 |
IPODERAC (Pueblan Institute for Re-adaptation)
IPODERAC is a third-stage program for street boys. They have come off the street, then been in shelters or youth prisons in many parts of the country. Few maintain contact with their families; most stay until the age of 18, while they learn vocational skills, go to school, and learn how to live on their own.
IPODERAC tries to undermine the dependence bred by institutions and jails. As such, their major lesson is that in order to make a living, one has to work. Even the youngest children work an hour a day at their chores. The older kids work in several different programs:
- Goat farming. They learn how to care for goats, how to milk them, etc. The milk is then sold or turned into cheese or soap.
- Cheese facory. Three youth help a master cheesmaker. Cheese is sold for profit.
- Soap. Youth learn to use fat from the goatsmilk is used to make soap, also sold.
- Farm/garden. Youth organize, plant, and harvest a garden that provides much of their food.
- Woodshop. Youth learn carpentry and then sell the results.
Youth are divided by age into 6 houses of 12 children each (currently 71 of 72 beds full). Each house is run by an educator (generally recent graduates in psychology), assisted by a volunteer (generally young, some Mexican, some foreign). Life is like a family, children have chores, they eat and study together. Children attend school at the local public school, and IPODERAC attempts to integrate them into the world as much as they can: they attend parties, have girlfriends, etc.
Youth come from all over Mexico to IPODERAC through the close relations the program maintains with first level shelters. Staff revise applications and invite children to visit the site; attendence is completely voluntary, and children are welcome to leave if they wish (few or none do. They seem to realize that they have a good deal). When children arrive, an older member orients them about life at IPODERAC. Generally, discipline is not a problem (largely because of good staff and a large outdoors to run around in).
Contacto: Fernando Balli (Director Educativo)
feballi@yahoo.com
91 244 5 15 08 or 91 244 5 87 50
KM 25.5 Carr. Puebla-Atlixco
Ap. Postal 56
Atlixco
Puebla, México
|
|
