Centro Las Claras: New Opportunity for Teen Moms

First of all, THANK YOU for your donations and on-going support for The Las Claras Program. Your actions have been key in establishing the program and getting settled in our home in Felipillo.

Six months ago, we started the project believing in the power of education and the effect that it would have on empowering teen moms. Now, these effects are noticeable: The girls have gained confidence in themselves, they have acquired entrepreneurial skills with which to work, and they’ve started to think about life aspirations.

Their favorite class is English. They not only learn in a fun environment with teacher Bertha, but are persistently encouraged to participate with confidence. She´s tough, but her methods are continuously molding to the girls needs. Whether it is through song, flash cards, dynamic participation, etc. Bertha keeps them on their toes, and strives to feed the thirst for knowledge in them.

Back in December, the girls received a workshop in makeup and etiquette, and were later celebrated on their first Mother´s Day. The event took place at Laduree, a beautiful locale in Panama City, and it included the presence of several of the greatest supporters of our cause. The celebration was filled with emotion, as the girls exchanged stories with everyone, and we all toasted for the future success in their lives.

For Christmas, the center was filled with activity. The girls received a workshop on making christmas cakes, cookies and gingerbread houses. Feeling empowered, many of the girls started a micro-business and sold these ítems to the public. They took orders, made schedules, and got to work. Every time a donor visited, and in every event that we had outside the center, they also made sure to have their products nearby.

Finally, we had our Christmas and End-of-the-Year party at the center in Felipillo. It was a fun day, in which we sang christmas carols, had a costume contest for the babies, and even awarded five of the girls for their hard work, discipline, and leadership skills. A few days later, the Ben Btesh group sponsored a Christmas party for the girls, and enjoyed a day filled with christmas spirit.

Nowadays, we are visiting different clinics near the area, so that we find the second group of 25 girls that will be welcomed into our program. It´s an exciting moment, to see the impact that this project can have and embark on an adventure with a new group in february. The first group will also keep on evolving, as it soon will start  with their GED courses and technical workshops on logistic management.

As you can see, we´ve come a long way during these past months. Still, the reality in our country is one that requires action: only during 2015, there were 10,975 registered cases of teen and child pregnancy. And this number keeps on increasing, as every teen mom will most likely have a second child during the next 24 months. Worst of all, 75% of these girls will abandon schools. They will lack a plan for the future, confidence to pursue their dreams, a job to support themselves and their babies, and will add numbers to the cycle of poverty that pervades their environment.

Once more, we thank you for your continuous support in this quest for a better quality of life for teen mothers and their children. Keep donating and invite others to join us in this quest with their donation.

More action still to come. Stay tuned!