Pre-School
The objective of our community pre-school, which serves over 200 children between the ages of 4-6 each year. Using a popular education pedagogy, we help children to learn, play, and grow in a way that fosters team work, leadership abilities, and abilities to analyze their reality. In our classrooms, children learn decision-making skills, and are able decide what games and activities they want to engage in together. Values like solidarity, gender equality, and environmental responsibility, are important themes in our program.
We offer a space for children to play, learn, and interact with their peers in a safe environment several times a week. Children can choose to play with board games and other toys, read, play soccer, and participate in organized games.
Our small community library (of around 300 books) is the most visited library of Ciudad Sandino, with more than 1,000 visitors each weekday. The library is an important resource because most children and youth in the community don't have access to textbooks. The library has around 40 volunteers who help visitors to find the books they need, and run a after-school tutoring classes.
Music
Cantera in Ciudad Sandino began by working with gangs and troubled-youth in different parts of the area. As Cantera worked with them on different aspects of participation, the same youth began teaching what they were learning to younger generations. From there, different art classes began out of the youth's desire to create something for themselves and for others.
Currently, there are four music groups: 2 rock bands, 1 folklore band, and 1 group thats plays many different genres. Cantera's music program also currently offers music classes in piano, guitar, percussion, and a beginners course in music for young children.
Oscar Mayorga, who has been participating with Cantera and the music program for 10 ½ years and currently runs the music program, shares his experience:
“My first intention to come here was to learn how to play guitar. In the process, however, I realized how many different spaces of participation there were at Cantera. I was not only learning about music, I was learning about gender relations, sexuality, how to preserve and take care of the environment, and non-violent communication. Soon after, I began to teach others what I was learning.
Cantera has given me the opportunity to take on different roles and responsiblities. After 4 years participating in Cantera, I became the music coordinator, teaching music and different social themes. All of this helped me to identify my own strengths, grow emotionally and spiritually, know myself and continue finding and understanding myself.”
Dance
Cantera's dance program in Ciudad Sandino has been running for 10 years. The first dance group at Cantera began in 1988 and, as the group grew, they began forming other dance groups for children, adolescents, and teenagers. Gema Gonzales, one of the founding members of the first dance group, was elected to run the dance program. Soon after, she began incorporating different forms of participation, reflection, and discussion on themes like reproductive health, adolescent pregnancy, and self-esteem.
Currently, there are 4 dance groups at Cantera in Ciudad Sandino: Grupo Quetzalvary Jr (32 young girls), Grupo Náhualvary (23 adolescents), Grupo Latinahual (28 adolescents), and Quetzalvary (19 teens) to make 102 participants in total.
On a national level, Cantera's dance program has worked in coordination with other dance groups to dance at national events, in different departments of Nicaragua, as well as Managua and here in Ciudad Sandino. On a municipal level, they have been invited to dance at events for the mayor, with other organizations. Gema adds that they enjoy participating in events around the neighborhood, dancing at weddings and birthday parties, to stay connected to the community.
Describing the methodology used in the dance program, Gema says that, “it is important to encourage the youth to follow their dreams by serving as a friend and partner. Therefore, we don't believe in being an authoritarian or too technical, but encouraging learning through participation.”
Gema, who has been participating at Cantera for 18 years and has run the Dance Program for 10 years, says that, through the dance program at Cantera, “I have learned how to share, look at my reality and the reality of others, listen, love and respect each person.”
Theater
Cantera's theater program began 4 years ago, with the help of Movitep (Popular Theater Movement Without Borders), creating together, Pánico de Risa, a theater troupe for teens. From Pánico de Risa stemmed other theater groups at Cantera, all participating as part of a popular theater movement. Popular Theater uses theater as a means of delivering social messages to the audience by writing plays according to the reality of the audience, including them to analyze and explore that reality, etc. Cantera's theater groups have gone into different communities and performed plays in the streets, communicating with their audience different themes such as environmental awareness, gender equality, and sexual reproductive health. Many of the current theater groups at Cantera in Ciudad Sandino have recognition on a municipal and national level, participating in national theater festivals and different events around Nicaragua.Currently, there are 4 theater groups: Belleza de la Naturaleza: 13 kids, ages 11-16; Guegueja:10 participants, ages 13-16; Caritas Pintadas: 12 participants, ages11-13; Pánico de Risa: 4 jóvenes y adultos (almost 50 participants total).
Raul Hernandez, who runs the theater program and has been participating with Cantera for 13 years, say that through the theater program at Cantera, “I was able to find myself and discover what I like to do. I'm very happy with what I get to do here, and I love being able to work as an actor and director. Theater has helped me in a very profound way, develop myself and a personal and professional level.”
Karate School
Kay-Kempo School, Cantera, Ciudad Sandino
The school has been around for more than 12 years. We have 50 members in the school now, with beginners and advanced students. The style is Karate-Do, Shido Ryu. The school started over 12 years ago, when girls from the community requested self-defense classes. More young people started joining the course, and Cantera was able to hire a teacher. Some of the values the school focuses on include:
- self-esteem
- honesty
- respect
- solidarity
- discipline
We promote participation of women in sports (traditionally in Nicaragua, spots are something only men are involved in)
Our students have won several national titles, and we are considered one of the best Karate schools in Nicaragua.
Milton is a student of the school who has been involved for 8 years, and is a first degree black belt. He says that "being part of the school has given me many wonderful experience and new friendships. It is a special feeling also to represent my country in championships." In 2003, Milton won the Central American championship. In addition to the Karate school, he has participated as: facilitator for workshops on sexual and reproductive health, guitar teacher, participant in workshops about creating more equal relationships between women and men, member of the Communications Team in community-wide fairs and awareness campaigns. He's currently studying Public Accounting and Finance and hopes to one day have his own business.
Milton and Guiselle leading a discussion group of youth at this year's Youth Forum on HIV/AIDS
at the mayor's office
The Youth Movement
(Movimiento de Jovenes- MOJUV)
The Youth Movement is a new part of the Cantera Community Center, a dynamic organization that is motivating youth to take more active leadership roles in their community. Members of MOJUV are active in various activities at Cantera, and come together to organize campaigns, forums, festivals, and other community actions.
Members of the Youth Movement at a community festival for
International Women's Day, May 2009
Communications TeamThe Communications Team focuses on community outreach and education on the local and national level.
The work of the Communications Team includes:
- Production of educational documentaries (including research in the community, interviews with local authorities, filming, and video editing) that they then use in workshops at local schools and community organizations
- Painting murals for education around: the environment, HIV, citizen participation, women's rights, non-violence, culture of peace, and Nicaraguan culture and history. The Communications Team, along with the Youth Movement, have painted more than 9 murals in Ciudad Sandino, and participated in the painting of one mural in Managua.
- Participation in marches and rallies around issues affecting the lives of youth and women, organized by the Youth Movement, Red Projoven (Cantera's youth network, including groups from other communities), and other organizations
- Creation of materials for rallies and marches, including: signs, placards, campaign slogans, and banners
- Creation of radio spots promoting social causes
- Some members of the team are members of national networks and participate in national marches, forums, and other spaces about water and medio ambiente, violencia, violencia hacia la mujer, defensa de derechos
- Workshops for youth on: photography, design of publicity materials for campaigns, design of radio spots, public speaking, and video filming and editing.
Banner for the III Municipal Walk for the Environment, March 2009
Filming the documentary about trash dumping and public health concerns in Ciudad Sandino
Mural promoting recycling and a "Clean, Green, Municipality" in Ciudad Sandino, July 2010
Roxana reading messages to the crowd at the rally for the environment, held with the "Red Projoven" network of youth from Cantera's 5 territories, outside of Metrocentro, June 2010
Environmental Brigades
The Environmental Brigade was created by youth at Cantera that wanted a space to both learn and teach about the environment. Some of the group's activities include clean-ups around Ciudad Sandino as well as demonstrations and workshops on different environmental themes. Also, the Environmental Brigade organizes an annual hike through rural parts of Ciudad Sandino to raise consciousness about the environment, including space for dialogue and reflection. This hike grows in number each year, with almost 300 people participating in last year's hike.
Reyna Garcia, a 16 year old who has been participating with the Environment Brigade all 3 years and over 6 years in Cantera, says, “It's important to me to learn and create an awareness about the environment. Through this group, I have learned to value what nature gives me as well as share it with others. Also, the brigade has helped me to alter my thinking from a local level to a global level.”
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| Isaura leading a workhop for peers on climate change |
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| Members of the 5 urban communities of Cantera, including youth from Ciudad Sandino, at a demonstration encouraging environmental conservation, June 2010 |
Training, Formation, and Research
Part of our work at the Community Center of Cantera is to provide spaces for training and formation for youth and children, and to research their reality in Ciudad Sandino. Anabell Ibarra and Oscar Mayorga are the Technical Team members who coordinate this area.
In coordination with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Commission for Women and Children, they research how problems like: HIV/AIDS, teen and child pregnancy (in Nicaragua, pregnancy in girls between the ages of 8-12 is not uncommon) and how violence affects children and youth. This research is part of an effort to have an ongoing diagnostic of Ciudad Sandino to be able to better respond to the reality of children and youth and to create programs at the Center and community action campaigns and advocacy to address issues.
Anabell and Oscar are engaged in training a team of six youth facilitators, who give workshops at the Cantera Community Center of Ciudad Sandino, and at local schools. Some topics they focus on are:
- Climate change
- Issues of solid waste
- HIV/AIDS and prevention
- Gender equality and women's right
- Teen and child pregnancy
Part of our work at the Community Center of Cantera is to provide spaces for training and formation for youth and children, and to research their reality in Ciudad Sandino. Anabell Ibarra and Oscar Mayorga are the Technical Team members who coordinate this area.
In coordination with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Commission for Women and Children, they research how problems like: HIV/AIDS, teen and child pregnancy (in Nicaragua, pregnancy in girls between the ages of 8-12 is not uncommon) and how violence affects children and youth. This research is part of an effort to have an ongoing diagnostic of Ciudad Sandino to be able to better respond to the reality of children and youth and to create programs at the Center and community action campaigns and advocacy to address issues.
Anabell and Oscar are engaged in training a team of six youth facilitators, who give workshops at the Cantera Community Center of Ciudad Sandino, and at local schools. Some topics they focus on are:
- Climate change
- Issues of solid waste
- HIV/AIDS and prevention
- Gender equality and women's right
- Teen and child pregnancy
Anabell and Oscar, along with Jesuit Volunteer, Lauren, also coordinate Crecimiento Personal (Personal Growth), which is a space created for each expression group at Cantera where groups come together monthly to reflect, dialogue, about their lives. In these spaces, youth share a common ground where they reflect on their reality, participate in activities that encourage critical thinking, and discuss different themes like self-esteem, sexuality and gender equality, and non-violence.
Spiritual Formation
Once or twice a year, youth gather with Sister Dianne for a spiritual retreat, where they are able to focus on renewal and healing with the understanding that, while we are engaged in efforts for change in our communities, a spiritual grounding is essential. In addition to these retreats, youth from Ciudad Sandino also have the opportunity to participate in national Spirituality and Leadership workshops led by the organization Capacitar, and other national workshops hosted by Cantera on topics like: Gender Equality, with the focus of creating more equitable relationships between women and men, Local Development, Working with Children, Adolescents, and Youth, and others.
Once or twice a year, youth gather with Sister Dianne for a spiritual retreat, where they are able to focus on renewal and healing with the understanding that, while we are engaged in efforts for change in our communities, a spiritual grounding is essential. In addition to these retreats, youth from Ciudad Sandino also have the opportunity to participate in national Spirituality and Leadership workshops led by the organization Capacitar, and other national workshops hosted by Cantera on topics like: Gender Equality, with the focus of creating more equitable relationships between women and men, Local Development, Working with Children, Adolescents, and Youth, and others.
