Fundacion Crecer: 23 Years Working to let Children Smile
Fundacion Crecer works for the benefit of children so they work less in the streets and study for a better future.
Fundacion Crecer was created 23 years ago, in 1989 with the purpose of helping children that work in the streets until late at night. Their first location was in downtown, in the Carchi street in Guayaquil, Ecuador; but thanks to the work of the Teleton of 2001, the mayor Jaime Nebot gave them a new space to help them with their work.
In 2010, the Foundation already worked with four intensive modules, “The children make two years in one, this offers them the opportunity to study.” The professors help their students with school reinforcement, a personalized tutorship that helps children with learning difficulties.
Through the so-called “friend operative,” Fundacion Crecer and their professors go to the streets of pre-selected sectors. In that area they would watch and talk with people to learn which children work around here and need to receive education. Afterwards they talk to them for several days before inviting them to the Foundation to know the space and what it has to offer. This step is known as “open house,” on that day all the children have a lunch and recreational activities where it is discovered which children are willing to study.
The Foundation supports children willing to study but a representative must back them in case something happens and someone can be notified. Thanks to the “Family Program” that works alongside with the psychology department allowed the creation of the “workshop for parents” were they receive talks about addictions and family violence with the purpose of improving the relations in the house.
“We support our alumni, provided they have an average grade of 16 as a way to encourage them to get good grades.” The Foundation supports these students in the school with transportation, appliances and the school pension.
Currently Fundacion Crecer seeks to perform projects to support their philanthropic activities and be able to attend all the 75 students while teaching them the values of responsibility and discipline. (AV)