- ACOREMA breaks new ground -
Landau January 4, 2021.
Good and bad news reached SPHENISCO from Peru shortly before the end of the year. The bad first. The leader of the project "Queremos vivir - we want to live" Milagros Ormeño B. and almost her whole family was infected with Covid 19. The courses were very different. Milagros herself was severely affected for more than 2 weeks. However, she did not have to be hospitalized, but her mother-in-law did. In the meantime, she and the affected family members, including her parents, have survived the worst. Her little daughter Mikayla and her husband Helbert were not infected.
The good news concerns the project "Queremos vivir - we want to live". In Peru, too, children could not go out to play with their friends as a result of the pandemic. Of course, they were also unable to attend school. This is a very difficult time for parents and children. Many do not have the necessary technological tools, such as laptops, cell phones, and the Internet, to be able to use programs like "Zoom" or "Meet". In addition, some families have two or more children who have classes at the same time.
It was difficult for teachers and parents to adjust to this new reality. However, the Ministry of Education promoted the "I learn at home" initiative. This made it possible to teach at different times via radio, television and the Internet. These distance learning sessions attempted to teach indispensable learning content. The emergency program was complemented by sessions of emotional support for families.
In this new and difficult scenario, ACOREMA continued environmental education in schools in completely new ways, in coordination with school principals and teachers to educate about nature and the environment. First, the education initiative was presented to the school board and teachers via "Zoom". Information was presented and strategies were developed that were compatible with the realities of families.
Children responded incredibly positively to the environmental education offerings, including the youngest (ages 3 to 6). The response showed that amazing things can be accomplished in homeschooling with few resources. This is true even under the extremely difficult conditions of the pandemic, with so many negatives. It was especially gratifying that even parents joined the initiative by acting with their children, making the message heard and repeated. Once again, ACOREMA was able to overcome obstacles and achieve so much with great commitment and flexibility.
Materials were developed by ACOREMA for the web portals of the municipalities. Virtual infographics were used primarily to provide information about marine pollution. The campaign focused on the issue of "plastic in the sea". A problem that has been enormously exacerbated in the "new reality" by the mass use of masks and gloves that subsequently end up in the sea.
Currently, in the summer months, ACOREMA is focusing on the design of a new brochure, planning and coordinating actions for the new school year that begins in March.
Of course, Señora Milagros and her small team unfortunately could not realize some projects. Currently, the group is working to make up for this, conditions permitting. However, under the conditions of the pandemic, it was and is not possible, for example, to carry out the vacation workshops for the children of fishermen in Tambo de Mora (Chincha) and San Andrés (Pisco). ACOREMA hopes that the workshops can be held again in 2022. To compensate for the loss, ACOREMA is working on alternative offerings.
W.K.
translated by Gabriele Knauf
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