Waking up slightly earlier than usual, exercising your arms a little to move the folding KIND table at the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (COMAR), and at the last minute moving the stand a few meters from the originally assigned place—these are some of the steps of preparation that KIND staff at our Tapachula, Mexico office took to begin activities for the International Day of the Girl, which took place on October 11 at the community center (CEDECO) in Tapachula, Chiapas.
As in other events, the KIND Tapachula team was at the foot of the cannon from the first hour, setting up the stand and preparing the space, alongside the other local and international organizations, shelters, and government agencies that work in this region of the Southern Border of Mexico and participated in the event. Many partners came together to make the event happen: the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Save the Children, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Plan International, Fray Matías de Córdova Human Rights Center, UNHCR, IOM, Scalabrinianas Mission with Migrants and Refugees (SMR), La Jugarreta, Reading and Pedaling, Initiatives for Human Development (IDEHU), Proyecto Faro, Temporary Educational Stay for Children on the Move (NNIMO), National Institute of Public Health, and the Hospitality and Solidarity Shelter.
Although the start of the activities was scheduled for 10 in the morning, children and families began to arrive several minutes before and it did not take long for children to approach our stand with curiosity, to find out what we had prepared.
At the start time we began to invite children to participate in the two activities that we designed for this day: Memorama and Lottery of Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents. The play spaces were quickly filled and stayed full for the duration of the event. With the spontaneous character and diversity that characterizes them, children and adolescents shouted “Bingo!”, others “Lottery!” and some simply “Now!”, raising their hands once they had completed their squad, marking the rights that one of us had previously shouted depending on the card that came out of the deck.
After they participated in the games and learned about their rights, it was the turn to spin the roulette wheel so that, according to the right that the arrow marked, they gave an everyday example of it. When answering, they could choose between a water cylinder, a mandala coloring book, or a stress ball to take as a gift, as well as a natural juice to refresh themselves. The atmosphere was festive from start to finish, the interactions between the participants funny, their faces denoted emotions and amazement at playing and recognizing what and how are the rights they have, happy to participate and have a good time.
Over 80 children and adolescents had fun and learned about their rights with KIND. Children came from different countries including Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Cuba, and Panama. The success of the event made the early morning and all the set up totally worthwhile. The KIND Tapachula team really enjoyed the event and left with a smile of satisfaction.
