Ensuring Academic Retention in Venezuela

By Elser Llanos, Vice President of Programs.

When schools reopened in Venezuela after the pandemic, children would not attend school. Some fainted during the civic ceremony usually held every Monday and Friday, others were sleepy during classes and still others, returned home early because they “felt sick and dizzy.” Sister Miriam Bonilla explained these challenges with attendance and engagement the first time I visited Venezuela in June 2022. The background of all those situations with the students were related to a lack of sufficient nutrition.

At the end of 2022, A Chance In Life partnered with three local organizations in Venezuela that served children and young people. These organizations are managed by the Josephine Sisters, a Catholic religious organization that has been serving children and youth over the last 30 years in Venezuela. A Chance In Life’s partnership with Venezuelan local organizations was driven by the acute nutritional problems that affect children and youth in the country. According to the 2022 FAO report on Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean, Venezuela had the highest rate of undernourishment, 22.9 percent, which in absolute numbers was 6.5 million people in 2021. This is by far the highest rate of undernourishment in South America.

Our Partners at Colegio Josefino María Inmaculada in Tinaquillo, Venezuela, offer lunch for students daily to improve nutritional outcomes and school attendance.

A Chance In Life’s partnership with the Josephine Sisters has enabled 1,124 children and youth from ages 6 to 19 to receive nutritional support and continue their education, ensuring retention in the schools. Our Partners in Venezuela contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These three programs target SDG 2 Nutrition and SDG 4 Education.

At A Chance In Life we care about our Partners, and we understand that building strong and lasting partnerships with local organizations will result in greater improvements to the lives of at-risk children and youth. Our commitment inspired my latest trip to Venezuela. I offered trainings on child protection policies and introduced Results-Based Management (RBM) and financial management to 47 staff members across the three programs. The main outcome of the training was the development of a Child Protection Policy based on international standards.

Students at Colegio Sagrada Familia in Los Teques learn technical skills, so they can access jobs or found their own businesses after completing high school. This resource allows the students to contribute to their families and continue their education.

I wanted to share more about the lasting impact of this training from some of the participants:

Grateful for these arduous days of training and work in the preparation of the Child Protection Policy. I am left with an accumulation of knowledge, wonderful experiences, tools and with a first draft of our Child Protection Policy, in the same way I am left with the commitment to continue working on improving it, perfecting it, disseminating it, implementing it, and evaluating it in our organization to provide safer spaces and environments for our children and adolescents. Ms. Adilia Colmenares, Academic Director, Colegio Josefino María Inmaculada, Tinaquillo, Venezuela.

The training was very fruitful because, as a School Child Protection Officer, I feel responsible for the children, and somehow, I lacked information on how to protect them. I feel committed and motivated to continue learning to offer a safer environment for the children and youth we educate. I am grateful to A Chance In Life for the opportunity of this training. Ms. Emma Abreu, Child Protection Officer, Colegio Sagrada Familia, Los Teques, Venezuela.

For me, the training was very useful, because I see the great need to stress that no type of abuse, violence or discrimination against children should be tolerated or let go unnoticed. It filled me with hope, but above all it filled me with satisfaction to learn that there are laws that offer protection to the little ones so that their rights are respected. Mr. Tirzo Guzman, School Manager, Colegio Josefino María Inmaculada, Tinaquillo, Venezuela.

It was a training with great professionalism, quality, and efficiency. We have managed to design a Child Protection Policy and that, for our institution and religious congregation is a very important achievement. I feel committed to providing our children and youth with a safe place. We have also learned a lot about what it is like to work from a results-based management approach when it comes to carrying out development interventions. I appreciate the generosity of A Chance In Life for investing in its Partners to provide a more impactful work. Sister Brenda Rodriguez, Josephine Sister, Colegio Sagrada Familia, Los Teques, Venezuela.

I found the Child Protection training excellent because it nurtured me with new knowledge. It helped me understand many things, for example how to better treat my grandson and to educate him in the right way without using violent language. I think it is essential that other parents also know about these topics. Mr. Luis Colmenares, Legal guardian, Los Teques, Venezuela.

The training was conducted with great professional content, the themes and pedagogy seemed excellent because it was a significant learning based on teamwork, and the drafting of a child protection policy for our institution was possible to everyone who contributed from different fields. The challenge now is to implement it. With infinite gratitude to A Chance In Life for the time dedicated and the information provided. Ms. Paola Sánchez, Educational Psychologist, Colegio Josefino María Inmaculada, Tinaquillo, Venezuela.

Author
Elser Llanos

Ensuring Academic Retention in Venezuela

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