YHC Is an Opportunity for Youth Sponsored by
Children International to Interact
A new place for teens to call "home."
| The Youth Health Corps (YHC) is an opportunity for youth sponsored by Children International to interact, get to know each other, get information about sexual health, reproduction and early pregnancy prevention and obtain tools that allow them to train others through Peer Education. The YHC process includes a meeting for parents of the future group members. During this activity, participants learn firsthand exactly what their sons and daughters will be joining, and the impact that the process has on the fathers and mothers is impressive. Juan Tomás Peralta [who lives in the Dominican Republic] tells us, “I never thought that some fathers and mothers would feel so happy and would cry with emotion upon seeing their child participating in that video and in the Program.” Children International operates in six Service Areas. In each area, there is a selection process to choose youth Co-facilitators who support the Program Facilitator. Those Youth Health Corps Co-facilitators are Sharlot Aquino Smith (Mendoza), Stephanie Tomás Pérez (Boca Chica), Johanna Vásquez (Villas Agrícolas) and Willy Olmos Beltré (Bayaguana). |
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Each of them receives incentives such as transportation to attend the activities, booklets with all of the subjects to be covered in the trainings, supplies, free lodging during the retreats that are carried out with Youth Health Corps, and a special gift to contribute to a personal growth project. Above all, they receive knowledge and prevention skills in order to care for themselves and their peers.
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“When I called Esthefany Tomás Pérez, Co-facilitator for Service Area 2 (Boca Chica), I asked her ‘How is your family?’ and I verified what special need they had at the time. Once I had that information clear, I asked for the resources to buy her what she needed. When everything was ready, I called Esthefany’s house again. It never even occurred to her what I was calling for. I told her ‘I’m not calling to talk about the Peer Educators. I’m calling to talk about you.’ When I told her ‘...you see, I have a 3,000 peso purchase order for you,’ Esthefany gave a little excited shout, and she was so happy she couldn’t talk. Do you know what she asked me? ‘All of that is for me?’ You can’t even imagine how excited I felt to hear her so |
Since last year the institution’s HOPE Scholarship Program has covered Esthefany’s studies. She is training in Beauty and Styling at a local institute. This support also included the purchase of a hair dryer and some clothing. For some people this story may seem boring; but being a part of the lives of these youth and helping them to discover their potential fills us with pride, because we know for sure that our time in their lives really is “creating leaders for change.”
Learn more about Children International by visiting www.children.org.
