KEEPING THE KIDS OFF THE STREETS

Many children and adolescents who migrated from Venezuela to La Guajira were unable to attend school, and their parents unable to participate in legal work. As a result, parents needed to work the streets recycling from very early dark mornings to late in the day. Children are left alone wandering the streets looking for food to eat and work to help their families survive.

VENtanas created a program to educate through sports, forming a soccer school were children are kept busy 4 afternoons a week in a field were they feel safe and inside their community. These children and adolescents seek purpose and the need to fulfill their time. Our mission is to encourage them to be children and deter them from the risks and crime of the streets.

Currently, 70 children are members of the soccer academy, were they learn discipline, respect, commitment, hard work and the importance of community. They have a space they helped built, where they can dream on the possibilities of tomorrow.