December 2013
End of Year Reflections
As 2013 comes to a close, Building Dignity reflects on a year of growth and improvement. Thanks to our supporters, volunteers and partners, Building Dignity was able to achieve strategic program growth.
Highlights include:
- Providing individualized tutoring services to approximately 50 students each week.
- Expanding the Voices of Youth leadership program into new communities.
- Supporting local projects to pave roads, build a library and improve a neighborhood soccer field.
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Education
This year, Building Dignity continued to offer tutoring services for students, three days a week.
On average, we worked with 50 students each week.
2013 saw an increase in volunteers, allowing us to provide more individualized support to students.
Donations of reference books, educational materials and computers also improved the quality of our services.
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Leadership
Our Voices of Youth leadership program enjoyed the most growth of all.
- In June, we hosted our first Youth Leadership Retreat with 23 young leaders. The two-day event gave Voices of Youth participants the opportunity to explore topics of leadership, service and community in depth. Building Dignity plans to make the retreat an annual event.
- In July, the Voices of Youth curriculum enjoyed a makeover with the inclusion of new units on environmental leadership, social entrepreneurship and community history.
- In August, we launched a second Voices of Youth group in the nearby community of Oasis. Twenty-five young people ages 11-18 participated in the first four-month session. We look forward to continuing this program in the coming year!
- Our new impact evaluation methodology demonstrates an increase in self-esteem and leadership skills among 76% of program participants after 6 months in Voices of Youth.
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Development
This year, Building Dignity enabled neighborhood leaders in two communities to take the first steps in a multi-year project to pave roads. When completed, this initiative will respond to an urgent need to improve accessibility, transportation and security.
Furthermore, Building Dignity supported Voices of Youth participants as they worked to construct a library in the nearby community of San Ignacio. Building Dignity coached the young leaders through the process of securing funds for the project from local government and advocated for swift completion of the library. Groundbreaking is now scheduled for early 2014!
Finally, we are providing financial and logistical support to a group of concerned parents who plan to repair the community’s neglected soccer field in hopes of offering young people a productive after-school alternative. To further support these goals, Building Dignity has organized a soccer club for boys ages 10 to 18. |
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Organizational Growth
In addition to improving our programs, we strengthened our organization to ensure sustainability. To highlight a few milestones:
- We incorporated Building Dignity as a Peruvian non-profit organization.
- We created a local Board of Directors.
- We designed a new evaluation methodology to measure our impact.
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Building Dignity would like to thank all those who made 2013 such a successful year.
Muchísimas Gracias to our donors, volunteers, board members, staff and partner organizations.
On behalf of the Building Dignity team, warmest wishes for the Holiday Season!
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