discovering together–descubriendo juntos, inc.

Province of Puerto Rico
“Residencial” Manuel A. Perez, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The project ”Descubriendo Juntos Inc.” is a community-based organization.

Our mission is to promote the holistic development of children and their mothers through social and educative programs that offer them alternative ways of responding to their own needs.

The philosophy underlining Descubriendo Juntos itself is an alternative way of living, where we come together as a family of educators which seeks to nourish, to enable growth and to defend life wherever it is threatened, especially the lives of children and of their mothers.

How was the project born? The members of the team tell the story: “From a real need! We started out with the concern of the province to be at the service of the poorest, in the places in Puerto Rico where needs are the greatest. We wanted to begin a project that would have an impact on a marginalized community. An assessment of needs carried out at provincial level and visits to different “residenciales” showed that social services are more available in other places than in Manuel A. Pérez.

A “residencial” in Puerto Rico is a rather large area of units of public housing. Manuel A. Pérez is one of the largest in the island. Today it is one of the most marginalized places in our society. Those who live there are constantly exposed to abuse, both physical and verbal violence, alcoholism and drugs, and other problems….

The 120 children and their mothers who are the beneficiaries the programs offered by the Project belong to a segment of society with few economic resources and low academic achievement. 44% of the population is under 19 years, and 58% are women. The only source of income for 61% of the population is the welfare assistance offered by the Government. Most households, about 74.41%, are headed by women.

The level of education is very low, the infrastructure of the public school is deteriorating rapidly, and the number of children in each class is too large for only one teacher. 51.86% of youth over 19 have not finished secondary school. 12.30% of school-age population is out of school.

The first step consisted in analyzing the reality of the “residencial” using the “see, judge, act” methodology. We visited the different offices in the “residencial”, the public school, the homes, and attended several meetings organized by the Council of Residents of the community. Little by little we saw that those most in need were the children and their mothers. At the same time we realized that education could address these needs most directly.

Looking at the concrete reality of the “residencial” we saw that children face a difficult situation at home. Most of them live with a relative, and the absence of father figures is evident. Not only is the level of education very low, but there is a large number of children with attention-deficit syndrome. The condition of the local primary school is very poor. One has only to look at the physical plant. Class groups have at least 25 children in each. Children with special needs learn along with others.

Dysfunctional families… a school which does not help. After some months of “visit and see” we proposed to the Council of Residents and the Administration to begin an after-school tutoring program, Mondays through Thursdays, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Help is given on an individual basis, in three groups each day set up according to grade level. We offered to start a small library and to provide assistance with school projects as well. We began to work with small groups in borrowed premises. The numbers grew: from 45 in 2000 to 120 in 2003. The gift of a trailer and the permission of the primary school to set it up in a corner of the school property gave us a space that quickly became “ours”, and which today has grown with the addition of two more trailers and a patio covered with cement.

At the moment we have 120 students from grades one to six. Our team consists of nine persons: five teachers and four RSCJ. We also count on the help of volunteers who are interested in the project and see it as a new way of educating. We also count on the unconditional support of parents who have become more and more interested in the project.

Our goals are:

To begin an educative process by which mothers and children gradually become aware of their reality, recognizing their own dignity, discovering their gifts, and making their own decisions.
To favor an education that transforms through the different programs offered by the project, an education centered on the individual and social needs of each child and each mother.
That each person be opened to truth, freedom and love, and discover the sense of his/her life through this service of education.
That children and their mothers collaborate creatively to the transformation of their surroundings, and concretely, strengthen the family unit.

And our objectives….
Descubriendo Juntos Inc. seeks to offer the residents of Manuel A, Pérez an alternative way to live. It is with this aim in mind that our efforts seek to:

Promote human, academic and community formation;
Promote creativity, strengthen the taste for learning;
Discourage absenteeism from an early age;
Encourage the pedagogy of non-violence;
Collaborate with parents, teachers, university students and volunteers, in a way that promotes a solidarity that works in favor of children;
Encourage dialogue and family unity; thus preventing abuse and violence,

The project offers various services In order to achieve these goals and objectives:

The after-school program for homework and remedial work.
This “space” provides support to the student, where he/she finds encouragement and the necessary tools for learning.

The Games Library
This program is open on Fridays from 3 pm to 6 pm. It is a place where children can continue to develop motor, academic and thinking skills. Each child has a chance to build on his/her capacities for creativity and socialization, though workshops on human development, family relations, crafts, cookery and sports.

Program for mothers-educators
This program seeks to offer mothers of families opportunities for personal development as well as pedagogic tools. Some of the workshops offered are on self-esteem, human rights, values, study habits, the role of parents in the education of their children. Crafts are also offered to adults.

Program for volunteers
This program aims to promote sensitivity to and solidarity with children, and it involves persons from the local community, nearby universities and others in order to offer a concrete service to our children. At the moment Professor Carlos Ramírez from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus, works with Sister Madeline Ortíz in the coordination of the field experiences of students who are beginning their career in education.

This program offers an opportunity to give the volunteers an adequate formation so that they can serve Puerto Rican children better.

Two young girls from the community help in the project, doing office tasks and helping younger children with homework. They were part of the project up to sixth grade.

Reflection of a University student,
Oneida I. Matos Adorno
Faculty of Education, University of Puerto Rico

This field experience has been of enormous help in my personal and professional development. Without a doubt, a lived experience, the opportunity to help others, and the responsibly as a student to carry out a task are the fruit of this work.

The lack of books and school materials, the incompetence of teachers and the misuse of funds are a some of the problems in which our educational system is submerged - problems which bring corruption and which compromise our progress as a people SINCE A PEOPLE WITHOUT EDUCATION DOES NOT MAKE PROGRESS,

Sadly, the family situation of our children does not help at all the learning process. Most of the children come from dysfunctional homes where no help with schoolwork is given, since most parents do not have a high level of education– nor do they give their children the support and encouragement that they deserve. Single mothers, grandmothers caring for grandchildren, children taking care of other children, abuse, violence, alcohol, drugs; this is the atmosphere in which these children are growing up, children who have an enormous need for someone to encourage them and help them to go beyond….The number of learning problems of our children is daunting; less than half of the children with special needs will be served. If we add to all of these the illnesses and mental ailments of their parents and relatives, we find a very difficult framework in which to work as educators. These are the impressions that I have gathered during my placement in the project of education of Descubriendo Juntos Inc. The experience has helped me to set aside my prejudice against the inhabitants of the “residenciales” (or “caserios”) and has given me a new attitude towards life, since the children, in spite of the gloomy environment which surrounds them, reward you each day with a smile that lights up your soul.

The project is now in its third year, and we have been able to ascertain that it does answer the social and educative needs of the community, and that it has had positive results. We are proud to present a few:

Many children have improved their academic level since they started taking part in the project.
The change of attitude of the participants is evident. They make more use of dialogue in order to resolve conflicts.
Parents are gradually claiming ownership of the project and are becoming excited about participating in the activities of the project.
We notice an improvement in the quality of relationships between parents and children.

Finally, the news that “there is something good here” has spread. The community of the Residencial is very grateful and shows it in a concrete fashion. Those who can come and help with maintenance, as many have done recently in order to have the premises ready for the new school year.

“The changes that take place in the children have an effect in the home”, says one of the teachers. “If they change a little, so does the home. The mothers ask that we continue to offer them crafts, since these classes provide a chance for chatting and a space where they can speak freely and share their concerns.”

A project which responds to the calls of the Chapter of 2000…

This is a program of collaboration with lay persons and with other institutions. Many of the alumnae help us in different ways. We have created ties with schools, such as San Ignacio and Colegio Puertorriqueño, and institutions, such as the Museum of Art. These ties allow for learning and sharing, and above all, for stretching the horizons of those who participate in these exchanges. The project is truly one of education that transforms, a project that encourages the coming together of people form different social backgrounds.

The teachers tell us what it means for them to take part in this project. In their own words:

“We have talks on St. Madeleine Sophie and her vision of education. What we hear is what we see lived.”

“I am not going to change all the Residencial, but I have a small group that I treat with kindness. Even if only two or three, I will “save” some of these people. I know that what I am doing is bearing fruit.”

“Many children are not given affection at home. Here, we help them to learn, but above all we give them love and tenderness.”

“Our contribution is to provide emotional affection, understanding, to give the children a sense of being valued, help them to become persons.” “Children learn values. They help each other.”

“This work is very enriching. We work as a team and we receive a great formation. This is my second home.”

“I would be better paid in another school, but there teachers work for money and not for the children.” “Another job would not satisfy me although the economic benefits would be greater.”

“This is a place of welcome, where neither race nor color matter. This is what they see lived by the sisters and by us.”

“The sisters have taught us how to learn through games.”

“The children say, ‘Here no one shouts at us.” They are treated as persons. They are expected to work, but this is done with love.”

And the future? We want to continue doing what we are doing, and to do it much better:

That the project grows larger and that we have more children, no; to give better quality in our service, yes.
To reach the families
To mobilize the mothers.

And also to do something for the youth. Many of the students who they reach secondary school and who have participated in the after school program come back to help us with the younger children. We would like to have groups of adolescents in order to give them workshops on human formation.

There is another concern about the future of the project. “What if the sisters leave us and go somewhere else?” One of the teachers answers spontaneously: “I am ready to take it on”. And the sisters reply, “We are forming you so that you will carry on, with our support and with our trust.”