Mexico
The Proniño program began in Mexico at the end of 2006, with the intended aim of achieving, in 2008, 12,000 beneficiary children.
The Save the Children NGO is the organisation which implements the program, aimed at children between 9 and 16 years of age attending school or at work, and at social risk and vulnerable to economic exploitation.
Educational workshops as diverse as "work and child exploitation". "children's rights", "self esteem and personal development", "Values", "cultural identity", "ecological awareness are offered for children. A scholarship award policy is drawn up based on a child by child analysis. Scholarships may involve: food, school equipment and materials, uniforms and shoes, medical and psychological attention and transport.
Cultural and recreational activities are offered involving taking children to museums, cultural and recreational events, theatres, fairs, the circus. Football matches are held
Parents are invited to participate in workshops to raise their awareness of children's rights, with 2007 seeing workshops such as "What does it mean to be a child?", "Paternity, maternity and education", "family conflicts", "children - our treasure”.
Schools are provided with teaching material (exercise books, pens, satchels), with some schools being equipped with computer classrooms and online access.
For society, there is a mobile cinema aimed at the community, where people can see films chosen by children.
In terms of the development of partnerships, we aim to hold, at the end of the year, a Child Labour Congress to which representatives of the government and civil society will be invited to participate and find out about the scale of Proniño's work in Mexico, and hopefully leading to future partnerships and synergies with the program.
For this year, various actions are planned, notably:
- Benefiting children four more Mexican regions: Puebla, Baja California, Tabasco and Veracruz; states having the highest child labour indicators in Mexico.
- At the end of 2008 Proniño had a presence in more than 90 schools, toy libraries, community centres and hostels.
- In 2007, cultural and recreational activities took the form of trips to museums, fairs etc. This year we seek to develop the personalities of children through artistic activities - music, dance and the plastic arts.
- Continuation of workshops for parents, key to integrating them into the program.
- There are 10 Telefónica Classrooms, equipped with computers from which children can access the EducaRed portal.