Sembrando Juntos

project
Empowering through love and kindness
 Our organization
Sembrando Juntos is a non profit organization that has two schools promoting an early
educational project in poor and high vulnerable areas, where children don't have the
opportunity to access to quality education.

Our main goal is to create awareness of the importance of this life stage and how early
experiences impact on development and the future of individuals and communities.

We provide a safe space that works with a non traditional approach, in our school children
besides learning through experiences, sectors and projects, develop soft abilities that
often are not considered important. We hope that tomorrow citizens will be empathic
with others and the environment, becoming solidary and changemakers in their country.
 Pachacutec
150,000 persons living in In 2016 more than 5 thousand
poverty and extreme families were declared in
poverty conditions. sanitary emergency given the
conditions of the place.

11% of this population are No access to basic

children under 5 years old services such as water,
and 77.6% don't access to drainage, energy and solid
early childhood programs. waste management.
 1.
Problems that affect our community
And we are committed to change
Waste management

There are no municipal solid waste collection systems. Trash (organic and inorganic) is present in every
single space. Most of the population are not aware of this problem, and they continue to litter, using
excessive amounts of plastic, technopor and toxic materials. The problem worsens with the lack of green
areas and the abundance of stray dogs.
Drainage and sewerage system

Also there are no sewage and bathroom systems, so children and adults are exposed to contamination
therefore many suffer from skin infections and diseases such as asthma, diarrhea and head pains..
Although the problem is visible, people use the streets as public bathrooms. It is difficult to change
adults habits and views, but we are starting to transform this community through children.
 2.
What are we doing to change these
problems?
Empowering individuals since early childhood,
involving their teachers, families and communities
Reused material

Our philosophy in school is to reuse, we encourage children to transform waste material into learning
objects, we emphasize the use of old wood, egg cardboard, fruit boxes, tetra pak, among others. Up to
85% of the class materials are composed of reused goods. The parents help bringing materials to give
them a second use in the classroom.
Recycled material

Our school has been built using reused and recycled materials: roofs tables and chairs made of pressed
tetra pak, egg cardboard seats, shelves made of fruit boxes and pallets, among others. The families see
this as an opportunity to replicate recycling at home.
End of plastic

Plastic consumption is a big problem in our community as it is the cheapest available solution for some
needs. We seek to develop in our students and their families consciousness about the the 3 Rs:
- Reduce consumption of plastic materials, replacing them with organic or less harmful materials such
as wood or cardboards.
- Reuse plastic, giving a second life to objects that would otherwise end up in the trash.
- Promote recycling of plastic bottles and show that the recycled material also has an economic value.
Land of children

One of our main projects is the Tierra de Nios TiNi (land of children) in alliance with ANIA, organization
that promotes environmental education. We give the children a piece of land so they can work on it, they
are in charge of naming the space, deciding which plants are going to grow and taking care of the space.
Their parents and teachers are working actively with them to develop this project.
Empathy

Teachers are very important, they give a space for children to speak, showing them that their opinion is
valuable. In this way independent and caring human beings are formed. In words of the children
participating in our project the land is a safe space, a space of love, sharing, diversity and peace. They
are always encouraged to live in harmony with the environment and other living species in their
surrounding.
Our library

We also created a public library, since children and teens in Pachacutec don't have access to public spaces.
It is made of 100% recycled materials, in this space we receive more than 50 children of the community
(besides the children that assist to our early educational program). We have art workshops, games, free
reading and movie projections, in this way we offer an open space to strengthen the sense of community
and reflect on various social issues.
Our garden

We have built a school garden with the collaboration of the parents. It is used by the children for their class
projects and also worked by the parents to grow fruits and vegetables and then share them. In this way, our
students and community have a space to get involved with the land in a productive way and as an learning
experience.
 2
Communities actively participating in their transformation

28
Teachers leading an environmental revolution

400
Children empowered every year
Help us give 50 more children the opportunity to be
agents of change in their community...
 thanks!
Any questions?
www.sembrandojuntos.org
FB: Sembrando Juntos
Email: mmerino@sembrandojuntos.org / ereinkendorf@sembrandojuntos.org