After the launch of the program “United by the Sport and the Healthy School life”, Fútbol Más continues to strengthen its presence in Ecuador, with a stage of diagnosis, and linkage to the educational communities of the network of schools of Faith and Joy, laying the groundwork for the next phase of training that will be developed during the next few months.

During January, the team of Fútbol Más, led by Mishel Choquepuma, carried out a stage of diagnosis participatory in five educational institutions of the city of Guayaquil, working directly with management teams and teachers. This process enabled an in depth understanding of how to live the school life at each institution, as well as to recognize the conditions of infrastructure and the major challenges facing the educational communities in the day-to-day.

In parallel, we started the building links with the teaching teamsthrough a series of milestones home made in mid-January in each of the schools. These meetings marked the first approach of the teachers and the methodology of Fútbol Más, in spaces developed after the working day and with the participation of teachers in various subjects, such as physical education, mathematics, music, among others.

The first milestone was conducted in the college Esteban Cordero, where, despite the difficult weather conditions, the team was able to adapt the space and develop the training day. In that instance, the teachers learned the history of Fútbol Más, the sense of the return of the organization to Ecuador and the principles of its methodological approach. The reception was highly positive, with the emphasis on openness, willingness and enthusiasm of the educational teams with the dynamic proposals. One of the plants used in these meetings was the “Light of the Emotions”, that allowed significant changes between the emotional state and initial the close of each day. As expressed by the participants, dynamics, such as the exchange of Green Card generated moments of laughter, confidence and connection between colleagues, impacting directly on the climate of the formative spaces.

“When you showed Green Cards between them (the teachers), and you could see the change, and all laughed and shared. Those things to them and they have meant a lot to them,” says Mishel Choquepuma, Head of Project.

Next step: in-person training in April

The continuity of the program includes a new phase of training face-to-face intensive during the month of April, which will take place over six days and it will count with the participation of 25 teachers of Physical Education from the five schools initials, but 12 establishments of the network Faith and Joy in Guayaquil.

The training will be held at the sports facilities of the Unidad Educativa Fiscomisional Fe y Alegríathanks to the support of its director, Victor Garciawho will provide the space for the development of the conference.

The content will address topics such as rights, culture of peace, gender and other axes linked to the well-being and school lifeby strengthening the capabilities of teams of teachers to integrate the sport as a tool for education and social transformation.

All of the places that we have been able to work have special things. The games and how different do they generate a connection super positive. From my experience in Arequipa (Peru) to Guayaquil, I see that magic exists. All over the world learns of those moments that the methodology applied in pitch generates,

add Mishel.

Fútbol Más is especially grateful for the support of The Being Initiative and Fe y Alegría, strategic partners who have made possible the continuation of this initiative in Ecuador, reaffirming the commitment conjunction with the promotion of safe learning environments, inclusive and oriented to the integral well-being. In the same way, to mention to Jorge Bustamante, Enrique Castro, Luis Murillo, and the sister Narcisa Saldarriaga, who are part of the senior management teams of schools that are part of the program and have given all the facilities for the development of this initial stage.