t seem right at this point. I feel very privileged to have got to the stage where I am at with the kids and other members of staff, and it would be too much of a shame to lose that.
As such, this blog will be active for at least one more year, and I will do my best to keep the stories coming as we keep working to protect, support and rehabilitate the lives of children of have gone through existencies that no child would ever choose, including living on the street, substance abuse, commercial and sexual exploitation, human trafficking, violence, abuse and abandonment.
For those in Europe/UK, I will be flying back to the UK at the end of July to catch up with family and friends, and will be about until the end of August, before heading back out here to Nicaragua.
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Carlos on the Streets of Managua
Its been a while since I wrote about any of the kids stories here on this blog. As you can imagine, I have to be sure I am protecting their privacy, which is why I certainly can´t put any photos up here, and is also why I have been avoiding stories recently.
But I thought it was time to share one of the stories, so that the reality faced by these kids is still a major part of this blog.
Carlos is almost a bit of a celebrity here at Casa Alianza Nicaragua, as, in the 9 months I have been working here, he has arrived about 8 times, and each time he has managed to stay for a maximum of about 2 days, before leaving us to head back to the streets.
Carlos is 12 years old. He lives all over Managua, in various locations across the city, always on the streets. He can often be seen walking around in baggy, dirty clothing, carrying the little jar of glue stuffed under his nose. He has learnt a certain charm which has enabled him to get by, picking up some dance moves and basic English to entertain people coming out of discos, or foreigners in the main touristy locations.
He is a good kid, and despite his life on the streets, whenever he comes to Casa Alianza he is usually well behaved and fun to be around. But, as I have explored in some of my previous entries, the addiction to glue is an immensely strong one, and it is his need to get back on the drugs that has always prevented Carlos from staying with us for longer periods of time and really receiving the support he needs.
On Monday morning, as I got on my bus on my way to work, and to my surprise, I saw Carlos get on the bus at my same stop. He was on his way to Casa Alianza, he had decided it was time to give it another go. He arrived in bear feet, a pair of shorts, a long baggy t-shirt, all filthy, uncut nails, and a full head of dirty hair covered in head lice.
Now, Wednesday afternoon, and Carlos is still with us. We have provided him with clothing and shoes, a tooth brush, and treated his hair for head-lice. He also been participating in a number of activities, and he was able to impress everyone using his dance skills in this morning's Caopiera class, a new activity we are currently trying out with the kids.
Dealing with a kid like Carlos is tough. We want to help him and give him the support he needs. So far, we have not succeeded in getting into the level we need. Carlos is well awayre of the benefits of being with us, but addictions are incredibly powerful. All of us are really hoping that this time he will stick around. We are of course doing what we can to provide activities and sustainable options, so that Carlos will no longer see the street as one of his options. It might be that once again we are not successful, but whatever happens we will keep trying. We can only provide support in so far as a kid allows us to support them, and we hope that this time Carlos will stay and allow us to help him.
But I thought it was time to share one of the stories, so that the reality faced by these kids is still a major part of this blog.
Carlos is almost a bit of a celebrity here at Casa Alianza Nicaragua, as, in the 9 months I have been working here, he has arrived about 8 times, and each time he has managed to stay for a maximum of about 2 days, before leaving us to head back to the streets.
Carlos is 12 years old. He lives all over Managua, in various locations across the city, always on the streets. He can often be seen walking around in baggy, dirty clothing, carrying the little jar of glue stuffed under his nose. He has learnt a certain charm which has enabled him to get by, picking up some dance moves and basic English to entertain people coming out of discos, or foreigners in the main touristy locations.
He is a good kid, and despite his life on the streets, whenever he comes to Casa Alianza he is usually well behaved and fun to be around. But, as I have explored in some of my previous entries, the addiction to glue is an immensely strong one, and it is his need to get back on the drugs that has always prevented Carlos from staying with us for longer periods of time and really receiving the support he needs.
On Monday morning, as I got on my bus on my way to work, and to my surprise, I saw Carlos get on the bus at my same stop. He was on his way to Casa Alianza, he had decided it was time to give it another go. He arrived in bear feet, a pair of shorts, a long baggy t-shirt, all filthy, uncut nails, and a full head of dirty hair covered in head lice.
Now, Wednesday afternoon, and Carlos is still with us. We have provided him with clothing and shoes, a tooth brush, and treated his hair for head-lice. He also been participating in a number of activities, and he was able to impress everyone using his dance skills in this morning's Caopiera class, a new activity we are currently trying out with the kids.
Dealing with a kid like Carlos is tough. We want to help him and give him the support he needs. So far, we have not succeeded in getting into the level we need. Carlos is well awayre of the benefits of being with us, but addictions are incredibly powerful. All of us are really hoping that this time he will stick around. We are of course doing what we can to provide activities and sustainable options, so that Carlos will no longer see the street as one of his options. It might be that once again we are not successful, but whatever happens we will keep trying. We can only provide support in so far as a kid allows us to support them, and we hope that this time Carlos will stay and allow us to help him.
Saturday 18 June 2011
That Friday Feeling...Casa Alianza Style
Friday is one of my favourite days at Casa Alianza Nicaragua. There`s the obvious factor that it means the end of the week, and a bit of a rest after another intense week, but also because a few special things that happen at Casa Alianza on a Friday afternoon.
To set the scene, its time to introduce on this blog the work of the Casa Alianza Nicaragua, Family Reintegration Team. It is our intention that every kid living at our residential centers, will ultimately be reintegrated in a healthy and sustainable fashion, with members of their family, or, if this is not possible, in a safe and sustainable environment.
The Family Reintegration Team starts a process for every child and teenager in our protection centers, so that their reinsertion into society, in a way which does not involve falling back into former behavior patterns, is possible and easy to reach. The Team organizes weekend visits for the kids that we are able to send out of our residential center, and ensures monitoring and feedback of these visits.
The Team also works with the families of the children in question. As you can imagine, the problems which force a child onto the street or into very high risk situation often come from within the family itself. As such, the team conducts regular workshops, visits and training opportunities for family members, in order to try and tackle some of the root causes behind the problems facing the child.
This aspect of the work of Casa Alianza Nicaragua is vital, in order to ensure we are tackling and trying to provide solutions to as many aspects of the problems as possible.
So anyway, back to Friday. On a Friday afternoon, the families in question come to visit the kids at our residential centers, and then the kids who are able to leave for the weekend, head off with them. I always love to have the opportunity to speak to family members, and every now and again, it is possible to see a kid laughing and sharing some food with members of their family, all sitting round and sharing stories. When this does happen on Friday, it really is a wonderful thing to be part of us.
Of course, it isn`t always a good time for all the kids. There are often plenty of kids who are left feeling neglected and disappointed when their family has not been able to come to visit them. There are many parents who face the same substance addiction problems as their kids, and this explains their erratic behavior and sometimes inability to come and visit. Other parents come from such poverty, that even though we cover their transport costs, it is too much for them to leave whatever subsistence work they are doing, to visit their kids. In these cases, we have to work hard with the kids, to help take away this renewed feeling of neglect. But for the one`s who are able to spend a bit of time with their family, and start the process for something that we might consider a `normal` and healthy family life, it really is a wonderful thing to be part of.
So this Friday, I spent the morning coordinating a whole series of team activities, games and exercises requiring them to think, as a team ways to improve and plans to keep moving forward. I then spent a large part of the afternoon speaking to some of the families, and sharing my insight into the necessary steps to help provide their kids with the values they need.
It was a very good Friday, and as I left in the evening, just before the daily storm rolled in, it was defiantly a great Friday feeling, and the Casa Alianza style makes it that much better.
To set the scene, its time to introduce on this blog the work of the Casa Alianza Nicaragua, Family Reintegration Team. It is our intention that every kid living at our residential centers, will ultimately be reintegrated in a healthy and sustainable fashion, with members of their family, or, if this is not possible, in a safe and sustainable environment.
The Family Reintegration Team starts a process for every child and teenager in our protection centers, so that their reinsertion into society, in a way which does not involve falling back into former behavior patterns, is possible and easy to reach. The Team organizes weekend visits for the kids that we are able to send out of our residential center, and ensures monitoring and feedback of these visits.
The Team also works with the families of the children in question. As you can imagine, the problems which force a child onto the street or into very high risk situation often come from within the family itself. As such, the team conducts regular workshops, visits and training opportunities for family members, in order to try and tackle some of the root causes behind the problems facing the child.
This aspect of the work of Casa Alianza Nicaragua is vital, in order to ensure we are tackling and trying to provide solutions to as many aspects of the problems as possible.
So anyway, back to Friday. On a Friday afternoon, the families in question come to visit the kids at our residential centers, and then the kids who are able to leave for the weekend, head off with them. I always love to have the opportunity to speak to family members, and every now and again, it is possible to see a kid laughing and sharing some food with members of their family, all sitting round and sharing stories. When this does happen on Friday, it really is a wonderful thing to be part of us.
Of course, it isn`t always a good time for all the kids. There are often plenty of kids who are left feeling neglected and disappointed when their family has not been able to come to visit them. There are many parents who face the same substance addiction problems as their kids, and this explains their erratic behavior and sometimes inability to come and visit. Other parents come from such poverty, that even though we cover their transport costs, it is too much for them to leave whatever subsistence work they are doing, to visit their kids. In these cases, we have to work hard with the kids, to help take away this renewed feeling of neglect. But for the one`s who are able to spend a bit of time with their family, and start the process for something that we might consider a `normal` and healthy family life, it really is a wonderful thing to be part of.
So this Friday, I spent the morning coordinating a whole series of team activities, games and exercises requiring them to think, as a team ways to improve and plans to keep moving forward. I then spent a large part of the afternoon speaking to some of the families, and sharing my insight into the necessary steps to help provide their kids with the values they need.
It was a very good Friday, and as I left in the evening, just before the daily storm rolled in, it was defiantly a great Friday feeling, and the Casa Alianza style makes it that much better.
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Love, Respect and Discipline....The Battle of the Colours
Discipline is a major issue when working with kids who come from such traumatic backgrounds as the one´s from the streets of Managua, or abuse and violence.
At the best of times, teenagers are not known to be the best behaved group of people in the world, but for kids who have lived on the streets, been abused and exploited, consumed large quantities of drugs, naturally their behaviors can be far more erratic.
As members of staff at Casa Alianza we have to provide the genuine and healthy love and respect that these children need, but we also have to help install them with the values of discipline, so that they can to adapt properly to the normal rules of society around them.
It is no easy task, it requires a lot of patience and tolerance, and also innovative thinking, to be able to explain concepts of discipline of the kids, in a way which they can understand and aim to achieve.
For the past three months I have been preparing a project in order to try and help with this process, and we have now been carrying it out for the past two weeks. It is a simple concept. I have divided the approximately 80 kids currently at our main residential protection centre into 4 separate teams (blue, white, yellow and green). Each team voted for two captains and two vice-captains to take charge of running each team. The idea is in every aspect of their daily routine, the kids can win points for their team. Good behavior, decent use of vocabulary, support to their house-mates, active participation in the workshops etc, all wins points for the team. The winning team at the end of each month will receive a prize.
Thus far, the project seems to be taking us in the right direction. The kids are motivated and are starting to improve their discipline and values of cooperation in order to work together for the benefit of their team. Members of staff have also become a bit less stressed as the kids are now helping us out a lot more without job, especially in terms of ensuring the discipline and correct behavior in their team.
But the main reason I wanted to share this entry is because the project really is very, very simple, and it is working. Yes, it is of course difficult working with kids with the behavioral problems as the one´s we work with, but at the same time, with the right commitment, finding sustainable solutions is not too difficult. What I am also learning is that it is very possible to provide the love and respect that these kids so desperately need, but at the same time be a strict figure representing the discipline these kids needs. The reason I like this project so much is that the kids get to work out for themselves the need to improve their own discipline. Every morning I publish the list of the total scores for each team, they can see for themselves how their behavior is affecting the progress of their team, and that in itself provides a considerable sense of award or consequence. It allows us to keep working with these kids in the most positive way possible.
Love, respect and discipline. It sounds difficult to achieve all of these things at the same time when dealing with troubled adolescents. With patience, commitment and understanding, it is, in fact, really rather easy.
At the best of times, teenagers are not known to be the best behaved group of people in the world, but for kids who have lived on the streets, been abused and exploited, consumed large quantities of drugs, naturally their behaviors can be far more erratic.
As members of staff at Casa Alianza we have to provide the genuine and healthy love and respect that these children need, but we also have to help install them with the values of discipline, so that they can to adapt properly to the normal rules of society around them.
It is no easy task, it requires a lot of patience and tolerance, and also innovative thinking, to be able to explain concepts of discipline of the kids, in a way which they can understand and aim to achieve.
For the past three months I have been preparing a project in order to try and help with this process, and we have now been carrying it out for the past two weeks. It is a simple concept. I have divided the approximately 80 kids currently at our main residential protection centre into 4 separate teams (blue, white, yellow and green). Each team voted for two captains and two vice-captains to take charge of running each team. The idea is in every aspect of their daily routine, the kids can win points for their team. Good behavior, decent use of vocabulary, support to their house-mates, active participation in the workshops etc, all wins points for the team. The winning team at the end of each month will receive a prize.
Thus far, the project seems to be taking us in the right direction. The kids are motivated and are starting to improve their discipline and values of cooperation in order to work together for the benefit of their team. Members of staff have also become a bit less stressed as the kids are now helping us out a lot more without job, especially in terms of ensuring the discipline and correct behavior in their team.
But the main reason I wanted to share this entry is because the project really is very, very simple, and it is working. Yes, it is of course difficult working with kids with the behavioral problems as the one´s we work with, but at the same time, with the right commitment, finding sustainable solutions is not too difficult. What I am also learning is that it is very possible to provide the love and respect that these kids so desperately need, but at the same time be a strict figure representing the discipline these kids needs. The reason I like this project so much is that the kids get to work out for themselves the need to improve their own discipline. Every morning I publish the list of the total scores for each team, they can see for themselves how their behavior is affecting the progress of their team, and that in itself provides a considerable sense of award or consequence. It allows us to keep working with these kids in the most positive way possible.
Love, respect and discipline. It sounds difficult to achieve all of these things at the same time when dealing with troubled adolescents. With patience, commitment and understanding, it is, in fact, really rather easy.
Tuesday 31 May 2011
A Tribute to our Teenage Mothers
This past week Nicaragua has been celebrating Mother´s Day. It has been wonderful to have seen this day celebrated in the way it should be done, focusing far more on the spiritual side of things, and much less of the commercial emphasis that Mother´s Day has become in the UK.
At Casa Alianza Nicaragua we have two main residential homes. Our ´Hilton Homes´cares for up to 94 street kids, victims of abuse, violence and exploitation. Our other residential center, cares especially for teenage mothers and their babies and/or children. The girls have a similar profile of being abused, neglected and abandoned. The face the even worse burden of living in a country where machismo is the norm, and getting a teenage girl pregnant, beating her up, and then leaving her to fend for herself is far too common.
Nicaragua is also the poorest country in Latin America, and as such, a baby born to an impoverished mother of 14 or 15 years old, with a violent father, means that both mother and child are faced by an exceptionally difficult situation.
The Casa Alianza Nicaragua Home for Teenage Mothers gives these girls a hope that they might not otherwise be able to find. In the first place, the girls which choose to join us have access to food, a place to sleep, medical care, psychological support, education and support and constant love and understanding for both themselves and their baby. The mothers are also able to attend school and the formal education system while the babies are cared for by the other girls at the center, and members of staff. The mothers are also taught how to care for their babies, to provide the necessary hygiene, support and nurture that their child needs.
I have now been at Casa Alianza Nicaragua for nearly 9 months, and in that time, I have spent a fair bit of time at the Teenage Mum´s Home. It has been truly an honour to see these girls and their babies develop in a way we would hope for every mother and their children. They are learning fast how to care for their children, and themselves, and are no longer forced into a role of subordination that Nicaraguan society in general all too often dictates against women and girls.
In many parts of Managua, it is all too possible to see tiny, dirty kids under the baking sun, begging at the traffic lights. It is a tragic sight. We can´t reach every kid and every underage mother, but for the one´s we do get to, both them and their child can have a real opportunity of a life that every mother and their children deserve. During the process, there have been very hard moments, but as always, we keep working to do the very best we can, to offer the opportunities to as many as we can.
So in this entry, I pay a special tribute to the teenage mothers that I have had the honor to work with, and who have worked themselves so very hard to move their lives forward in a new direction, for themselves and their children.
I also pay tribute to all the young mothers who still face extraordinary difficulties, but as yet, have not come to know the protection and support they need. I sincerely pray that they will find the opportunity for them and their baby, that they might be able to lead a life of love, support and understading, be it through Casa Alianza, their family, or other organisations.
……………………..
On a personal note, I lost my own Mum 9 nearly years ago, when I was 16. It was a very, very tough experience to go through, and it is still with me today. But the experiences I gained, in particular that of doing what I can to really make the most of my life for myself and for other people, is, I believe, the main reason I am doing what I am doing right now, and the main motivator behind a great deal of my actions in the past 9 years.
So here on Nicaraguan Mother´s Day, I still give my thanks to Mum for making me the man I am today, and for all the strength she gave to me. But also to my Dad for always supporting me and fostering that strength for me, which has been the other vital reason I am here doing what I do today.
Happy Mother´s Day.
At Casa Alianza Nicaragua we have two main residential homes. Our ´Hilton Homes´cares for up to 94 street kids, victims of abuse, violence and exploitation. Our other residential center, cares especially for teenage mothers and their babies and/or children. The girls have a similar profile of being abused, neglected and abandoned. The face the even worse burden of living in a country where machismo is the norm, and getting a teenage girl pregnant, beating her up, and then leaving her to fend for herself is far too common.
Nicaragua is also the poorest country in Latin America, and as such, a baby born to an impoverished mother of 14 or 15 years old, with a violent father, means that both mother and child are faced by an exceptionally difficult situation.
The Casa Alianza Nicaragua Home for Teenage Mothers gives these girls a hope that they might not otherwise be able to find. In the first place, the girls which choose to join us have access to food, a place to sleep, medical care, psychological support, education and support and constant love and understanding for both themselves and their baby. The mothers are also able to attend school and the formal education system while the babies are cared for by the other girls at the center, and members of staff. The mothers are also taught how to care for their babies, to provide the necessary hygiene, support and nurture that their child needs.
I have now been at Casa Alianza Nicaragua for nearly 9 months, and in that time, I have spent a fair bit of time at the Teenage Mum´s Home. It has been truly an honour to see these girls and their babies develop in a way we would hope for every mother and their children. They are learning fast how to care for their children, and themselves, and are no longer forced into a role of subordination that Nicaraguan society in general all too often dictates against women and girls.
In many parts of Managua, it is all too possible to see tiny, dirty kids under the baking sun, begging at the traffic lights. It is a tragic sight. We can´t reach every kid and every underage mother, but for the one´s we do get to, both them and their child can have a real opportunity of a life that every mother and their children deserve. During the process, there have been very hard moments, but as always, we keep working to do the very best we can, to offer the opportunities to as many as we can.
So in this entry, I pay a special tribute to the teenage mothers that I have had the honor to work with, and who have worked themselves so very hard to move their lives forward in a new direction, for themselves and their children.
I also pay tribute to all the young mothers who still face extraordinary difficulties, but as yet, have not come to know the protection and support they need. I sincerely pray that they will find the opportunity for them and their baby, that they might be able to lead a life of love, support and understading, be it through Casa Alianza, their family, or other organisations.
……………………..
On a personal note, I lost my own Mum 9 nearly years ago, when I was 16. It was a very, very tough experience to go through, and it is still with me today. But the experiences I gained, in particular that of doing what I can to really make the most of my life for myself and for other people, is, I believe, the main reason I am doing what I am doing right now, and the main motivator behind a great deal of my actions in the past 9 years.
So here on Nicaraguan Mother´s Day, I still give my thanks to Mum for making me the man I am today, and for all the strength she gave to me. But also to my Dad for always supporting me and fostering that strength for me, which has been the other vital reason I am here doing what I do today.
Happy Mother´s Day.
Thursday 26 May 2011
13 Years of Supporting and Protecting Children and Teenagers
Yesterday we celebrated the 13th Anniversary of Casa Alianza Nicaragua.
For me personally, it is an honour and privilege to be working for this organisation, which really does quite incredible work to protect and support children and teenagers.
To give an example, I thought I would use this entry to share some of the successes of Casa Alianza Nicaragua in the year 2010.
800 children provided with support and basic medical care through the work of the Street Outreach team
An average of 70 children and adolescents cared for every month in our principle residential centre, (the Hilton Home)
42 mothers and 44 babies cared for in our Home for Teenage Mothers
5650 people trained on the subject of preventing human trafficking and caring for the victims, (judges, police, community leaders, journalists, school children etc.)
2680 people trained in ways to prevent and handle substance abuse problems, (students, police, community leaders, local organisations etc.)
116 adolescents provided with vocational training courses and/or reintegrated into the formal education system
15 mothers of residents at Casa Alianza Nicaragua provided vocational training courses
Being part of this organisation, doing such remarkable work, really is a wonderful experience. Every day, every member of staff here gives a 100% commitment to improve the lives of children and adolescents living on the streets, victims of violence, victims of substance abuse, victims of commercial and sexual exploitation and the victims of human trafficking.
We celebrated the day with the kids at our residential centres, kids living in the area and who benefit from our support, and kids who no longer live with us, but to whom we still provide regular support and assistance.
Doing this type of work can be tough and draining, but it is also exceptionally rewarding, and on a daily basis it is possible to see the difference being made.
Casa Alianza Nicaragua has completed 13 years of making a very real positive difference to the lives of children and adolescents in Nicaragua, long may it keep doing so!
Sunday 22 May 2011
Swimming with Gangs
Central America is famous for a number of things: volcanoes, civil wars, stunning natural beauty and conversely very high levels poverty.
Sadly, gangs is also something which has become ubiquitous to Central America. Most famous are the gangs which have spread across El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the USA. There are two principle gangs known as the Mara 18 and the Mara Salvatrucha. These gangs are organised at the national level, have become involved in the drugs trafficking trade and are in part responsible for having made El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala the most violent three countries in the world that are not currently in conflict.
In Nicaragua, the Maras do not have a quite a presence, but gang membership among young people is certainly a major problem. Nicaragua, being the second poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean (Haiti taking the number 1 spot) has meant that there are a large number of gangs organised at the local, neighbourhood level, as above all, a meanns of getting by.
Managua, for example, is made up of many different barrios (neighbourhoods), and normally each of these barrios has at least one or two gangs, with the membership predominantly consisting of youths between 8and 24 years old. An alarming amount of kids who live in these barrios do not have the opportunity to complete primary education, and due to economic necessities economic needs, many are forced to focus on working to help support their family, rather than continuing with their education.
As such, living in poverty, working from a very young age, possibly abused in their own family, lack of education and lack of other sustainable opportunities means that gang membership becomes an attractive option.
Being a gang member in one of Managua’s barrios usually means a sense of community and pride. It also means access to alcohol and drugs, and a daily routine of playing football on the streets, promiscuous behaviour, and as a possible alternative to working, robbery.
Dealing with gangs such as these is obviously a very tricky business. You can lock up the gang members who commit robbery or worse crimes, you can make gang membership illegal, but unless you address real socio-economic needs which lead young people to join gangs, you will never be able to properly tackle the issue.
At Casa Alianza Nicaragua, one of our main policies is to provide alternatives, so that kids can make the choice, in this case, to make the choice between gang membership or a sustainable and healthy alternative with Casa Alianza.
As such, last Friday we headed into one of Managua’s most gang dominated barrios and headed out with around 30 gang members, between 11 and 19 years old, to a swimming pool and recreational centre. The idea was, to give them an alternative so that at least for the day, they were doing something different to their normal routine, and perhaps through this, might just begin to see the benefit of joining Casa Alianza’s residential centre, instead of being on the streets.
We provided the kids with transport, entrance to the park, lunch, refreshment and drinks, so that they would equally not have to worry for the day about where their food and drink is coming from.
The kids had a fantastic day. They played football, basketball and spent the entire morning enjoying the swimming pool. Rather like the volcano hike of a few weeks ago, once again it was possible to see these kids not as gang members but as normal teenagers. Normal teenagers going through very tough stages, but in reality desperate for a normal and healthy existence. By providing this day out, we were at least able to offer a healthy alternative for one day, so they can see, if they decide to join us at Casa Alianza, they will be given permanent access to this way of life
Gang membership and a life on the streets give kids a certain toughness which can be very hard to break through. On Friday at the swimming pool we made a break through, to be able to see these kids as normal adolescents who want to change. In the mean time we will keep doing what we can to provide these kids with alternatives, so that a life on the streets and being in gangs will no longer be a necessity, but an option, and one in which, if they choose not to be in the gangs, they know at Casa Alianza they can receive food, education, recreational activities and unconditional love, respect and understanding.
Sadly, gangs is also something which has become ubiquitous to Central America. Most famous are the gangs which have spread across El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the USA. There are two principle gangs known as the Mara 18 and the Mara Salvatrucha. These gangs are organised at the national level, have become involved in the drugs trafficking trade and are in part responsible for having made El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala the most violent three countries in the world that are not currently in conflict.
In Nicaragua, the Maras do not have a quite a presence, but gang membership among young people is certainly a major problem. Nicaragua, being the second poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean (Haiti taking the number 1 spot) has meant that there are a large number of gangs organised at the local, neighbourhood level, as above all, a meanns of getting by.
Managua, for example, is made up of many different barrios (neighbourhoods), and normally each of these barrios has at least one or two gangs, with the membership predominantly consisting of youths between 8and 24 years old. An alarming amount of kids who live in these barrios do not have the opportunity to complete primary education, and due to economic necessities economic needs, many are forced to focus on working to help support their family, rather than continuing with their education.
As such, living in poverty, working from a very young age, possibly abused in their own family, lack of education and lack of other sustainable opportunities means that gang membership becomes an attractive option.
Being a gang member in one of Managua’s barrios usually means a sense of community and pride. It also means access to alcohol and drugs, and a daily routine of playing football on the streets, promiscuous behaviour, and as a possible alternative to working, robbery.
Dealing with gangs such as these is obviously a very tricky business. You can lock up the gang members who commit robbery or worse crimes, you can make gang membership illegal, but unless you address real socio-economic needs which lead young people to join gangs, you will never be able to properly tackle the issue.
At Casa Alianza Nicaragua, one of our main policies is to provide alternatives, so that kids can make the choice, in this case, to make the choice between gang membership or a sustainable and healthy alternative with Casa Alianza.
As such, last Friday we headed into one of Managua’s most gang dominated barrios and headed out with around 30 gang members, between 11 and 19 years old, to a swimming pool and recreational centre. The idea was, to give them an alternative so that at least for the day, they were doing something different to their normal routine, and perhaps through this, might just begin to see the benefit of joining Casa Alianza’s residential centre, instead of being on the streets.
We provided the kids with transport, entrance to the park, lunch, refreshment and drinks, so that they would equally not have to worry for the day about where their food and drink is coming from.
The kids had a fantastic day. They played football, basketball and spent the entire morning enjoying the swimming pool. Rather like the volcano hike of a few weeks ago, once again it was possible to see these kids not as gang members but as normal teenagers. Normal teenagers going through very tough stages, but in reality desperate for a normal and healthy existence. By providing this day out, we were at least able to offer a healthy alternative for one day, so they can see, if they decide to join us at Casa Alianza, they will be given permanent access to this way of life
Gang membership and a life on the streets give kids a certain toughness which can be very hard to break through. On Friday at the swimming pool we made a break through, to be able to see these kids as normal adolescents who want to change. In the mean time we will keep doing what we can to provide these kids with alternatives, so that a life on the streets and being in gangs will no longer be a necessity, but an option, and one in which, if they choose not to be in the gangs, they know at Casa Alianza they can receive food, education, recreational activities and unconditional love, respect and understanding.
Saturday 30 April 2011
Trying to Get Away from the Daily Rountine of Life on the Streets
Kids living on the street face a gruelling daily routine. It usually involves different forms of violence, abuse, drug tacking and other very risky behaviour. It is not a life that any kids should have to go through.
As I have mentioned before, the Street Team, looks for kids living on the streets of Managua, aiming to win their trust and confidence, so that they might consider living in our Casa Alianza protection centres. Not every kid is able to make the change to come and live under our protection, or maybe doesn’t want to. For those kids, the Street Team still looks to provide support and friendship, equally offering an alternative from the drudgery of their daily routine.
On Thursday, we took about 35 kids, from two of Managua’s poorest neighbourhoods, to climb Volcano Mombacho, a spectacular volcano about 45 minutes away from the city. For kids living on the street, the idea of climbing a volcano for recreational purposes is a very foreign concept. As such, we aimed to provide them with a day away from their normal lives.
It sounds great, go and give kids on the street and alternative to the streets for one day. The trouble is, the daily routine which I described at the start of this article, is very addictive for many kids. Although their life is surrounded by abuse, violence and other challenging behaviour, it is very addictive. Their is nobody to tell them what to do, when to do it, nobody stopping them from smoking cigarettes, taking drugs etc. For the kids to come with us, they would have to follow certain rules and regulations, such as a somewhat structured timetable, and no smoking for the time they were with us.
As such, the first thing we had to do was offer an incentive. In this case, we assured the kids they would be provided with transport, food, drinks and snacks. When we arrived at the base of the volcano, we then had to take about an hour and a hour working to calm the kids down, to try and get them on side, understanding the rules and regulations so that we could get them up the volcano. In the mean time, most of the kids tried to wonder us, sneak up onto the top of the bus to have a smoke, or sulk off, annoyed that they had to climb a steep volcano, when they could be doing their own things.
I am making this point, because altruism is great, but it is not always a two-way process, and for anyone wanting to make a difference, it is important to consider that your own good intentions aren’t always best received.
That being said, the best thing we could do giving the situation, was to remain calm and patient, gradually talking to the kids and gaining their confidence, for them to join us on the activity. Luckily the patience paid off and the kids joined us for the hike.
The hike itself was about 4 hours, and very steep. The reason we picked this, was again for one of the key principles of Casa Alianza, using physical activity, sport and recreation to provide alternatives to the street. As we got underway on the hike, the defences and the aggression that kids had been showing at the start of the day began to fade the way. The enjoyment and pressure of physical exercise helped bring out what they had locked deep inside of themselves, as normal teenagers, simply looking for a sense of belonging and respect. The hike was thus truly enjoyable as it gave me a real opportunity to see these kids for who they are truly are, without the barriers that the harshness of living on the streets has forced them to establish. It was during this time that I was really able to talk to some of the kids, about how they can work to move forward in their lives, in a healthy and sustainable fashion.
The trouble is, when you live on the harshness of the streets, it is much more comfortable to put up barriers then not. As such, as we returned to the base, the kids swiftly returned to exactly the way they were before the hike. It was tough to see the change, but to have a few hours with those kids, where they were not street kids or gang members or drug addicts or robbers, but normal teenagers looking for a normal life, was great. It is a long and challenging process to get teenagers such as this convinced in the benefits of trying to turn their lives around, and very often it doens’t work, but there is hope. There is hope that if we keep working, that over time, kids will become convinced and willing to work with us, so that they no longer have to face the daily routine of living on the streets.
As I have mentioned before, the Street Team, looks for kids living on the streets of Managua, aiming to win their trust and confidence, so that they might consider living in our Casa Alianza protection centres. Not every kid is able to make the change to come and live under our protection, or maybe doesn’t want to. For those kids, the Street Team still looks to provide support and friendship, equally offering an alternative from the drudgery of their daily routine.
On Thursday, we took about 35 kids, from two of Managua’s poorest neighbourhoods, to climb Volcano Mombacho, a spectacular volcano about 45 minutes away from the city. For kids living on the street, the idea of climbing a volcano for recreational purposes is a very foreign concept. As such, we aimed to provide them with a day away from their normal lives.
It sounds great, go and give kids on the street and alternative to the streets for one day. The trouble is, the daily routine which I described at the start of this article, is very addictive for many kids. Although their life is surrounded by abuse, violence and other challenging behaviour, it is very addictive. Their is nobody to tell them what to do, when to do it, nobody stopping them from smoking cigarettes, taking drugs etc. For the kids to come with us, they would have to follow certain rules and regulations, such as a somewhat structured timetable, and no smoking for the time they were with us.
As such, the first thing we had to do was offer an incentive. In this case, we assured the kids they would be provided with transport, food, drinks and snacks. When we arrived at the base of the volcano, we then had to take about an hour and a hour working to calm the kids down, to try and get them on side, understanding the rules and regulations so that we could get them up the volcano. In the mean time, most of the kids tried to wonder us, sneak up onto the top of the bus to have a smoke, or sulk off, annoyed that they had to climb a steep volcano, when they could be doing their own things.
I am making this point, because altruism is great, but it is not always a two-way process, and for anyone wanting to make a difference, it is important to consider that your own good intentions aren’t always best received.
That being said, the best thing we could do giving the situation, was to remain calm and patient, gradually talking to the kids and gaining their confidence, for them to join us on the activity. Luckily the patience paid off and the kids joined us for the hike.
The hike itself was about 4 hours, and very steep. The reason we picked this, was again for one of the key principles of Casa Alianza, using physical activity, sport and recreation to provide alternatives to the street. As we got underway on the hike, the defences and the aggression that kids had been showing at the start of the day began to fade the way. The enjoyment and pressure of physical exercise helped bring out what they had locked deep inside of themselves, as normal teenagers, simply looking for a sense of belonging and respect. The hike was thus truly enjoyable as it gave me a real opportunity to see these kids for who they are truly are, without the barriers that the harshness of living on the streets has forced them to establish. It was during this time that I was really able to talk to some of the kids, about how they can work to move forward in their lives, in a healthy and sustainable fashion.
The trouble is, when you live on the harshness of the streets, it is much more comfortable to put up barriers then not. As such, as we returned to the base, the kids swiftly returned to exactly the way they were before the hike. It was tough to see the change, but to have a few hours with those kids, where they were not street kids or gang members or drug addicts or robbers, but normal teenagers looking for a normal life, was great. It is a long and challenging process to get teenagers such as this convinced in the benefits of trying to turn their lives around, and very often it doens’t work, but there is hope. There is hope that if we keep working, that over time, kids will become convinced and willing to work with us, so that they no longer have to face the daily routine of living on the streets.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
My Personal Addiction Problem
The vast majority of the kids I work with have addiction problems. For those that come from living on the streets, it is mainly to glue and crack.
Glue is a particularly painful addiction to see the kids go through. Kids living on the street can by a jar of very powerful glue from shoemakers in Nicaragua’s markets. A jar costs 5 Cordobas (as an idea, 20 Cordobas = $1), and usually lasts a kid about one day.
The kids then walk about all day with this little jar of glue stuffed under their nose, which they inhale frequently. It makes them sleepy and lethargic, their eyes glaze over, and by the afternoon, they are normally slumped on the streets, incapable of doing much or communicating properly. It is an exceptionally powerful addiction, and in terms of living on the street, it also has the very important effect of taking away hunger and the cold.
The fact that the glue sniffing can only be done in a very open manner, also means that it strips all dignity away from the kids. They lose interest in personal hygiene because of it, and also become exposed to more risky behaviour.
At Casa Alianza we work hard to help kids with these addiction problems, and in my area, working to provide sustainable alternatives, such as sporting events, so that they have something to replace their necessity for the drugs.
For those who have spoken to me in person, or have been following this blog, will know that this sort of work, in direct contact with around 70 kids on a daily basis, to help them find alternatives to life on the streets, if very, very intense!
As such, I wanted to write a bit about my own addiction problem.
The work is very intense, and the fact that I am doing it in a nasty and dangerous city makes it even more intense. And here is where my own addiction comes into play, and I thought it was time to share it here:
The danger with this intensity, of giving 100% of myself to the work I do is that, aside from the intensity, it is very, very addictive. I have heard of aid workers and journalists speaking of a similar issue. Being in such direct contact, and being able to directly see the change I am making through giving all I have to give is great, but very addictive. Addiction to something like this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something I have to be careful with. Living in a nasty, dangerous town has also become, bizarrely addictive. Living in a nice, safe part of the world, currently seems desirable, but a very alien concept. Working in a less direct fashion to what I am currently doing also seems like a strange idea.
So, like with the kids, I need to manage, control and be aware of my addiction. I need to provide myself with the sustainable alternatives that I seek to help provide for the kids. Of course, living in a dangerous city like Managua does not make that too easy. In the mean time, I will keep giving all I have to give, to make a difference, but at the same time, trying to be more aware that I need to reserve a little bit of myself, in order to control this personal addiction to my work.
Once again, to all who follow this blog, thank you, and happy Easter.
Glue is a particularly painful addiction to see the kids go through. Kids living on the street can by a jar of very powerful glue from shoemakers in Nicaragua’s markets. A jar costs 5 Cordobas (as an idea, 20 Cordobas = $1), and usually lasts a kid about one day.
The kids then walk about all day with this little jar of glue stuffed under their nose, which they inhale frequently. It makes them sleepy and lethargic, their eyes glaze over, and by the afternoon, they are normally slumped on the streets, incapable of doing much or communicating properly. It is an exceptionally powerful addiction, and in terms of living on the street, it also has the very important effect of taking away hunger and the cold.
The fact that the glue sniffing can only be done in a very open manner, also means that it strips all dignity away from the kids. They lose interest in personal hygiene because of it, and also become exposed to more risky behaviour.
At Casa Alianza we work hard to help kids with these addiction problems, and in my area, working to provide sustainable alternatives, such as sporting events, so that they have something to replace their necessity for the drugs.
For those who have spoken to me in person, or have been following this blog, will know that this sort of work, in direct contact with around 70 kids on a daily basis, to help them find alternatives to life on the streets, if very, very intense!
As such, I wanted to write a bit about my own addiction problem.
The work is very intense, and the fact that I am doing it in a nasty and dangerous city makes it even more intense. And here is where my own addiction comes into play, and I thought it was time to share it here:
The danger with this intensity, of giving 100% of myself to the work I do is that, aside from the intensity, it is very, very addictive. I have heard of aid workers and journalists speaking of a similar issue. Being in such direct contact, and being able to directly see the change I am making through giving all I have to give is great, but very addictive. Addiction to something like this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something I have to be careful with. Living in a nasty, dangerous town has also become, bizarrely addictive. Living in a nice, safe part of the world, currently seems desirable, but a very alien concept. Working in a less direct fashion to what I am currently doing also seems like a strange idea.
So, like with the kids, I need to manage, control and be aware of my addiction. I need to provide myself with the sustainable alternatives that I seek to help provide for the kids. Of course, living in a dangerous city like Managua does not make that too easy. In the mean time, I will keep giving all I have to give, to make a difference, but at the same time, trying to be more aware that I need to reserve a little bit of myself, in order to control this personal addiction to my work.
Once again, to all who follow this blog, thank you, and happy Easter.
Friday 8 April 2011
Tested to my limits.....But trying my best to keep at it!
I have had had two very hard weeks at work, and although I love it, I have had a couple of experiences which have tested my self-beleif and confidence to its very limits, seeing in a very first-hand way the cruelty and realities faced by some of the kids we work with, in some of the most brutal of fashions.
For privacy reasons, of the children concerned, I can’t go into the details on here, but I wanted to start with that entry, to explain why I was off the record again for the past couple of weeks, and for those of you who have been in contact with me, and I still have not replied, my apologies!
All of this week I have been back working with the Street Outreach team. The Street Outreach team goes out onto the streets of Managua and surrounding areas, on a daily basis, looking for kids in need of our protection.
The first step is to win the trust of the kids, and provide basic medical support, such as getting rid of head-lice and cleaning up wounds. They go to areas on a regular base such as Managua´s Oriental Market, where all day and night many kids as young as 8 years old can be seen living on the streets, sniffing glue, begging for money and basically being forced to live a life that no kid should ever go through. When one of these kids feels ready, they can go with the street team back to Casa Alianza, and have a go at a new life, with sustainable alternatives to being on the streets.
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, a lot of these kids find it very difficult to adjust to a new life in Casa Alianza. Coming away from the drugs is a painful experience, and adapting to new things such as a structured time table, workshops and having to stick to certain rules, can prove all to difficult for many kids.
When I was back at the Oriental Market last Tuesday, I saw one of the kids who had been at Casa Alianza for just under one month. He was now back at the market and living on its harsh streets, a little jar of glue pressed firmly against his nose, his eyes glazed over, his face and clothes were filthy. He is 14 years old.
It is tragic to see a kid in this state. Especially when in a place like Casa Alianza he does have the opportunity to turn his life around, but the background of the abuses and trauma he faced living on the streets, made it too difficult for him to be able to do so.
Sadly we are limited in what we can do. He has decided he does not want to be at Casa Alianza, we have spoken to him, and we can´t force a kid to be here, if they don’t want to be. Its frustrating and tragic to see this one kid not able to leave his life on the streets. Even more frustrating is the face that this story is very common. I can tell this story on here beacuse unlike the other issues I have been exposed to these past two weeks, the story I am telling here is tragically one of many. As such, and perhaps to make a point, I have not put a name to the child in question, as his story is, sadly, a familiar one.
In the mean time, the street team will keep working in the Oriental Market and in other places around the city and the country. Who knows, if we are lucky, it might just be that this kid decides to give it another go at turning his life around. The option of Casa Alianza is still there for him. In the mean time, we’ve got to keep working, to keep providing a sustainable alternative for children to life on the streets, and although there are many moments of sadness and distress, there are many moments in which we can really see positive change and development. It can be hard, it has been extremely hard for me these past two weeks, but its question of trying to take home, at the end of the day, those positive moments and not the negative ones.
For privacy reasons, of the children concerned, I can’t go into the details on here, but I wanted to start with that entry, to explain why I was off the record again for the past couple of weeks, and for those of you who have been in contact with me, and I still have not replied, my apologies!
All of this week I have been back working with the Street Outreach team. The Street Outreach team goes out onto the streets of Managua and surrounding areas, on a daily basis, looking for kids in need of our protection.
The first step is to win the trust of the kids, and provide basic medical support, such as getting rid of head-lice and cleaning up wounds. They go to areas on a regular base such as Managua´s Oriental Market, where all day and night many kids as young as 8 years old can be seen living on the streets, sniffing glue, begging for money and basically being forced to live a life that no kid should ever go through. When one of these kids feels ready, they can go with the street team back to Casa Alianza, and have a go at a new life, with sustainable alternatives to being on the streets.
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, a lot of these kids find it very difficult to adjust to a new life in Casa Alianza. Coming away from the drugs is a painful experience, and adapting to new things such as a structured time table, workshops and having to stick to certain rules, can prove all to difficult for many kids.
When I was back at the Oriental Market last Tuesday, I saw one of the kids who had been at Casa Alianza for just under one month. He was now back at the market and living on its harsh streets, a little jar of glue pressed firmly against his nose, his eyes glazed over, his face and clothes were filthy. He is 14 years old.
It is tragic to see a kid in this state. Especially when in a place like Casa Alianza he does have the opportunity to turn his life around, but the background of the abuses and trauma he faced living on the streets, made it too difficult for him to be able to do so.
Sadly we are limited in what we can do. He has decided he does not want to be at Casa Alianza, we have spoken to him, and we can´t force a kid to be here, if they don’t want to be. Its frustrating and tragic to see this one kid not able to leave his life on the streets. Even more frustrating is the face that this story is very common. I can tell this story on here beacuse unlike the other issues I have been exposed to these past two weeks, the story I am telling here is tragically one of many. As such, and perhaps to make a point, I have not put a name to the child in question, as his story is, sadly, a familiar one.
In the mean time, the street team will keep working in the Oriental Market and in other places around the city and the country. Who knows, if we are lucky, it might just be that this kid decides to give it another go at turning his life around. The option of Casa Alianza is still there for him. In the mean time, we’ve got to keep working, to keep providing a sustainable alternative for children to life on the streets, and although there are many moments of sadness and distress, there are many moments in which we can really see positive change and development. It can be hard, it has been extremely hard for me these past two weeks, but its question of trying to take home, at the end of the day, those positive moments and not the negative ones.
Wednesday 23 March 2011
The street kids football business
For those of you who read this blog regularaly, I guess you know the background of the kids I worked with.
The one`s who have lived on the street come from some of the most impoverished and wretched parts of the city and country, where with little other hopes in life, robbery and glue sniffing (the most common drug around here) were regular behaviour.
Here at Casa Alianza we try and provide sustainable alternatives fir the kids, so that they no longer see life on the streets, combined with robbery and drug tacking, as their only option.
Sports and recreation is one of the main ways we try and do this. Most days we have various sporting events, and everyday, at around 3.30pm, when the intense heat gets a little bit more manageable, we have a football match.
The trouble is, in the time I have been working at Casa Alianza, we have "lost" around 30 footballs. The kids love to play football, but they also are still ingrained with the behaviour patterns based on the way they had to survive on the streets. A football is an expensive comodity, and can be good way of buying cigareetes, glue, or other stuff they feel the need for.
It is, therefore, a challenge we face. The kids are clearly in need and wanting sustainable and fun activities, such as sports, away from the lives the lead on the street, but for many of them, the harsheness they faced on the streets is still very much part of them.
We will keep trying to provide activities through sports etc, and I guess can just hope, that for every kid who steals a football to buy glue, two or three other kids are benefitng from the activities. In the long-term, I think we will eventually "lose" less and less footballs.
The one`s who have lived on the street come from some of the most impoverished and wretched parts of the city and country, where with little other hopes in life, robbery and glue sniffing (the most common drug around here) were regular behaviour.
Here at Casa Alianza we try and provide sustainable alternatives fir the kids, so that they no longer see life on the streets, combined with robbery and drug tacking, as their only option.
Sports and recreation is one of the main ways we try and do this. Most days we have various sporting events, and everyday, at around 3.30pm, when the intense heat gets a little bit more manageable, we have a football match.
The trouble is, in the time I have been working at Casa Alianza, we have "lost" around 30 footballs. The kids love to play football, but they also are still ingrained with the behaviour patterns based on the way they had to survive on the streets. A football is an expensive comodity, and can be good way of buying cigareetes, glue, or other stuff they feel the need for.
It is, therefore, a challenge we face. The kids are clearly in need and wanting sustainable and fun activities, such as sports, away from the lives the lead on the street, but for many of them, the harsheness they faced on the streets is still very much part of them.
We will keep trying to provide activities through sports etc, and I guess can just hope, that for every kid who steals a football to buy glue, two or three other kids are benefitng from the activities. In the long-term, I think we will eventually "lose" less and less footballs.
Monday 21 March 2011
That Monday morning feeling
As I arrived to Casa Alianza this morning, I was greeted to the sight of one of our new young kids living at Casa Alianza, covered in blood after inflicting self-harm to his arm with a piece of glass. Sadly, its not the first time I have seen such a sight.
Sometimes, it can be hard to remember the horrific and traumatic background that many of our kids have gone through, and a sight like this brings it all crashing back. To see a young boy like this, who, without knowing his story looks like a normal and healthy teenager, covered in blood after trying to damage himself so severely, really makes me focus once again on the horrendous injustices faced by far too many young people. For any young person forced into a situation where they feel such drastic action is there only escape, then it once again reinforces the importance of working to protect, support, and show love and understanding to these kids.
On the other side of things, I continue working in my area of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation to try and provide as many sustainable projects and events as I can to help, in some way, provide that sense of love and understanding. All the members of Casa Alianza Nicaragua continue doing a really remarkable job to try and make that all-too necessary difference.
To conclude this little entry, I guess my work today was left me with a somewhat bitter-sweet feeling. I spent the weekend at the Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake, and one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen in the world. It is a strange contrast when after being surrounded by such beauty during the weekend, to come back and be greeted by such a difference. It is tough when dealing with such a contrast, but only further inspires me to keep trying to do what I can.
Sometimes, it can be hard to remember the horrific and traumatic background that many of our kids have gone through, and a sight like this brings it all crashing back. To see a young boy like this, who, without knowing his story looks like a normal and healthy teenager, covered in blood after trying to damage himself so severely, really makes me focus once again on the horrendous injustices faced by far too many young people. For any young person forced into a situation where they feel such drastic action is there only escape, then it once again reinforces the importance of working to protect, support, and show love and understanding to these kids.
On the other side of things, I continue working in my area of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation to try and provide as many sustainable projects and events as I can to help, in some way, provide that sense of love and understanding. All the members of Casa Alianza Nicaragua continue doing a really remarkable job to try and make that all-too necessary difference.
To conclude this little entry, I guess my work today was left me with a somewhat bitter-sweet feeling. I spent the weekend at the Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake, and one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen in the world. It is a strange contrast when after being surrounded by such beauty during the weekend, to come back and be greeted by such a difference. It is tough when dealing with such a contrast, but only further inspires me to keep trying to do what I can.
Friday 4 March 2011
Just by being there.......
For those of you who saw my last little update, you will know that I am currently off work after busting up my leg in the football tournament. All is well, however, and the game of hopping around Managua on crutches trying to avoid the multiple potholes has become quite enjoyable!
So anyway, this update is, as promised, not to speak about life on crutches.
Yesterday I went into Casa Alianza. I was limited in terms of what I could do, but mainly I wanted to show to the kids that I had no forgotten them, and that my absence was due to the cast on my leg and the two adjacent crutches. It was in the first place a very humbling experience to be told by many of the kids that they miss having me about. As I have said in a previous entry, a large proportion of my work involves simply hanging out and being there with the kids, and it is nice to see that doing this makes a difference and a presence.
Secondly, my visit has reinforced the concept of trust in working with kids who come from such traumatic backgrounds. Sadly these kids are used to people coming in and out of their lives on a frequent and abrupt basis, thus making healthy relations based around love and friendship far more difficult. What so many of these kids need, therefore, is people like the members of staff at Casa Alianza, who are there for them, and are willing to show support and understanding even in difficult times, and just simply are willing to be there with them. Even yesterday, by being there and not doing much, just mainly hopping around and spending time with the kids, can help a lot.
So to conclude, I guess this is one of the weirdest things about making a difference, that sometimes doing a little does a lot. To all of the members of staff who devote themselves to being with the kids, supporting and helping them, by being there with them, they are making a remarkable difference. For as long as I can, I hope to keep trying to doso as well.
So anyway, this update is, as promised, not to speak about life on crutches.
Yesterday I went into Casa Alianza. I was limited in terms of what I could do, but mainly I wanted to show to the kids that I had no forgotten them, and that my absence was due to the cast on my leg and the two adjacent crutches. It was in the first place a very humbling experience to be told by many of the kids that they miss having me about. As I have said in a previous entry, a large proportion of my work involves simply hanging out and being there with the kids, and it is nice to see that doing this makes a difference and a presence.
Secondly, my visit has reinforced the concept of trust in working with kids who come from such traumatic backgrounds. Sadly these kids are used to people coming in and out of their lives on a frequent and abrupt basis, thus making healthy relations based around love and friendship far more difficult. What so many of these kids need, therefore, is people like the members of staff at Casa Alianza, who are there for them, and are willing to show support and understanding even in difficult times, and just simply are willing to be there with them. Even yesterday, by being there and not doing much, just mainly hopping around and spending time with the kids, can help a lot.
So to conclude, I guess this is one of the weirdest things about making a difference, that sometimes doing a little does a lot. To all of the members of staff who devote themselves to being with the kids, supporting and helping them, by being there with them, they are making a remarkable difference. For as long as I can, I hope to keep trying to doso as well.
Monday 28 February 2011
Out of office reply
For those of you who read this blog regularly......
I managed to twist up my ankle whilst referring the football tournament last week, and now have won a cast on my leg, and the opportunity to walk for two weeks on crutches.
This unfortuantely means I need to be taking some time off work, and so for those of you expecting updates, I'm afraid you might have to wait a little longer. I would write about my life hoping around my house and Managua on crutches, but I guess that might be a bit boring!
I managed to twist up my ankle whilst referring the football tournament last week, and now have won a cast on my leg, and the opportunity to walk for two weeks on crutches.
This unfortuantely means I need to be taking some time off work, and so for those of you expecting updates, I'm afraid you might have to wait a little longer. I would write about my life hoping around my house and Managua on crutches, but I guess that might be a bit boring!
Saturday 19 February 2011
Trying to find a healthy sense of belonging, away from drugs and gangs
For most people (well by that I mean me) Valentine's Day is possibly one of the least anticipated days of the year. It is either one which involves spending excesses amount of money, or defending yourself to your friends as to why you are single.
For the kids at Casa Alianza, Valentine's Day is, howevert, a different matter. Many of the kids, when they become residents at Casa Alianza, have been forced to leave behind loved ones who weren't willing to follow in their recuperation process, or many even have been forced to leave behind their own kids, while they try to get their lives back on track. In this context, Valentine's Day - or the Day of Love and Friendship as it is known in this part of the world, can be a very tough one for many kids.
As such, this year at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we planned a whole day event to give all the kids and members of staff the sense of the love and friendship that nearly all have lost in their lives. The day started with a special ceremony in which those who had managed to get through certain lengths of time without taking drugs were rewarded for their efforts.
In the afternoon we planned a big sports day event with various team and individual athletic events. The idea was that through sports, healthy competition and the power of team work, we would be able to provide the kids with the sense of belonging which many of them desperately crave, and as such previously looked for refuge in drugs or in gangs.
............
Yesterday we also held another major event, again with the intention of using sports and culture to help kids find healthy and sustainable solutions to give them that sense of belonging, instead of turning to drugs, being forced into the sex industry, or gang membership.
We held a big national football tournament right by Managua's Old Catherdral, where teams participated from Casa Alianza and other recovery centers across the country, as well as teams formed by members of some of Managua's poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods.
I was referee for the whole event.
I have no doubt that many of the kids I was referring are robbers and possibly worse, recovering or still addicted consumers of drugs. They are basically kids that are easy to forget or deemed best to be ignored and left alone, so they don't rob you.
But through events such as these, it is firstly possibly that these drug addicts and gang members are just normal kids, in need of normal things. Little events like a football tournament gave them the chance to behave the way a normal teenager should, being seen as equals, and not robbers and drug addicts.
...........
What both of these events have shown to me, is that like any kids, the kids of Casa Alianza and Nicaragua need a sense of love, friendship and belonging. The easiest way to find this was on the streets, the gangs or in drugs.
Through events such as these two have I described, bit by bit, we can go about giving kids a healthy alternative, providing them with the values that they need, in a healthy and sustainable way.
For the kids at Casa Alianza, Valentine's Day is, howevert, a different matter. Many of the kids, when they become residents at Casa Alianza, have been forced to leave behind loved ones who weren't willing to follow in their recuperation process, or many even have been forced to leave behind their own kids, while they try to get their lives back on track. In this context, Valentine's Day - or the Day of Love and Friendship as it is known in this part of the world, can be a very tough one for many kids.
As such, this year at Casa Alianza Nicaragua we planned a whole day event to give all the kids and members of staff the sense of the love and friendship that nearly all have lost in their lives. The day started with a special ceremony in which those who had managed to get through certain lengths of time without taking drugs were rewarded for their efforts.
In the afternoon we planned a big sports day event with various team and individual athletic events. The idea was that through sports, healthy competition and the power of team work, we would be able to provide the kids with the sense of belonging which many of them desperately crave, and as such previously looked for refuge in drugs or in gangs.
............
Yesterday we also held another major event, again with the intention of using sports and culture to help kids find healthy and sustainable solutions to give them that sense of belonging, instead of turning to drugs, being forced into the sex industry, or gang membership.
We held a big national football tournament right by Managua's Old Catherdral, where teams participated from Casa Alianza and other recovery centers across the country, as well as teams formed by members of some of Managua's poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods.
I was referee for the whole event.
I have no doubt that many of the kids I was referring are robbers and possibly worse, recovering or still addicted consumers of drugs. They are basically kids that are easy to forget or deemed best to be ignored and left alone, so they don't rob you.
But through events such as these, it is firstly possibly that these drug addicts and gang members are just normal kids, in need of normal things. Little events like a football tournament gave them the chance to behave the way a normal teenager should, being seen as equals, and not robbers and drug addicts.
...........
What both of these events have shown to me, is that like any kids, the kids of Casa Alianza and Nicaragua need a sense of love, friendship and belonging. The easiest way to find this was on the streets, the gangs or in drugs.
Through events such as these two have I described, bit by bit, we can go about giving kids a healthy alternative, providing them with the values that they need, in a healthy and sustainable way.
Thursday 10 February 2011
Digging Deep
So instead of continuing a story about one of the kids, this time I thought I would write to share a bit about my personal feelings in this line of work.
The truth is, as I have already said to many people, there are many times when I feel I have the best job in the world, but there is an almost equal number of times when I feel it is all too much and I find myself longing for some of the comforts I had before. Due to the intensity of this work, there is very little in -between.
I am in contact on a daily basis with around 90 kids, between the ages of 12 and 18. Seeing as all of the kids come from very traumatic backgrounds of living on the streets, drug addiction, sexual exploitation and human trafficking, they are never going to be an easy group of people to work with. As such, perhaps the toughest thing I have had learn is to keep my patience. To learn how to encourage a kid to behave properly etc, but at the same not losing my patience when a kid is repeatedly rude, or when a kid repeatedly decides that they prefer finding a corner of the building to sleep in, rather than participating in sessions. Nearly every day I find myself in situations where at least one kid deliberately or unintentionally will do something which challenges me, or the other kids, or other members of staff. Keeping patient whilst dealing with situations such as this on a daily base is tough, it requires at many times for me to dig deep within myself, but it is possible.
The other area where I have had to train myself in this line of work is in terms of taking initiatives. Due to the how it is around here, a fixed and organised schedule doesn’t always work. If you want to organise something that would be of benefit to the kids, you have to take the initiative to do so. The trouble is, it can sometimes be very difficult to find that initiative. Sometimes it feels a lot easier to bow -out rather than break through all the challenges presented by the kids themselves. There are many times when I have had to dig-deep within myself not to look for an escape (in the same way we tell the kids not to escape by climbing the wall), but instead to stay there with the kids, to work through the challenges and do something that might really benefit this very vulnerable group of people.
I will keep digging deep to do all that I can. Mainly because I love doing what I do. Digging this deep on a daily basis is however very very tough. But the fact is when we dig deep to help these kids, we can really help them, so I will keep doing so!
The truth is, as I have already said to many people, there are many times when I feel I have the best job in the world, but there is an almost equal number of times when I feel it is all too much and I find myself longing for some of the comforts I had before. Due to the intensity of this work, there is very little in -between.
I am in contact on a daily basis with around 90 kids, between the ages of 12 and 18. Seeing as all of the kids come from very traumatic backgrounds of living on the streets, drug addiction, sexual exploitation and human trafficking, they are never going to be an easy group of people to work with. As such, perhaps the toughest thing I have had learn is to keep my patience. To learn how to encourage a kid to behave properly etc, but at the same not losing my patience when a kid is repeatedly rude, or when a kid repeatedly decides that they prefer finding a corner of the building to sleep in, rather than participating in sessions. Nearly every day I find myself in situations where at least one kid deliberately or unintentionally will do something which challenges me, or the other kids, or other members of staff. Keeping patient whilst dealing with situations such as this on a daily base is tough, it requires at many times for me to dig deep within myself, but it is possible.
The other area where I have had to train myself in this line of work is in terms of taking initiatives. Due to the how it is around here, a fixed and organised schedule doesn’t always work. If you want to organise something that would be of benefit to the kids, you have to take the initiative to do so. The trouble is, it can sometimes be very difficult to find that initiative. Sometimes it feels a lot easier to bow -out rather than break through all the challenges presented by the kids themselves. There are many times when I have had to dig-deep within myself not to look for an escape (in the same way we tell the kids not to escape by climbing the wall), but instead to stay there with the kids, to work through the challenges and do something that might really benefit this very vulnerable group of people.
I will keep digging deep to do all that I can. Mainly because I love doing what I do. Digging this deep on a daily basis is however very very tough. But the fact is when we dig deep to help these kids, we can really help them, so I will keep doing so!
Sunday 30 January 2011
A story of remarkable courage......if only that was enough to mean a happy ending!
Gemma, as I will call her for the purpose of this update is 14 years old. At least we think she is 14, as we don’t have any official documentation for her.
Gemma currently lives in our teenage mothers home, although she herself does not have any children. Instead, she lives there taking care of her two sisters, one who is 5 years old, the other one 2 years old.
To give it a bit of context, Gemma and her sisters are from Costa Rica. Gemma was forced into the world of commercial sexual exploitation by her own mother and step-father. She was taken to Panama, Guatemala and El Salvador where she was no-doubt forced to unbearable and unimaginable things.
Now under the protection of Casa Alianza Nicaragua, Gemma lives with her two sisters. She, with the help of the Casa Alianza legal team, successfully won a court case against her own mother so that she would gain custody of these two younger girls so that they would not be subjected to the same fate at the hands of their own family. It is difficult for her, but she takes care of these two girls as if there were her own children.
Out of anyone I have worked with at Casa Alianza, Gemma is one of those who have had one of the most profound impacts on me. She has been robbed of her childhood and adolescence in the most brutal of ways. Despite this she has been willing to take on one of the most difficult burdens and care for her sisters as if they were her own daughters, so that they will not be subjected to the same fate.
The courage and strength she has shown to do this, in spite of all of the pain she herself has gone through, really is one of the most remarkable things I have ever seen.
Its, of course, never going to be plain-sailing. We have found Gemma inflicting self-harm, taking out her pain and sadness on herself. Despite this she remains a girl who inspires me in almost about everything she does, and it is at times difficult to understand this courage and strengths she shows, at least most of the time.
Unfortunately in this part of the world, a story of remarkable courage does not mean a happy ending. Gemma and her two sisters will be leaving Casa Alianza next week, for reasons beyond our or her control. I will continue this story in my next update, but we are currently all very concerned about this future of this wonderful girl and her sisters, and I can only hope that at some point she will be given the right to enjoy her childhood and her adolescence that she has been brutally robbed of and so greatly deserves.
Gemma currently lives in our teenage mothers home, although she herself does not have any children. Instead, she lives there taking care of her two sisters, one who is 5 years old, the other one 2 years old.
To give it a bit of context, Gemma and her sisters are from Costa Rica. Gemma was forced into the world of commercial sexual exploitation by her own mother and step-father. She was taken to Panama, Guatemala and El Salvador where she was no-doubt forced to unbearable and unimaginable things.
Now under the protection of Casa Alianza Nicaragua, Gemma lives with her two sisters. She, with the help of the Casa Alianza legal team, successfully won a court case against her own mother so that she would gain custody of these two younger girls so that they would not be subjected to the same fate at the hands of their own family. It is difficult for her, but she takes care of these two girls as if there were her own children.
Out of anyone I have worked with at Casa Alianza, Gemma is one of those who have had one of the most profound impacts on me. She has been robbed of her childhood and adolescence in the most brutal of ways. Despite this she has been willing to take on one of the most difficult burdens and care for her sisters as if they were her own daughters, so that they will not be subjected to the same fate.
The courage and strength she has shown to do this, in spite of all of the pain she herself has gone through, really is one of the most remarkable things I have ever seen.
Its, of course, never going to be plain-sailing. We have found Gemma inflicting self-harm, taking out her pain and sadness on herself. Despite this she remains a girl who inspires me in almost about everything she does, and it is at times difficult to understand this courage and strengths she shows, at least most of the time.
Unfortunately in this part of the world, a story of remarkable courage does not mean a happy ending. Gemma and her two sisters will be leaving Casa Alianza next week, for reasons beyond our or her control. I will continue this story in my next update, but we are currently all very concerned about this future of this wonderful girl and her sisters, and I can only hope that at some point she will be given the right to enjoy her childhood and her adolescence that she has been brutally robbed of and so greatly deserves.
Saturday 22 January 2011
A long overdue update.....Maria's story
Its time for a long overdue update.......
I took a very welcome break to the US over the new years, and since getting back to Nicaragua, its been great being back at work.
One of the biggest successes since coming back, is that many of the kids, the ones I spoke about in my last entry, who stayed at Casa Alianza over Christmas, really seem to be improving.
Maria, for example, is a 14 year old girl, and was a formerly coerced into the sex industry working at Managua's Mercado Oriental, one of the most dangerous places in the city.
When she first came to Casa Alianza her body was scarred and bruised. She would often shiver as she was trying to get off the drugs in which she had previously taken refuge. I would often find her sitting sullenly somewhere around the buildings, with a hood covering her face. She was a very timid girl, and found it difficult to speak to people for long periods of time.
Despite the hard times, Maria stayed at Casa Alianza during the christmas period. I had a long chat with her before I left as I knew she was finding it exceptionally difficult, but at the same time I knew she was desperate to change her life.
Maria has now been at Casa Alianza for 2 and a half months, and although she still has difficult moments, she is now far more what we might call a 'normal' teenage girl. She is lively and happy, and no longer feels the need to hide herself away. The improved self-confidence in her is apparent and wonderful to see. I am convinced that if she stays with us, then the chance of her getting back into society, and being able to live a 'normal' and happy life, are much greater.
There have been difficult and sad times as well, and I will no doubt be sharing those, but for the time being, I wanted to start this first entry of 2011 on a happy note.
And although this is belated, I wish you all a very happy and inspiring 2011!
With love,
Simon
I took a very welcome break to the US over the new years, and since getting back to Nicaragua, its been great being back at work.
One of the biggest successes since coming back, is that many of the kids, the ones I spoke about in my last entry, who stayed at Casa Alianza over Christmas, really seem to be improving.
Maria, for example, is a 14 year old girl, and was a formerly coerced into the sex industry working at Managua's Mercado Oriental, one of the most dangerous places in the city.
When she first came to Casa Alianza her body was scarred and bruised. She would often shiver as she was trying to get off the drugs in which she had previously taken refuge. I would often find her sitting sullenly somewhere around the buildings, with a hood covering her face. She was a very timid girl, and found it difficult to speak to people for long periods of time.
Despite the hard times, Maria stayed at Casa Alianza during the christmas period. I had a long chat with her before I left as I knew she was finding it exceptionally difficult, but at the same time I knew she was desperate to change her life.
Maria has now been at Casa Alianza for 2 and a half months, and although she still has difficult moments, she is now far more what we might call a 'normal' teenage girl. She is lively and happy, and no longer feels the need to hide herself away. The improved self-confidence in her is apparent and wonderful to see. I am convinced that if she stays with us, then the chance of her getting back into society, and being able to live a 'normal' and happy life, are much greater.
There have been difficult and sad times as well, and I will no doubt be sharing those, but for the time being, I wanted to start this first entry of 2011 on a happy note.
And although this is belated, I wish you all a very happy and inspiring 2011!
With love,
Simon
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