Spreading joy through empowerment

Imagine a house with walls made of cardboard boxes and plastic pieces and roof made of tin sheets. Imagine a stream of dirty, smelly water on one side of this house and burning garbage on the other side of it.

Now imagine a little girl stepping out of that house; the stream's dirty water making her feet wet. She walks barefoot to the local market and stands for hours in the relentless heat, trying to sell the tortillas her mother prepared that morning.

If she fails to sell them, her family might have nothing to eat - she is the only earning member in the family of four. Photo Courtesy kathyadams

The grim reality

The description above might not be completely accurate for it is too tough to explain the grim reality. Impoverished children who need to work to stay alive have incredibly sad lives.
Often they do not have proper families and even if they do have guardians, they do not get the kind of facilities that kids in developed countries take for granted. They do not have proper health facilities or a safe neighborhood or even clean playgrounds.

Not that they get a chance to think about this. They have far more important concerns of food and housing to consider everyday. Education is simply not an option for them as they cannot afford to go to school instead of trying to earn a few bucks.

Empowerment International
Around the world, several organizations are working to improve this unfortunate situation. One of such non- profit organizations is Empowerment International (EI).
Started in 1998 in Costa Rica by Kathy Adams, Empowerment International soon reached Nicaragua. It has a number of volunteers who work directly with the kids in Nicaragua. Aneilka, a former school teacher, heads the team of volunteer staff that monitors the program.

The unique approach of EI or Empowerment International is to deal with the root cause behind the plight of children in the slums and to bring changes in their lives. Often education in public schools is free, but the families are too poor to afford even the mandatory uniforms and school supplies. Besides, many families do not consider eduction important for their kids as they feel it would be far more beneficial if the kids start earning. EI, therefore, addresses not only the monetary concerns but also the emotional ones.

It aims to help the children “to stay off the streets, find better jobs, and eventually break the cycle of poverty that has haunted their families for generations”

Work so far
Initially, 76 children from Villa de Esperanza (appropriately meaning Village of Hope), a small slum outside Granada in Nicaragua, were provided with uniforms, shoes and other supplies so that they could participate in the state sponsored program.

Today, more than 300 children are enrolled in schools and the number is expected to grow fast in the coming years. Currently, children receive support up to the 11th grade which is considered the end of primary school in South America. One of the biggest achievements of Empowerment International is that it has succeeded in inducing parents to form committees to check the progress of kids.

In the beginning, parental attendance hovered around 30% but today it is almost 98% ! Thus, Empowerment International is trying to spread awareness in the community and encourage the slum dwellers to be responsible for the education of their children.

Volunteers in slums
Volunteers working for EI, visit the families and encourage them to continue sending their kids to the educational programs. They advise parents on how to help children with their school work even if they have not received much education themselves.

In case any family needs support that goes beyond the scope of EI, it is connected to the appropriate NGO or government agency.
Sam Oulavong, an art teacher from Chicago, who came down to Nicaragua to teach digital photography to these kids, mentions, “I’m excited about working with these kids. In the midst of what seemed to me, one of the dirtiest places to live in, I saw people of great beauty, integrity, and with a heart to match their outer beauty. ”