What is the biggest problem in La Victoria right now?
Rosani: The biggest problems are violence and drug use. Relationships among neighbors have changed as a result. Many people have moved away. They couldn't cope. But there are still many social organizations here. Doing social work now requires a lot of strength and perseverance. But we're not giving up. We're carrying on.
Valentina: There are gangs fighting over territory. This affects everyone. This community has always been very humane and united, but individualism has taken over more and more space. Solidarity is being lost.
What distinguishes a Red CEC kindergarten from other kindergartens?
Valentina: We're not just a kindergarten. We work with families, with the entire community. We don't want to be an island. Other kindergartens stay in their own premises, for safety reasons. But we want to take to the streets. We work with the entire community and don't want to hide from the problems.
Rosani: People believe in us, and we keep going. We don't hide. We go out with the children, demonstrate for peace and nonviolence. We want to be visible. And I think that's having an impact. We're very well-respected here.
Do you also visit the families at home?
Rosani: Very often. If we see that a child isn't well, we visit the family. We ask what's going on if a child doesn't come. We also help when families need something. We don't have the money to support them financially. But we can go to the city administration and help them get state support.
Is there a xenophobic mood because of the violence problems?
Rosini: There are people who say violence has increased with immigration. But most say: The migrants are just as poor as we are. They work just as hard as we do. There's no difference. Most are well integrated here. But yes, there are also migrants who take advantage of our openness. Narcos, for example, have bought land and rent out very small houses to other migrant families for a lot of money. They exploit their plight.
How does networking help municipal kindergartens?
Rosini: Networking is a huge benefit. It strengthens us and our work. We're currently working on gender equality, environmental protection, and peace education. We're considering how best to incorporate them into our educational methods. There's a committee for each of the three topics, to which each of the twelve Red CEC kindergartens sends a representative. We learn a great deal from each other.
For example, how can you teach environmental protection to such young children?
Rosini: For example, we go to a public square and collect the garbage. The children should learn to protect public spaces and set an example for the adults. We also tell them that other people have little water and that they should use it sparingly. They learn to take responsibility.
What do you do if a child tells you that his dad often hits his mom?
Rosini: We try to distract the child a bit and at the same time investigate what's going on in the family. Unfortunately, we can't do much. But maybe we visit the family and ask: Hello, how are you? Your child has been very nervous lately. Or sad. What could be the reason for this?
Is it sometimes necessary to inform the child protection agency?
Valentina: Yes, if the situation at home is very dire, it's sometimes necessary. People get scared. They think their child will be taken away. Sometimes they distance themselves. That's very bad, and we want to avoid that. The families should know: We only want to support them, not accuse them. But we are educators, not psychologists. We can't be responsible for everything. But that's often expected.
Rosini: It's the state that has to protect the children and respond to difficult situations. We have to work with them. But if families stop sending their children here, that's very sad. That's why we have to be very careful in such cases.
This is complicated…
Rosini : Yes, very much so. Taking the child away from the family isn't a solution either. Children's homes aren't good either; they're often worse than the child's own family.
What can you do?
In many cases, all we can do is make our own room a place of peace. A place where the child feels comfortable. Where they can play and enjoy themselves. The children are here from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That's a long time.
Are there children who don't want to go home?
Valentina: Not the little ones; they want to go to their mom. But with the older ones, that's definitely the case. Some children are mistreated by their parents. Or they're given a cell phone so they don't disturb the family. We have a child who lives alone in a room with his mother, and his mother works shifts. When she works the night shift, the child is left alone. Locked in.
How can the violence be curbed? The police aren't helping?
Rosini: No, the police don't help. I think it's important to speak up, to call a spade a spade. Last year, there was a shooting nearby in which three young people died. A 13-year-old girl we knew well was also involved. She was active in youth work. But we won't let ourselves be intimidated. We continue to take to the streets – with the children. Despite all the fear. We need to remain visible; we need to be heard. The families support us. We are very respected. We don't operate behind closed doors. We are part of this community.
*Network of Community Education Centers/Red de Centros de Educación Comunitaria