Grand Fiesta
Thank you to all the kind folk who donated and attended our second anniversary fiesta. We had superb music, delicious food and beverages, amazing silent auction and a great turn out. We are so thankful to all the donors, and especially our monthly donors who provide a solid foundation for CIELO de Amor to continue to provide quality service for the children and youth of La Concha. If you are interested in making a one-time or ongoing donation please go to our website at http://www.cielodeamor.org. Thank you so much.
Here is a link to some photos from our fiesta.
https://goo.gl/photos/AV4yAQSYKvKhLRiu9
Promoting Human Rights
This week organizations in Nicaragua celebrated the national day of persons with disabilities, promoting the rights of people with disabilities in fulfillment of the law 763. At Cielo (Contruimos, Inclusion, Educacion, Libertad y Oportunidades) de Amor we try on a daily basis to facilitate inclusion, education, freedom and opportunities for people with disabilities.
This week we provided:
- A self -propelling wheelchair for Emanuel so he could be independently mobile for the first time in his life,
- A stroller so Jorge’s parents could bring him from his rural home to Cielo de Amor for physical therapy and special education.
- Special education and physical therapy to 32 children
- A family support group sharing resources and information.
- Built a staircase from recycled tires for small children to practice on
- Physical therapy in the pool
- Vocational and academic training to youth with disabilities
- Sign language training to children and families
Take a look at our facebook page for more details and to see photos of our activities this week.
Molly Pierce, Occupational Therapist Visits from Oregon
We are delighted and so thankful to Molly for coming for her second visit to CIELO de Amor, this time taking all her vacation, so she can be with us for a month. Molly brings with her 30 years of experience. We are learning so much.
Molly has been teaching lots of new strategies to staff and families focusing on the children with cerebral palsy. She has provided dynamic hands-on training and demonstrations taking us through the sequence of gross and fine motor development. Molly incorporates fun and functional activities and strategies, increasing motivation, decreasing difficult behaviors, incorporating cognitive and communication skills and bringing squeals of delight and laughter.
Molly has such a gift with working with any child at any moment and following their needs, while teaching them a multitude of skills, working them hard without them realizing it as they are having so much fun. Molly teaches with such clarity and respect to the child, family and staff. Staff have learned about typical development and can now adjust goals and activities to the developmental level of the child, and the children are now much more active participants in their therapy.
We have seen tremendous impact in this short time, including greater alertness, new language, use of two hands together in the children, and staff implementing many new strategies with confidence and joy. The new knowledge, strategies, and activities will make a huge impact on the development of the children, and the sounds of laughter fill all of our hearts. Our gratitude to Molly is overflowing. MUCHAS GRACIAS.
See our facebook page for photos.
Success!
Four youth successfully graduated from CIELO de Amor first vocational training course in baking. Thanks to the excellent leadership of Esther Schär the youth made tremendous progress in learning a variety of skills from following a recipe, baking bread and cakes, preparing juice, to hygiene, nutrition, and customer service skills. Most importantly their self esteem was enhanced, and their families expressed deep appreciation for this opportunity. Esther also trained Miriam in strategies working with youth with disabilities, so that she can take on leadership of the project.
Jessua demonstrated enthusiasm throughout the course, always arriving early and by the end of the course he was able to make cake and bread almost independently. When asked how the course was, this was his response. “Muy bien, me gusta estar aquí, las instructoras me tratan bien, me tienen paciencia y no me discriminan, no quiero cambiar nada” “Very good, I like it here, the instructors treated me well, they had patience and did not discriminate against me, I wouldn’t change anything.”
His parents were very touched and both came to the celebration. They said “Que está muy bien porque son cosas que normalmente no son dirigidas a personas con discapacidad, pero aun así ellos están asimilando y me gusta la técnica que utilizan para enseñarles, además que les ayuda a ser un poco independientes y seguros.”
“It was very good, because they are things that are not normally provided for people with disabilities, but still they are assimilating and I like the techniques used to teach, they also helped to be a little more independent and confident.”
If you would like to see photos, Click this link to go to CIELO de Amor facebook page “Success”.
Providing quality wheelchair service
CIELO de Amor staff have been doing a fabulous job with wheelchair provision. In collaboration with several other organizations they have followed up on wheelchairs provided in 2015 in La Concha and nearby towns. Chairs were exchanged, repaired, and adjusted to fit the child as they have grown.
We have also had great satisfaction in continuing to provide wheelchairs to children who have never had a chair in nearby Nindiri. We are so thankful to Global Mobility and Futuro de Nicaragua for training us and donating tools and parts, and families in Eugene, Oregon for donating chairs for our most recent distribution. Thanks to our many generous donors who contribute to staff salaries. You are all making a world of difference to children and their families in Masaya and Carazo, Nicaragua. Muchas gracias 🙂
Click to see
Our Facebook Photo Album “Providing quality wheelchair service”
Happy 2nd Birthday
Happy Birthday to CIELO de Amor. It has been two years since we opened the classroom in La Concha. These two years have been filled with great joy, learning, new opportunities, and growth for all involved. We are so thankful to the amazing staff, caring families, fabulous children and youth, generous donors, and supportive community from around the world. Thanks to all of you.
The youth from the vocational training project put their newly learned skills into practice at the fiesta.
Cake and piñatas are always fun for everyone. FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!
Elias
All the children are making great progress. Here are some photos of Elias, who now loves to walk, sing, and his language is blossoming. These are all new skills since starting with CIELO de Amor. Jahoska, the physical therapist went with him to see the specialist who recommended he receive new orthotics, a walker to use at home, and also said he needs LESS physical therapy as he has made so much progress. Yeah Elias! Yeah team! Thanks to Lisa Germany for all these fabulous photos capturing these precious moments.
Vocational training project moves and grows
The vocational training project for youth with disabilities has moved to its new location, half a block from the central park. Thanks to a very kind and generous donor we have been able to fully furnish it with fabulous used chairs and tables, a used oven, microwave, and all the necessary baking utensils. We are now doing craft work two afternoons, and baking whole wheat bread two afternoons per week, and have two new students. Our first day was a grand success. CIELO de Amor is the only place that sells whole wheat bread in La Concha, every Monday and Thursday afternoon! Thanks to Esther Schär and Miriam for all your hard work in making this a reality. Stay posted for more exciting news.
Esther found great used items to furnish the new location
The first day with the new students in the new baking project, Esther prepared lots of visuals which is very useful for students with limited attention and for those who can not read. Esther explained about the importance of hygiene, nutrition and the steps to baking bread. Esther bought the aprons from a vocational training project in a neighboring town that teaches sewing. Great to support them and vice versa. We also welcomed family members to participate.
Most of the students had never baked bread, let alone tried whole wheat bread. We made whole wheat and white bread and did a survey about which they preferred and why. Everyone liked both. Nothing quite like bread fresh from the oven with cheese and tomato. Esther trained Miriam how to make bread and in strategies to use with the youth with disabilities. She is learning quickly.
The day was a great success. Everyone was motivated to learn, the bread was delicious, and there was a general atmosphere of positive excitement. Stay posted for updates.
New classroom location, successful
Our new classroom location is proving to have some advantages. It is much quieter and hence the children are more focused. The house is a little more spacious and we hope to create a fun and useful play structure soon. In the future we will find ways to include other children. Yeah!
Adriana and Diana, both with autism adapted remarkably quickly to the new location and showed much better attention.
The new house has enough space for our small groups of children, with families and staff.
We have rearranged some of our groups to accommodate new children. It turns out that Angie and Raquel are cousins and so were quite comfortable together. Gilmara is our newest and youngest member. So valuable to be able to provide services at a young age.
With the help of a local teacher, Fernando, we are trying out some new strategies to support literacy.
Next project will be to create some fun play structures and smooth walkways for the children who use walkers
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