COSTA RICA: School campaign launches to reduce violence
Strategies include workshops with students, talks with parents
(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Center for the Development of Skills, known as CEDES Don Bosco in Costa Rica, has launched the “I Accept the Challenge” campaign to promote a violence-free community in response to the high murder rate in the country. The National Judicial Investigation Agency noted there were more than 650 homicides in 2022 and already 142 in 2023.
The campaign aims to raise awareness and promote actions to prevent violence. Various strategies will be implemented throughout the year, including staff training, talks with parents, workshops with students, theater performances and the creation of a storybook for the institution’s youngest children.
“Violence can manifest itself in many forms, but it is important that we strive to eradicate it from our environment,” said Edwin Soto, psychologist and campaign coordinator. “We want to strengthen our institutional culture and educate children and youth so that they are not indifferent to the violence that other people may experience. We also invite other schools to join this initiative and work together for a country without violence and a more just and safer society for all.”
According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21% of the population. In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher-than-average number of children under age 5, as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include children under age 14 or adults over age 65. More than 77% of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
World Bank – Costa Rica
