Day two of Summer Camp

Day Two: Summer Camp Andres

(Snack Time)

Our group doubled in size today. We had 47 children the first day, today close to 80 arrived ready to have fun... You can only imagine working with 80, 7-9 year olds (some bringing their little siblings 5-6 years old)...Beautiful Chaos is the only words I can think of to describe it! Each day we work with a theme with each group. There are children and youth attending the summer camp between the ages of 7-17 years old. Today's Theme: Children's Rights. A theme with great importance here in a country where most children's rights are abused at some point in their lives. What a great opportunity to begin teaching this theme to children at such a young age! It was beautiful to watch all 80 curious faces as we talked about how they each have the right to equality, health, a name and nationality, to have a healthy diet and live in a healthy environment withh a loving family, to recieve a proper education, be protected in times of emergencies and disasters, to be protected from labor exploitation, to enjoy a clean environment, to enjoy recreation and have the opportunity to express your opinion.

Many of the children here are subject to working in the home and outside of the home at some point during their adolescence. Although my group are a little young to be working, many of them will probably work before they are 15 years old; selling sweets on the beach, housework at home, etc.

(Yesica teaching about their Rights)



After an overview of the theme people from the city health department came and talked about how you get parasites and what you need to do to prevent them. Then each were given an anti-paracite pill to help kill any bacteria they may have. This was excellent because most children here have parasites at some point that enter through bare-feet, playing in the dirt, sand, eating unclean vegetables/fruit. I have even been subject to this awful bacteria since living here...it's not fun.

(Health department giving parasite pill)



(Coloring pictures about healthy diets)

My favorite part of the day today was arts and crafts time...we talked about how all children have the right to equality but are different at the same time. Then did a painting in which you put drops of paint in the middle of a piece of paper, fold it and it turns out to look like a butterfly, but all very different! The kids loved it...and I'm sure their parents did too when they showed up at home with more paint on them then on the paper...

(Our helper for the weak Charline, leading the group in interactive song)