Help working children into school

We were delighted to partner again with the organisation School in a Bag to provide school bags and equipment to 150 children at CENIT. The school bags were filled with essential items such as pens, pencils, notebooks and maths sets etc. This time we included a small hygiene kit as well complete with facemask, soap, towel, toothbrush and toothpaste. After a long and difficult period where the pandemic severely interrupted learning, it is great to know the children are back in school and have all the items they need.

Due to the pandemic, it has been a while since anyone from ViaNinos visited CENIT, but we are pleased to report that Vero and Albrecht (ViaNinos Germany) will be heading over to visit soon. So we will be able to provide more of an update next time.

We were concerned to hear earlier this year that CENIT had lost funding to provide lunches for the children and decided to step in and help for the rest of this academic year. This means the children will continue to get a hot, healthy lunch each day, which improves, nutrition, attendance, concentration and academic performance. It also gave CENIT some time to secure alternative funding for lunches for the next school year.

There have been various events at CENIT over recent months. For example, on 12th June CENIT hosted an event for International Day for the Eradication of Child Labour, in order to generate awareness and show that children should be our priority, and we must work hard to secure the right to play and study. The slogan for the day was, “Let’s work together, to eradicate child labor!”

Earlier the same month, CENIT celebrated their 31st anniversary and organised an event together with other civil society organisations as well as representatives from central and local government and offered children the opportunity to participate and stand up for their rights.

Children enjoyed a photography workshop run by volunteers as part of the academic support programme whereby children participate in a variety of activities every Friday.

Another popular day on the CENIT calendar is Children’s Day, which is enjoyed by all. As they say at CENIT, ‘if we could view the world through the eyes of the child, the world would be a happy place!’

Thank you for supporting this project which brings so much joy to so many children in Quito, Ecuador.