After a slightly disorganised start, our “Fútbol y Fiesta” event quickly kicked off with more than 40 children attending from the various organisations we are working with. Our community event involved youths from MANTHOC, Casas de la Juventud and Vida y Esperanza coming together for a fun afternoon of music, games and cultural exchange. Watch our video of the event:
Something which really inspired us was the attendance of the children from MANTHOC, since the market where many of them work had been burnt down only a day before. (Read more about MANTHOC in our previous blog.) Despite this, the children were full of positivity, enthusiasm and a resilience which really impressed us.
The event started off with the children bounding in to greet the volunteers and members of our host family who we had invited along. They then descended upon the tables of food and drink before spending the rest of the afternoon running around and playing games.
At home, lots of the children have responsibilities so this event was a good opportunity for them to simply enjoy the fun of being a child.
The football tournament began by mixing the children into different teams in order to integrate the various organisations, followed by a cultural ‘England vs Peru’ match, which we’re afraid to report that England lost. We did, however, overcome this sadness to teach the children some typical English games – including the egg and spoon, wheelbarrow and relay races.
After refuelling the children’s energy with vast amounts of Inca Kola and iced gems, the event ended on a high note: a dance-off to a mix of English and Latin American music.
Time flew by and before we knew it, it was time for our kids to go home. The smiles on the children’s faces as they left and the invitation from the council to host another event were confirmation that the afternoon had been a success!
Blog by Alana Barlow and Stephanie Criddle. Videos and photos by Lana Jade Johnson and Aimee Warren
