Shine-A-Light

Though murders of homeless children may be the most dramatic aspect of violence on the streets, most kids die from diseases, exposure, hunger, drug abuse, and poor hygiene. Many simple techniques, easily taught even to a kid high on glue, can keep these kids alive.

El Caracol, of Mexico City, has developed an extraordinary program to teach street youth about health, sexuality, drugs, and interpersonal relations. After street educators have gained the trust of a group of children, they take a laptop computer and Powerpoint presentation to the sewers, bridges, or abandoned buildings where the kids live. They teach a month long course emphasizing the visual arts, because El Caracol has learned that the neurological damage caused by inhalants destroys visual learning less quickly than linguistic learning. Educators present sex-education in the space where children have sex and drug education where they get high, because they have learned that physical space is vital to the memory of neurologically compromised children. The program is artistically and intellectually powerful, and has had much success in both improving the quotidian health of street kids and in motivating them to leave the street.

Shine-a-light is collaborating with El Caracol to turn their street education curriculum into a CD-ROM and web-site. In this way, street educators around Latin America can take advantage of El Caracol’s experience, use the resources they have developed, and learn directly from one of the most interesting programs in the region.

Funding for this project is pending.




		Street Education Health Project Though murders of homeless children may be the most dramatic aspect of violence on the streets, most kids die from diseases, exposure, hunger, drug abuse, and poor hygiene. Many simple techniques, easily taught even to a kid high on glue, can keep these kids alive. El Caracol, of Mexico City, has developed an extraordinary program to teach street youth about health, sexuality, drugs, and interpersonal relations. After street educators have gained the trust of a group of children, they take a laptop computer and Powerpoint presentation to the sewers, bridges, or abandoned buildings where the kids live. They teach a month long course emphasizing the visual arts, because El Caracol has learned that the neurological damage caused by inhalants destroys visual learning less quickly than linguistic learning. Educators present sex-education in the space where children have sex and drug education where they get high, because they have learned that physical space is vital to the memory of neurologically compromised children. The program is artistically and intellectually powerful, and has had much success in both improving the quotidian health of street kids and in motivating them to leave the street. Shine-a-light is collaborating with El Caracol to turn their street education curriculum into a CD-ROM and web-site. In this way, street educators around Latin America can take advantage of El Caracol’s experience, use the resources they have developed, and learn directly from one of the most interesting programs in the region. Funding for this project is pending.