Alcohol abuse prevention workshop in CODENI

As part of the prevention activities we are carrying out with the participants, we received a visit from the Modelo Group in February. The Modelo Group is the largest producer of beer in Mexico, most famous for Corona. The workshop they gave to our teenagers focused on the prevention of alcohol abuse.

The activity covered different aspects of the risks of alcohol for the human body, the importance of drinking with moderation, and the risks of underage drinking, and was presented with a dynamic that encouraged participation and questions from the teens.

Cheers to the Modelo Group for being a socially responsible business!

Luis Delgadillo & the Keliguanes in CODENI

On February 1st the most renowned local music group for children in Guadalajara, Luis Delgadillo and the Keliguanes presented their interactive concert “A carnival of songs” in Casa CODENI. The tour seeks to promote children’s rights to listen to music and fairytales through an interactive-participatory concert. 

The act includes fantastic characters from fairy tales, legends and the groups’ imagination, who dance and play games with the audience throughout the performance.

The participants of CODENI and the volunteers which attended the show were able to interact with the artists through a fun-filled, educational experience.

Those who were unable to attend anxiously await the next show.  

We hope they return to Casa CODENI so

on! 

New gym construction begins in Casa CODENI

With funding from Grupo 100, a local group of architects and engineers, in February we began with the construction of the CODENI Gym to increase the interest and participation of our teenagers. The gym will also provide new opportunities for fitness related “life projects” and help prevent them from experimenting with drugs, crime and gangs, common scenarios in their daily lives.

Weights and cardio machines will be donated by benefactors from Vectra Forum in Calgary, Canada.

The project will include Zumba classes, aerobics, weightlifting and boxing to compliment the existing educational, artistic and other recreational activities in Casa CODENI.  

We hope to begin activities in May!

“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!