Granada, the famous city of Nicaragua, has
two faces - one that the wealthy locals and tourists see and the other that the
street vendors and their children see.
The first face is lovely, bright and
attractive but the second area is where the poorest Nicaraguans return to every
evening. It is dirty, dark and impoverished. This is the face Empowerment
International sees every day.
Here, children return from a day of heavy labor with less
than $1-3 to show for it. They are tired, hungry and often, disheartened. They
look not just for simple pleasures of life like good food and clean bed, but
something every kid inevitably needs - attention.
EI has been trying to break the invisible barriers that
divide the city in such extreme halves. At EI we believe that education is the
source of progress. However, juggling education with their constant struggle
for existence creates extreme challenges for the EI kids, often halting their
educational progress. Channeling the creative energies of the children into constructive
programs is a perfect way to ensure their continued interest in education.
Hence, while getting kids to school has been an active
agenda throughout, we have also started programs to help them learn
photography. With a new and interesting hobby like photography, the kids now
have a sense of accomplishment. They see the tangible results of their hard
work and decide to word harder to overcome barriers created by desperation and resentment.
Recently, EI started a special tutoring program in the slums
for kids who need help learning to read before school year is up. Unlike most
kids in developed countries, who are read to by their parents and encouraged to
read throughout, kids in EI's slums have no one to turn to at home. Learning
becomes much more difficult when one hasn't been taught or shown what learning
looks like. This tutoring program overcomes the learning barrier by ensuring
that kids learn to read and continue to read and learn always.
While there may be many economic and situational barriers
for the children in Granada's
slums, nothing keeps them from sharing and giving. They always offer to share
whatever it is they have - fruit, homemade candy, gum, or even just a chair, as
sometimes that is all they have to offer.
So many kids have already overcome all obstacles in their
quest for better lives. Two of the kids from EI program graduated from high
school last year and are now interning with the program so that they can attend
college free of charge. Another 14 year old girl took second place in the math
Olympics last year. Many of the photography program kids are getting rave
reviews by professionals for their artistic shots.
Each of these kids has heart rending stories of hardships, struggles
and survival. But they are all hopeful. And ultimately that is what counts - a belief
that they can make it to their dreams in spite of all odds.
- Neha Singh
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