IBBY Children in Crisis: Mexico

IBBY Mexico received approval for funding under the Children in Crisis programme for children affected by the earthquakes in Mexico in September 2017.

IBBY Mexico established a work plan with the Ministry of Culture in the states of Oaxaca (Espinal and Juchitán) and Morelos in order to work with teachers, whose schools were damaged, providing them the tools to support the children and teenagers through stories. In five towns of Morelos they made an alliance with “ La Jugarreta”, an association which is dedicated to the promotion of reading. More recently IBBY Mexico has started to organize a Bunko in San Gregorio, Xochimilco. 

Before beginning the work in different communities, thirty mediators took a workshop given by a specialist in psychological containment from the Universidad Autónoma de México (Autonomous University of Mexico). IBBY Mexico organised a workshop called “Metaphors, doors and windows" given by the Ministry of Culture. 

This workshop was repeated in each state to to train mediators in the techniques of emotional containment through reading and books. The activities served children from the age of 3 to 15 years and were held in the street and sometimes in the atrium of a chapel since much of the school infrastructure was destroyed.

A more detail report and photos from July 2018 can be read here.