Paz a la Mochila, or the ‘peace to the backpack’, is a toolkit for teachers and leaders who work with children and adolescents so that they can educate communities on truth, non-repetition and peace-building.
WHAT'S IN THE BACKPACK?
The backpack contains a booklet that explains how to use the resources, a USB with multimedia resources (videos, stories, songs, etc.), a speaker to play content, and educational support materials for the activities.
WHO IS IT FOR?
The Backpack is designed to be used by a wide range of people committed to education for peace and truth. It is aimed at teachers, community leaders, NGOs, and other educational agents, both in formal and informal settings, so they can develop experiential sessions with children and young people (CYP), in order to accompany them in understanding and taking action to denaturalise violence and build peace.
Context:
Education in Colombia - Although the Colombian Constitution requires children aged 5-15 to attend school, in 2021 over 5 million school-aged children were not receiving any form of education. This is approximately 30% of all school-age children in the country. Whilst enrolment rates are often high, the most at-risk children face difficulties to remain in school. Only 54% of students who enrol in the first grade of primary school go on to complete their secondary education.
Compared to students in urban settings, children in rural Colombia are far more likely to drop out of school early. Currently, over 65% of 17-20 year olds living in rural areas have dropped out of the education system.
On average, children in rural areas receive less than 8.5 years of education, compared to nearly 11 in urban areas. Students living in rural areas also face challenges in accessing resources. According to a study by the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 80% of rural schools do not have access to the internet, and over 18% do not have electricity, meaning they cannot receive the same quality of education as their peers in urban schools.
We work in Antioquia, Chocó, Valle del Cauca, and Magdalena to help at-risk children to know and demand their rights to accessible and high-quality education.
Our projects involve the use of innovative educational technology, vocational training, and work on environmental issues.
