El Salvador
The Proniño program in El Salvador was launched in 2006, with the aim of providing children with a better future thanks to high quality schooling and institutional help.
Proniño's mission is to contribute to the eradication of child labour, which infringes children's rights, through school attendance which ensures significant educational achievements in school careers, and the knowledge of new information and communication technologies in educational centres where the program has a presence.
In 2007, the second year it spent helping children in El Salvador, Proniño tripled schooling of children in 26 public schools, with more than 4,900 people indirectly benefiting from its work.
To implement the program and activities, Proniño benefits from the co-operation of the Fundación Salvadoreña para la Salud y el Desarrollo Humano, FUSAL, a non-profit executor agency which carries out activities in health and education.
The program takes an integral look at the problem of child labour, improving the surroundings of children, their family and their community.
Economic support for the schooling of working children takes the form of the handout of school material - a satchel, pens, pencils, exercise book, dictionary, colour pens, scissors, an eraser and case. 2,500 school kits and clothing were handed out to all beneficiaries: a pair of shoes, two full uniforms, socks and, where necessary, help paying for transport to school.
Children participate in sports tournaments, painting and drawing workshops as well as various recreational activities. These activities are key to encouraging, in practical terms, the values of solidarity, friendship and team work.
Children suffering from unsatisfactory performance at school can receive support in "Levelling" Rooms, in reading, writing and math, through a more entertaining and flexible methodology.
Small groups of parents or responsible persons are organised, with regular meetings being held to discuss different topics related to child labour, children's rights and the importance of education.
Parents' school to look at issues relating to child labour through exchanges of experiences, creativity in puppet shows, drawings, stories, thus encouraging a direct dialogue with parents or guardians, and intensifying their role.
Productive workshops, where participants acquire know-how and develop expertise enabling them to generate income throughout the year, through the creation and sale of edible products: Bread, pickles, typical sweets - not only during the coffee and sugar cane season, thus avoiding the need to resort to child labour.
In terms of actions relating to the area of educational quality, Proniño financed group training workshops for teachers, with the aim of expanding their training in November and December, avoiding a clash with term time.
The Las Marías, María Auxiliadora, La Cumbre and Las Lajas schools received text books, books, story books and collections of encyclopaedias; in this way we can help the entire student body. Added to this action was the handout of audio and video equipment to 24 of them.
Relevant actions in social and institutional strengthening. Throughout 2007, and just one year after launching Proniño, Telefónica was invited by the National Council for the Eradication of the worst forms of child labour to present the program to authorities from the Employment ministry, the Education Ministry, the Agriculture and Ministry and the ILO. This meeting was the beginning of joint actions with said institutions.
With the aim of helping children suffering from poor nutrition, FUSAL, the program's executor, agreed to put its "Libras de Amor" program at the service of Proniño schools.
A key issue in the fight against child labour is raising awareness in society about this issue; to this end, June saw a radio, press and television campaign carried out by Proniño to raise awareness among society in general of the initiative by the Grupo Telefónica.
The Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), in which we are working towards "Attaining universal primary education" for 2015, dialogue and cooperation between social agents from various areas is required.
Proniño can be a program which encourages networks of social intervention, producing a "social fabric" which is key to balanced development. Therefore the commitment of various social players to doubling their commitment to the fight against child labour is a positive thing.