child of hope........colochon
Hi, everyone! Greetings from Empowerment International, Nicaragua.Oh my, the kids are fabulous!! When I go with Kathy into the barrio it feels rather like being the pied piper. Children appear from all directions. They love having their photograph taken & are thrilled to view it on the review screen. Many are quiet, even shy, but others are intent on entertaining us with cartwheels, hand- stands, swinging from trees, dancing. They are sweet natured gentle souls, every last one of them, with beautiful smiles. Poverty of spirit is not in evidence among them. Delight & joy in life is.
This is Colochon. He's 15 years old. Was eager to meet him my first day here as he'd already stolen my heart via photos and details of his history in Kathy's stream. His photos do not do him justice. He is stunningly hand-some, like a young greek god, & seemingly un-aware of the impact of his looks.
He lives in the barrio with his mother, who works full time 28 days a month for which she earns $100, and his sister Marguerite, who completed high school within EI's education programme and is now a part-time outreach worker-in-training for EI, making home visits to the families who are participants in the programme. She is also studying computer science. An EI success story by any measure. The father died 18 months ago. He was the at-home parent so now the kids are alone most of the time. Colochon is considered high-risk to drop out of school due to both the negative influence of his non-participating peers and his desire to work and earn his own money now that he is of age to do so. But he is an enthusiastic participant in EI's photography programme, from the first day he picked up a camera he showed fine instinctive talent, andKathy's hope is that this new found passion will inspire him to stay in school.
colochon's photography & those of the other participating kids here
explore 229.
child of hope........colochon
Hi, everyone! Greetings from Empowerment International, Nicaragua.Oh my, the kids are fabulous!! When I go with Kathy into the barrio it feels rather like being the pied piper. Children appear from all directions. They love having their photograph taken & are thrilled to view it on the review screen. Many are quiet, even shy, but others are intent on entertaining us with cartwheels, hand- stands, swinging from trees, dancing. They are sweet natured gentle souls, every last one of them, with beautiful smiles. Poverty of spirit is not in evidence among them. Delight & joy in life is.
This is Colochon. He's 15 years old. Was eager to meet him my first day here as he'd already stolen my heart via photos and details of his history in Kathy's stream. His photos do not do him justice. He is stunningly hand-some, like a young greek god, & seemingly un-aware of the impact of his looks.
He lives in the barrio with his mother, who works full time 28 days a month for which she earns $100, and his sister Marguerite, who completed high school within EI's education programme and is now a part-time outreach worker-in-training for EI, making home visits to the families who are participants in the programme. She is also studying computer science. An EI success story by any measure. The father died 18 months ago. He was the at-home parent so now the kids are alone most of the time. Colochon is considered high-risk to drop out of school due to both the negative influence of his non-participating peers and his desire to work and earn his own money now that he is of age to do so. But he is an enthusiastic participant in EI's photography programme, from the first day he picked up a camera he showed fine instinctive talent, andKathy's hope is that this new found passion will inspire him to stay in school.
colochon's photography & those of the other participating kids here
explore 229.