Reduce work hours for Ecuadorian street children

Trasforming lives Through Learning

 During the past few months UBECI has focused on developing soft skills with the children in our programs. There are 20 soft skills our staff use to guide the activities they plan for the children, with a particular focus this month on gender, leadership, and emotional intelligence. These soft skills are important in the healthy development of a child, as it teaches them the skills to be a respectful, kind, and successful adult. These skills translate into the classroom, work space, and social environments, providing all around life skills that benefit the children. All of these soft skills provide the children with tools for their future, and our weekly planning has focused on developing and strengthening specific skills through our activities.

 In 2024 we have focused on identifying emotions, and learning healthy strategies to express and manage those emotions. If a child is feeling anger, we use workshops and stories to help the children identify what they are feeling, why, and use their words to communicate this to the other person, instead of physical reactions such as violence. Developing this emotional intelligence at a young age helps to prevent cycles of violence and abuse within the communities, providing youth with healthier strategies to regulate their emotions. This also encourages positive interactions between boys and girls, with our workshops emphasizing respecting women and girls. Learning about gender equality and being exposed to healthy gender relations at a young age is important to end cycles of abuse, and build the confidence of young girls. Our workshops are carefully planned each week by our staff to be educational, fun, and a safe space for children to learn these life skills.

 During this time we have:

• Taught the children about different emotions, how to identify them, and healthy responses.
• Focused on anger, and how to behave when they feel angry (ex. No violence)
• Introduced the children to different soft skills that will benefit them in their future, such as team work, self confidence, emotional intelligence, and leadership
• The children learned about gender equality, and the importance of respecting women and girls.
• Built English language skills with the children through educational stories with our international volunteers
• Continued to strengthen healthy hygiene skills through daily hand washing activities.

UBECI will continue to work with the children to develop other soft skills, with the goal of providing them with the tools to be respectful and successful in their future.