As the Ethics Education training was held in Matanzas between July 14th and 18th, on July 27th Liset Echenique González gave the first workshop to 39 children from the Juanelo community located in the Municipality of San Miquel del Padrón outside of Havana. The workshop took place at the San José Church as part of a catechism program. Liset, who participated in the training in Matanzas, is Catholic and works for the Félix Varela Cultural Center.

Serious problems of violence and alcoholism have been identified in this community. These problems affect the behavior of many of the young children that attend activities organized by the Catholic Church. With these issues in mind, this first workshop was given, part of a series of workshops to be held throughout August: two events with children and one with adults.

The workshop began by creating an environment of familiarity and positive attention among the children. Notebooks were provided to them and they discussed the importance of having a diary or personal notebook where our thoughts, reflections, successes, joys and sorrows can be written. The logic from Module 1 was used and reflections on responsibility, respect, empathy and reconciliation were presented to the children. An assessment of participant’s learning experiences and an evaluation on the impact of the training was conducted with the question, “What last word describes this experience?” Many answers were repeated and included: joyful, happy, content, amazed, good, I had fun, I learned, interesting…

Together with Liset, Sister Maria del Socorro and Dr. Raúl Gil Sánchez facilitated the workshop. In her report, Liset thanks the Arigatou Foundation and the GNRC for the opportunity of having received the training and for the use and philosophy of Learning to Live Together. 

Report by Liset Echenique, edited by Mercedes Román.