Empower Youth Transition from Orphanage to Society

“Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next.”

For our participants, the chapter of 2022 finished with a beautiful performance, directed by Yirelkys Gonzales. Student of Fine Arts at the University of Panama and former beneficiary of our program.

The synopsis of the dance theatre play was about the ups and downs everyone faces in life and how it depends on each person how they will use that experience for personal growth. The performance unites different life situations that affect young people, from discovering their emotions to feeling rejection by being different or coming from a different background, but it also shows what life is about; being able to learn, move forward, create memories and experiences.

Seeing how our efforts help young people find their way, it was a very proud moment for all of us.

At the graduation we also presented the short sum up of the yearly results:

• 61 participants graduated
• 697h of psychological support
• 323h of integral reintegration program
• 824h of mentoring
• 26h training for mentors
• 200h of school for caregivers

The Integral Reintegration Program - Transition to life, Elementor, Psychological support and our most recent tool, School for Caregivers, have been leaving positive footprints on those who participate and seeing that, has helped us stay motivated to continue supporting vulnerable young people. Thanks to each one of you; volunteers, donors and team members, our participants have open doors towards a positive future.

Thank you!

Your Tav Team

Links:

• More on our website

"Fun is just another word for learning"

How it started...In mid-2016, after months of program implementation, we could see the individual signs of progress but we felt that there was something missing. The participants knew each other well but there were no signs of new friendships which is an important part of resocialization. Learning how not to be afraid of having social interactions and building a support network is very much needed once they leave the orphanage.

After observing their interactions more closely we noticed that they were missing a fun, relaxed youthful experience that they could share.

This is how Potenciante was created, as an experience outside the orphanage environment, routine, and difficult life stories where time stops and the focus is on creating lifetime memories and friends.

When we say a fun experience we still mean an organized agenda with workshops focused on important topics but through a fun interactive way of topic delivery. The agenda is adjusted each year depending on the needs of the group, so this year's focus was on leadership, conflict resolution, assertive communication, and time management. 

In September we had Potenciate 4.0 with excellent facilitators and a beautiful venue surrounded by mountains and cloud forests - El Valle de Anton. A town located in an extinct volcano crater and perfect for creating an unforgettable experience.

To share some big important news, we signed a 5-year partnership with a shipping company Maersk where they will support the participants as mentors in our employability program and help us grow it, so we could ensure economic independence for more young people. 

The end of the year is knocking at the door, and for this year's presentation, there will be some changes. Instead of a theatre play, the participants chose to do an artistic recital of a literary work. What, where, and how we will share in the next report.

Stay tuned for more information,

Your TaV team

Links:

• http://www.transicionalavida.org