Proyecto Esmeraldas

NIÑOS EN EL ARTE FOUNDATION

EU – LAGARTO PARISH, RÍO VERDE, ESMERALDAS

Niños en el Arte develops artistic and community-based educational programs in rural areas of Ecuador, creating spaces where children and adolescents can strengthen their creativity, critical thinking, and connection to their environment through art, movement, and collective expression.

The “Niños en el Arte – Esmeraldas” project is carried out in the Lagarto parish, Río Verde canton, Esmeraldas province, specifically in the Hojas Blancas district and the Pueblito community. The initiative works with children and adolescents ages 4 to 17 through capoeira workshops, community awareness-raising activities, and educational support for teachers and families.

This initiative aims to strengthen access to cultural rights in rural areas where opportunities for artistic and recreational education are limited. Through participatory and experiential methodologies, the project promotes social interaction, physical expression, collective discipline, and the strengthening of community identity from childhood onward.

Objective

To provide children and adolescents in the Lagarto parish with opportunities to engage with art and movement, thereby strengthening their holistic development, their cultural rights, and their capacity for self-expression and community participation.

Specific objectives

• Implement capoeira workshops for children and adolescents over a six-month period.
• Organize community showcases where families and the community can learn about the processes carried out.
• Document the process through audiovisual materials and a community chronicle.
• Develop experiential workshops focused on coexistence, discipline, and best practices.
• Strengthen pedagogical tools for teachers and community leaders through training programs.
• Raise awareness about cultural rights, identity, and collective work.

Central Axes

Body expression and movement
Development of critical thinking
Children’s right to enjoyment and recreation
Cultural rights
Social interaction and group discipline
Strengthening of identity and community bonds

Who benefits from this project each year?

• Approximately 200 children and adolescents between the ages of 4 and 17 from Hojas Blancas and Pueblito
• Teachers participating in educational support programs.
• Families involved in awareness-raising and community-building initiatives.
• Residents of the Lagarto parish who benefit indirectly through cultural activities and exhibitions.

What workshops are being offered?

CAPOEIRA AND MOVEMENT

Training spaces where children and adolescents explore the body as a tool for expression, strengthening discipline, coordination, active listening, physical endurance, and teamwork through capoeira.

EXPERIENTIAL AND COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Activities aimed at teachers, families, and workshop leaders to strengthen community bonds, promote respectful treatment, and build more sensitive and participatory spaces for coexistence.

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES

Open performances where participants share what they’ve learned, building trust, recognizing the process, and fostering integration between the community and the school.

PROJECT IMPACT

• More than 200 direct beneficiaries per work cycle.
• Training programs lasting six months.
• Strengthening of physical, emotional, and social skills.
• Active participation of families and the community.
• Production of an audiovisual record of the process.
• Establishment of safe spaces for recreation and artistic expression.
• Strengthening of the community through collective artistic practices.

INVESTMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

The project includes investment in arts education, community outreach, educational materials, audiovisual resources, and community support. The sustainability of the process is based on strengthening local partnerships, the active participation of families, and the continuity of educational programs that help ensure access to cultural rights in rural areas.

Where is the project located?

The project is being carried out in the Lagarto parish, Río Verde canton, Esmeraldas province, specifically in the Hojas Blancas district and the Pueblito community—rural areas where access to artistic and recreational activities remains limited, making this initiative a key tool for comprehensive development and community strengthening.