“When Home is the Street”

This year CODENI collaborated with the International Center for Research and Policy on Childhood (CIESPI for its initials in Portuguese, www.ciespi.org.br), in the production of a documentary about youth who have lived on the streets in Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. The film was produced by Brazilian filmmaker Thereza Jessouroun, and paid for by The Fetzer Institute.

The documentary was first shown in Fetzer’s Global Gathering in Assisi, Italy on September 20, 2012. In Mexico the film premiered at the National Forum of the Mexican Alliance of Street Populations on November 16th. In this event, one of the film’s main protagonists from Mexico City commented on the problems of discrimination and human rights violations faced by street populations and answered questions after the showing.

The Fetzer Institute (www.fetzer.org) engages with people from around the world to foster awareness of the power of love, forgiveness and compassion in our global community.  This documentary was produced as a nonprofit project with the purpose of promoting a change of consciousness towards street populations, by showing how love and forgiveness have impacted their lives.

The film’s trailer can be viewed through the following link and copies are available upon request at CODENI. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tln2KL81oYo

CODENI Market

On October 25 CODENI held its traditional market day in which the children and parents with outstanding participation during the semester are invited to purchase clothing, shoes, household goods and toys donated to the organization with “CODENI pesos.”

Each participant receives CODENI coupons which they exchange for products in each of the different stands set up in Casa CODENI. 

The event also included the raffle of a cell phone which was received in the donations. The winner was 17-year-old, Laura Juan Rosalio.

We were fortunate to have the help of an excellent team of volunteers from different schools who set up and worked the stands during the event.

Congratulations to all the participants and thanks to the volunteers!

CODENI Day of the Dead Party

On November 1, CODENI hosted a party to celebrate Day of the Dead and bring children, teens and parents together to enjoy an evening of dancing, refreshments and fun.

The party had lights and sounds, compliments of DJ Dany and DJ XOXO who created an atmosphere enjoyed by participants of all ages and full dance floor in the central patio of Casa CODEN for three hours straight.

Keeping with the tradition initiated last year, the dress code was “costumes”. Our super volunteer, Erandi, accompanied by a few teens, opened a make-up stand to prepare participants for the costume contest.

 The contest had over 30 participants. In the end, Panchito, the baby witch and Ramis were deemed the winners with applause and cheers from the crowd.

  

CODENI participant wins first prize in statewide sculpture contest

Nine-year-old Duilio Mejíaz won first prize in the Contest of Young Sculptors in the October Festivals in Guadalajara.

During the month of October professional sculptors incorporated a child or teen into their work teams, teaching them the trade of sculpting and guiding them in the production of his or her own piece.

Duilio joined the team of local sculptors Ulises Sánchez and Andrés Arámbula, who accompanied him in the production of the winning piece: Cara de elefante.

The awards ceremony took place on November 3^rd in Plaza Liberación, where Duilio was recognized with a diploma, toys and an awards dinner.

Duilio’s mentors, Andrés and Ulises, also won second and third place in the professionals’ category of the competition.

Congratulations to all three sculptors!