World Vision celebrates 10 years promoting tenderness in Nicaragua

World Vision celebrates a decade promoting tenderness among the families it serves through its direct work for the most vulnerable children across the country, and it includes this component in the different methodologies implemented by its technical development programs.

In order to commemorate this organizational milestone, a photography workshop entitled A Gift of Tenderness for my Life was held. 13 children and adolescents from Tipitapa Area Program participated in this workshop. They made a visual tour through the different stages of its lifespan to identify the gift that tenderness has given them.

Similarly, the Education with Tenderness forum was held as part of the celebration of a decade promoting tenderness in the different spaces for social impact. The event included the participation of Ana Alvear, National Advocacy Coordinator, who shared the timeline of the different actions undertaken by World Vision Nicaragua with target groups. Furthermore, participants in this event included Laura Baltodano, National President of the Commission of Christian Education for the Baptist Convention of Nicaragua (CBN in Spanish) who shared the experience of how CBN has taken ownership of Tenderness in their interventions.

“After a decade developing methodologies, campaigns and actions aimed at promoting tenderness, we have seen behavioral changes that demonstrate that a better future is possible. We have seen that community children and adolescents are experiencing harmonious relationships with their parents, less physical punishment is used against them, and children feel closer to their parents.” Tenderness promotes emotional and assertive communication to strengthen the parent child bond. Children share the experience of childrearing with tenderness with their peers,” Ana Alvear stated.

A decade promoting tenderness in Nicaragua. From its tenderness approach, World Vision has developed different child protection methodologies aimed at promoting the deconstruction of violence-based childrearing practices, such as physical punishment, humiliating treatment in order to replace them with childrearing practices based on love, respect, and tenderness.

Some of these methodologies include Childrearing with Tenderness, School of Tenderness, Channels of Hope and Paths of Protection and Tenderness as well. Furthermore, child protection-based communication campaigns have been launched in recent years, including Tenderness Starts at Home, Space for Tenderness and Clarito, Clarito.

The acceptance of these child protection methodologies and approaches have been adopted by Worl Vision’s strategic partners such as the Ministry of the Family, Ministry of Education, the Educational Pastoral in Estelí and Matagalpa, Casa Hogar Madre Albertina and churches as well.

“Childrearing with tenderness has been adopted by parents and caregivers, and they have recognized and learned how to support, listen to, talk to and approach with tenderness. Through the process of deconstruction of violence-based childrearing practices they have learned to take care of community children.

Religious leaders have produced a multiplier effect through their congregations as a result of the strengthening of their capacities in the School of Tenderness,” concluded Ana Alvear.

Protection, Education and Spirituality