DCF Activities February 2024

Queridos amigos,

In this newsletter, several people from the community in Pifo – Ecuador will share an update with you on how things have been going since December. Together we will tell you about the following activities:

1. A stronger community with stronger relationships: different community leaders participated in training to reduce violence and create different types of relationships in the neighborhoods    

2. More skills and possibilities for parents to raise their children safely and lovingly:

New initiatives to improve the economic position of families

3. Recover safe spaces for the children, so they can play and have fun: Children took the streets of Pifo during a street movie event

   
   

   

However, first, Manuel will give you a short introduction:

Hello everyone! I'm Manuel, I'm 9 years old and I want to tell you what it's like to live in Ecuador. Sometimes, I feel that violence surrounds us like a giant shadow that makes us all feel scared. My friends and I just want to play and learn, but sometimes it's hard when there is so much fear. But I also believe that we can all do something. I want to tell you about the "community plan": our special mission to make our community the best place possible to live. In the plan, we all decide together how to make the parks more fun, the streets safer and many other improvements. Will you please help us?

1 Building Communities Free of Violence in Pifo: Alternative Proposals to Violence

"Hello, I'm Esteban Cuichan, a volunteer and participant of the DCF youth club. I found Participating in the Alternative Practices to Violence course interesting and I think that this type of course should be shared with more individuals so that young people are more open to this type of space , and can generate a new reality within the present and future of this beautiful country".

The workshop on Alternative Proposals to Violence (PAV) was held on 13 and 20 January, with the participation of 20 people from the community of Pifo. The objective was to train facilitators to address violent practices and explore alternative conflict resolution strategies. This project, implemented in several countries, seeks to create a network of volunteers in Ecuador who share this methodology in their community. The group reflected on how we can relate differently so that we can build peace. The training was very well received and will be continued with more leaders and neighborhoods.

2 Community Tourism: Between Mountains, Fishing and Artisanal Cheeses in Coturco

Taking into account that Pifo is strategically located between the airport, jungle, coast and mountains and lots of tourists pass by daily, a group of families are preparing to venture into the world of community-based tourism, transforming their homes into welcoming accommodations for travelers from all over the world.

Nestled among majestic mountains and in the vicinity of the imposing hill of Cuturco, these houses offer unique experiences like fishing and artisanal cheese tasting. In this corner of the world, hospitality is intertwined with nature, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in scenic beauty, share stories around campfires and indulge in the authentic flavors of rural life.

In addition, in the last few months, some community members worked on a catalogue of products and services that the community is offering, including typical food and traditional clothing.

3 Cinema under the Stars: The Magic of Community Cinema

At the crossroads of culture and community, the luminous idea of a travelling community cinema arises. This project not only offers films but also sparks a light of connection and dialogue between neighbours. Travelling from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, this nomadic cinema becomes a space of connection and reflection, weaving shared stories. Under the starry sky, last Saturday, the mobile cinema not only offered films but also a space where laughter and conversations intertwine, weaving a more vibrant and resilient community network.

Thank you!!!

Would you like to help Manuel and the other children and adolescents to live a life without violence in Ecuador? For every dollar/euro you donate Wilde Ganzen in the Netherlands will donate another 50 cents. For example, if you donate $100, they will add $50, so your donation will end up to $150 in total!

At this moment we are 9500 Euro short for 2024… If you would like to be part of this project in order to create together with the community in Pifo a different reality, where children can grow up in peace, please let us know and/or make a donation. You find our bank details below!

A big thank you to all our generous donors and a special one to Cape Capital for their recent generous donation! Thank you for keeping us going!

Last but not least, please find enclosed the second video made by our team and Cape Capital about the work of DCF, we hope you will like it. https://www.voicesofquito.com/repaying-kindness

Alex, Barbara, Nicoline and Helma

Danielle Children's Fund

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How to support the work of DCF?

With your contribution, you help us enormously to make this important work possible and continue. You can help us with payment via:

You can help us with a payment via:

IBAN: NL23ABNA0621779652

Daniëlle Children’s Fund

Noordwijk

BIC: ABNANL2A