Fight Poverty: Educate Women in Panama

May we introduce: Fourth CAPTA Class July 2011

On July 4^th, 2011 a group of 22 women started the CAPTA program from Fundacion Calicanto. This courses group includes 9 women from the district Santa Ana, 3 from El Chorillo, 2 from each Las Cumbres, Curundu, Arraijan and Calidonia and 1 each from San Felipe and La Chorrera.

Thanks to our GlobalGiving donors, two of this women were able to enroll this class!!  We want to invite all our donors to keep on helping so we can achieve our goal of 20 Women sponsored by GlobalGiving donations to be able to graduate from CAPTA.  Talk to your friends about this program that is changing so many lives!!

Edilsa, one of the participants, says that she is thrilled about the course, and until now what she has really liked the Emotional Intelligence module, because it has given her the tools to understand and to deal with pain.

The program initiated in 2005, with one to two courses annually has become increasingly popular. In 2010, for the first time 3 courses graduated and this year 7 courses will graduate!! Further, since July 2011, the inscription to the CAPTA course is now open all year and no longer limited to seminal periods. Women wishing to apply can do so directly at the main office of Fundacion Calicanto (see our Website).

We congratulate the Fourth CAPTA Class July 2011 and wish them all the best!

Links:

• CAPTA Video-English!

On May 13th and because of generous donations, 13 women sponsored by GlobalGiving and the donations received during the April's Challenge and other 7 women sponsored by other friends of Fundacion Calicanto, began the CAPTA Course to change their lives and break out of poverty.  We are still receiving donations to complete our goal of 20 women sponsored by GlobalGiving, our next course begins on July 4th.

Alejandra, Amparo, Anastacia, Ariadna, Claudia, Dalila, Esthele, Gladys M, Gladys L, Janet, Katia, Kilmara, Kristel, Miriam, Silvia, Theila, Vielka, Virginia, Xiomara and Zoraya, were welcomed by Calicanto’s team and received their scholarship certificates.  

All of this happened after weeks of recruiting, and choosing the students by interviews with our psychologists and instructors.  The women were selected through personal interviews by the program psychologists primarily designed to gauge willingness to change.  At the opening ceremony each woman is given a uniform and a “scholarship certificate” which states the direct cost of the course ($1,000).  Included in the scholarship is a small stipend of $5 per week to cover transportation costs.  

Then, they were ready to begin the "Fundamental Cycle":  The group met five days per week for eight hours per day during four weeks.  Most of the time is spent in group sessions led by instructors, with weekly one-on-one meetings with the psychologist to address individual issues. The core personal development workshop sessions use role playing to teach communication skills, team work, resolution of interpersonal disputes and emotional intelligence. The life skills sessions teach health and hygiene, first aid, voice and diction and personal finance.  

By the time they enter the vocational training phase, they have formed a team, and we believe this mutual support is not only critical to their success in hotel school and in their new jobs, but is forming the foundation of an important community network.