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Teaching children remotely in Mexico

Posted: August 22, 2020

The world has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our operations in the field are not the exception, our GVI staff, local partners and community are doing their best to continue supporting the most vulnerable, Children.

About GVI and Save the Children partnership.

The ludotecas have the main objective of reaching children in vulnerable locations and promote education in important subjects that are not completely covered by the nation educational system, those subjects include, Children´s rights, values, arts and crafts, health workshops, etc. GVI volunteers started supporting Save the Children ludoteca in Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo since 2013, preparing and delivering lessons at that early stages on varied subjects, depending on volunteer´s interest and experience.

At the beginning of the year, Save the Children in Quintana Roo ludotecas were working normally with a steady number of children attending to their projects in Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen, our GVI volunteers and staff were supporting their operations, delivering lessons on English Language, Global Health, Climate Action and Marine Conservation subjects, even participants from the Marine Conservation projects joined community fairs and delivered presentations of their conservation work at the ludoteca in Puerto Morelos.

The new reality.

At the end of 2019, a new virus was identified in China, and started to extend to other countries, on February 29th, the first case was confirmed in Mexico. The country kept loose freedom until March 23rd, when the federal government stablished a strategy of safe distance among citizens, and part of this strategy included closing public places, like schools, ludotecas, etc.

The area of Quintana Roo was affected hugely as it depends greatly on tourism, most big hotels received cancellations, and affected their finances, for this reason the main sponsors of the Save the Children in Quintana Roo withdraw their donations, jeopardizing the continuing of the organization in this Mexican state. Gladly the regional office located in Cancun is now temporarily sponsored from Save the Children Mexico and some staff continue working for the children´s welfare in Cancun and Puerto Morelos.

After months of closure by federal government, litle by litle the COVID-19’s cases seems to be declining, allowing to loose restrictions, tourism has started and activities have resumed with safe procedures.

The strategies to continue the impact on children.

GVI and The GVI Trust funded Internet connection paying in advance for the 2020’s 12 months for the Ludoteca in Puerto Morelos, it provided other important equipment that are now supporting Save the Children staff in the new strategy to reach children, remote workshops, the so called Virtual Ludoteca.

The virtual ludoteca uses Facebook as platform, and is one of the limited strategies from Save the Children to reach the children, on this virtual ludoteca, STC staff records their workshops and share on line for parents and children to participate remotely.

This new reality is challenging Save the Children in Quintana Roo and many other organizations in the region, but it presents a great opportunity to develop remote lessons which has the potential to reach a broader audience, this opportunity, requires not only changing the strategies and operation, but to learn new skills and software to make it work.

GVI is in communication and supports local organizations during this thought times, hoping that the world becomes safer to travel and resume the volunteering projects around the world. Stay tuned of our social media to check when your hub reopens.

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