Image: A student works with our First Concepts in Animal Welfare programme in Puebla, México.
Thanks to you… Puebla project inspires pupils to protect animals More than 4,200 Mexican children are learning how to protect and care for animals during their normal school day thanks to an education project you have made possible. The children, aged five to 18 years old, attend the Centro Escolar Gregorio de Gante school (CEGG) in Puebla State. They are part of a pilot project we are running with their teachers and Puebla’s ministry of education. Since August, last year, our education team has been training the school’s 183 teachers to use our primary and secondary school programme – First Concepts in Animal Welfare (FCAW). FCAW shows how animal welfare can be taught in all subjects and the benefits that caring for all living things can bring to pupils and their communities.
Carlos Chacón our education manager for Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean explains the Puebla State-World Animal Protection partnership. “The state government is strongly committed to build a culture of peace and a society that respects all living beings. The relationship with World Animal Protection is now moving forward to reach all school levels and benefit all those animals that are part of the families and communities of Puebla,” he says.
Puebla is one of the poorest states in Mexico and CEGG is located in an impoverished urban area where there are high incidences of home and street violence, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. “Many parents have low levels of education and there are large numbers of stray dogs roaming the street. Yet despite dealing with such difficult circumstances in their daily lives, the community is taking our animal welfare messages on board,” says Carlos.
Building bonds CEEG high-school principal Maria Eugenia Sánchez who has taught at the school for 24 years, is delighted with the way animal welfare and protection has been embraced by her staff and pupils.
and commitment. What’s more, we have noticed that violence has decreased in the classrooms. The young people seem more tolerant and want to create healthy relationships with their peers,” she says.
“It has been a surprise how well they participate in all the activities. They are researching, working hard, contributing with ideas. It has opened discussion about values such as respect, freedom, responsibility, love
Ms Sánchez points out that learning about the Five Freedoms for animals– freedom from thirst, hunger, fear, pain and freedom to behave naturally etc - was a real turning point for many of the young people. “These were
unknown to many of our students…and it was an important starting point that inspired them to learn more.” Sixth grade teacher Isabel Jiménez feels that the most important achievement for her pupils has been their increased sensitivity to animals and their needs. “My students are now working on a new activity about
animal suffering because of the way animals are used by mankind for products like fur, feathers, meat etc. They are investigating and making their own conclusions for presentations they will give to other groups at the school – this will achieve an even bigger audience for the issue.”
Benefitting families Parents with children at the school are also pleased with what the project is bringing to their families.
discover and live values that help towards becoming a better person.”
“I think the biggest benefit is that we are rescuing the values that are being forgotten by our society – the importance of behaving like real human beings and how to treat our animals and all life forms respectfully. The programme makes my daughters and all of us as a family and society, better people,” says Alejandro Mendoza Garcia.
The project has also increased the students’ concerns about the large number of stray dogs in the area. Consequently, both teachers and students are hoping to organise a ‘spay day’ with local government vets so families from school and their neighbours can bring their dogs to be neutered.
Seventeen-year-old student Angelica Peralta Vazquez agrees:
The success of the project at CEEG will be regularly evaluated over the next few months, explains Carlos Chacón, and then rolled out in other schools in Puebla during the following academic year.
“I can no longer be indifferent. I understand that animals are not only living beings; they are our brothers, and that they, as we, have rights. This programme allows you to
We are World Animal Protection We end the needless suffering of animals. We influence decision makers to put animals on the global agenda. We help the world see how important animals are to all of us. We inspire people to change animals’ lives for the better. We move the world to protect animals.
World Animal Protection Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Apartado Postal: 516-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica Telephone: +(506) 2562-1200 Fax: +(506) 2562-1200
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