Newslatter March and April

Newsletter .

March and April

Education in times of Quarantine

EDITORIAL

BOLETÍN

Education in times of Quarantine

INFORMATIVO

Marzo y Abril.

Don Bosco: contemplative in action.

(Part 2)

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Like Jesus, we find Don Bosco evangelizing.

CREDITS: President: Fr. Alfonso Evertsz Salesian of Don Bosco in FUSALMO Fr. Pierre M. Vitelli Executive Director: Mr. Nelson Cruz Editing and typesetting: Communications Coordinator Alba María Castro Drafting: Dennia López In collaboration with: FUSALMO Communications Committee Photographs: FUSALMO Cover page: Socio-labor Management. Online English training for Call Center.

When did we see him retreat to the mountains or the desert to pray? On the contrary, he tells us that we worked hard, day and night, until we got tired, as long as we were not a burden to anyone.

And he still adds: “We wanted to give them an example to imitate” ...

Certainly the formal prayer, in the sense of practices of piety, in Don Bosco, is diffuse. We will find him praying with his boys, celebrating the Eucharist. No one denied that Don Bosco prayed.

But he didn’t pray enough!

At that time work was considered as a time stolen from prayer. The objectors could not accept that Don Bosco used his cunning and all human means, to the limit of his strength, but he didn’t have time to attend the duties of piety.

Certainly, Don Bosco was out of the ordinary, but, on the other hand, testimonies abounded from those who recognized Don Bosco as a man of prayer. In his way, but a man of prayer...

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The fact that he prayed too little, or did it with his style, is not the same as saying that he did not.

Mr. Felipe Rinaldi testifies that having lived with Don Bosco in his last years, Don Bosco retired every day from two to three in the afternoon to pray alone in his room. We do not find in him great gestures, but the prayers poured out even from his pores.

Fr. Julio Barberis, who entered the Valdocco Oratory at the age of 13,

and whom Don Bosco invited to be a Salesian, and who also later was the first master of the novices in the congregation, declared that Don Bosco always prayed. When he went up or down the stairs, when he was on the train and did not work to correct printing tests. And he also recommended pray in this way to his boys.

When he was suddenly asked for good spiritual advice, he always had it ready, “as if at that moment he came out of conversing with God.” Don Bosco was faithful to a promise: “do nothing, say nothing, that does not have the glory of God as its objective”.

For Don Bosco, prayer was God’s voluntary encounter with human weakness and, therefore, he gave it the utmost importance: “Prayer: this is the first thing.” “It doesn’t start well if it isn’t from heaven.”

Authentic Christian commitment without prayer is not possible, so we must pray until we fall asleep (many will like it this).

This was the reason why he gave the name of Oratory to his work for boys, indicating that prayer is the only power that could be trusted. His testimony was so luminous that the first Salesians around him were authentic men of prayer.

Don Bosco’s prayer was the prayer of the Apostle and educator, as Saint Paul expressed it.

Fr. Pierre M. Vitelli Salesian of Don Bosco - FUSALMO

NEWS

FUSALMO creates an educational platform for the benefit of students and teachers of public schools

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n April 1st, FUSALMO made the official launch of the educational platform: TRANSFORMA, which will allow contact and interaction between educators and students who are part of the Don Bosco Comprehensive Youth Program PIJDB) at its three FUSALMO Salesian Youth Centers: Santa Ana, Soyapango and San Miguel.

The educational platform is oriented to work with a STEAM + LAB approach: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, also adding the Salesian component.

a mobile device, computer, laptop and must have internet access.

Children and teachers will not only find classes or virtual classrooms. They will find projects, which are classified by challenges, allowing them to have an innovative educational experience on the topics: educational robotics, design, video game development, art, coexistence, even sports. All this can be done from home, they will only need access from

“Within the platform, there is the learning object tool, which will allow young people to make virtual navigations. For example, if they choose to visit a museum, they will automatically be able to take a virtual tour inside the museum. The learning object provides a complete and comprehensive teaching and learning experience.”Alexander Marroquín -

FUSALMO Educational Technology FUSALMO, through the platform, is implementing a playful experience strategy on the web. Not only comprehensive reading with PDF, which is the traditional way, but also that children can find a different environment. TRANSFORMA is also being used for training in other areas such as Socio-Labor Management, Youth Network, and other projects with the aim to become a Virtual Campus.

NEWS

The FUSALMO Family recommends you #StayAtHome #WeWillMeetAgain

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he digital campaign #StayAtHome #WeWillMeetAgain, promoted by FUSALMO together with its different areas, is developed on social networks to accompany and interact with the entire community that is part of the programs and projects of our Foundation.

Making good use of the different technological tools, activities have been developed such as: • Spiritual: Holy Masses, Holy Hours, and also the much-awaited Holy Week celebrations have been shared.

• Sports: live aerobics classes every day, exercise routines, challenges for young people from different sports categories.

• Artistic: the FUSALMO School of Arts performs musical concerts every Sunday night to share with the family.

• Educational: Educational tips, math classes, painting classes.

• Mental health: psychological advice, activities to do in free time, campaign on how to face the current situation.

FUSALMO has not wanted to be left behind with the implementation of these activities, which mainly benefit

children, adolescents, young people, and their families, showing activities that they can do by themselves.

“As a FUSALMO Family, we want, with this campaign, to bring our followers new and interactive themes to face with more easily these difficult moments that are being experienced due to the worldwide emergency of COVID-19,” commented the FUSALMO Communications coordinator, Alba María Castro.

NEWS

FUSALMO supports the families of children and young people who are part of programs, given to them a Solidarity Baskets

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he entire world is facing a pandemic that has undoubtedly affected the entire population economically.

that our beneficiaries and their families can receive a Solidarity Basket, which contains basic food, cleaning, and study supplies.

In El Salvador we are having a mandatory household quarantine. This causes the population to leave their jobs and schools to carry out activities from home. However, the parents of children and young people who are cared for at the FUSALMO Salesian Youth Centers nationwide are, for the most part, informal workers. Due to the measures taken by the Government of El Salvador, they have not been able to work to generate income in recent weeks, which causes a quite significant economic deficit in these families. For this reason, FUSALMO has decided to join forces and ask for help from benefactors, friendly companies

If you want to support our cause through a cash donation you can enter the following link: https:// hipgive.org/project/solidarity-basket-joy /, you can also make your donation through the “Donate” tab, located on our website: www. fusalmo.org. We put at your disposal our social networks: FUSALMO International so that you can communicate with us in case you want to make your in-kind donation.

Thank you for collaborating with us and helping our youth have the necessary resources in their homes.

and

FUSALMO

employees

so

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STEP 1: Enter to: https://hipgive.org/project/solidaritybasket-joy/

STEP 2: Find the option “Donate to this project” on the right side of your screen.

STEP 3: Select the amount to donate.

Donate.

You will receive a confirmation.

NEWS

A

The love for music continues to unite us

s part of the #StayAtHome #WeWillMeetAgain campaign, music concerts are being held using the Facebook Live tool. This is done with the support of educators from the FUSALMO School of Arts.

In it, children, adolescents, and young people receive artistic training in dance, music, ballet, drawing, and painting. Each activity is carried out under the Salesian charism, and putting into practice the motto “Be always happy”. This contributes to youth leadership and The School of Arts is one participation, mainly in the municiof the programs at the FU- pality of Soyapango, where the FUSALMO Cultural Center. SALMO Cultural Center is located.

To date, three concerts have been held with the participation of Benjamín Suncín, professor of wind instruments; Nathanael Portillo, singing teacher; and Renato Portillo, a violin teacher. The main objective of these activities is to encourage children, adolescents, young people, and adults to enjoy music, and to find in it a time of tranquility and relaxation with their families.

Children continue in virtual catechesis for

First Holy Communion

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or children and adolescents to have an encounter with Jesus through the sacrament of First Holy Communion, FUSALMO continues to teach catechism virtually.

For catechesis, activities are developed in which children, with the help of their parents,

record videos that reflect that they are learning the different prayers that are essential for this sacrament, such as the Our Father prayer.

This sacrament seeks for children to discover the love of God as a day-today experience within their family.

SPECIALIZED ARTICLE

CHILD AND YOUTH PSYCHOLOGY

Mental health, stress, and Conavirus By: Ada Guardado Psychologist FUSALMO Family Care Center

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ach person responds differently to the same situation, that is a fact. The global coronavirus pandemic is also affecting our country and is creating a variety of reactions in people, especially now that we have to stay at home for the time established for the quarantine decreed by governments to prevent future infections.

Some of the most frequent responses, which are completely normal in this COVID-19 situation are: fear, frustration, anger, helplessness. After a time of not adequately managing these and other emotions, stress appears, which some are already suffering from, and others will probably develop.

Stress is generated as a natural response from our body that prepares to survive the threat

perceived by the virus. The images, videos, news, social networks, conversations with family and friends that keep “the virus� as a common theme, increases stress levels.

For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a list of recommendations made by its Department of Mental Health to help people and communities take care of their mental and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Tips for the general population: -Keep connected with your loved ones and try to continue your daily routines.

-In times of stress, pay attention to your own needs and feelings.

-Do activities that you like and that relax you.

-Exercise regularly, sleep at your usual hours and eat healthily.

-Organize your time to know when to read the latest news on the coronavirus to avoid stress or anxiety.

Avoid the information that generates these feelings.

-Be more empathetic with those who have tested positive for the virus.

-Find a way to also share stories and positive experiences of people who have had the disease and have recovered.

-Honors people who work in professions such as medicine, since they have an important role to save our lives.

Tips to help children: -Children need to be in an environment where they feelsafe and receive support to express their emo-

NEWS tions. For this, they can do activities that many are at home, which inclusuch as playing and drawing. des socializing, games, and learning.

-Teach them what the Coronavirus -Ensure that children are close to is about with honesty and approtheir parents and family. If it is ne- priate information and by answecessary to separate sometimes, ring their questions. They observe maintain communication with parents’ behavior and how parents them through video calls and other manage their emotions. means.

-Maintain a daily routine, especially Remember that the way we handle now, everything we are feeling these days

will depend on what we will get when all this ends. Proper management of personal and family emotions will help our mental health not be so affected by what we have experienced.

FUSALMO employees experience Holy Week through the communication technologies

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020 will be marked in the memory of Catholic parishioners worldwide. The FUSALMO Family was no exception. The staff of its four Salesian Youth Centers lived Holy Week uniquely and extraordinarily. Given the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the celebration was held from home.

However, thanks to technological advances,

they were very special moments united in faith and love for the Lord.

All the employees dedicated moments of prayer and reflection on the mysteries of the Passion and Death of Jesus, for some it was an experience they had for the first time.

The Microsoft Teams platform was the medium that allowed them to be united as brothers in faith. Masses and every detail of the Holy Week were prepared with much

love. We live intensely every day from Palm Sunday to the Paschal Triduum, ending with the Solemn Easter Vigil in which we share the joy of the Lord’s Resurrection.

Without a doubt, Easter allowed many people to strengthen their faith, and the technological media proved to be good allies at the moment.

NEWS

Young people continue their training in English for Call Center and looking for job opportunities

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hrough the FUSALMO Socio-Labor Management, in Soyapango, the development of the different courses has continued from home. One of them is the English for Call Centers course, financed by BrĂźcke Le pont. In this course, 20 young people are perfecting the language and taking the Call Center specialization, under the guidance of Diego Zavaleta, their instructor. The https: // transforma.fusalmo.org/ platform is used in combination with the Teams Work platform to teach the classes online, under the interactive-communicative approach, based on the experience of a real Call Center.

Furthermore, FUSALMO is preparing a Cashiers course to be able to teach it virtually and to continue training young people

for the world of work. The primary objective is labor intermediation since FUSALMO continues efforts to search for and place young people in formal jobs. Under this modality, FUSALMO achieved the placement of young people

in work positions as Nursing, Call Center, and other kinds of works that have been required during this crisis. Other work positions as Motorcyclists, Collection Manager, Road Sellers, Warehouse Auxiliaries, are still waiting to be placed in.

ESPECIAL Carlos José Martínez Arteaga. 18 years old – CREA Project “The key is to put your talents to work at the service of others. This is a way to reinvent ourselves, to rebuild the way we have to teach. It is an opportunity to bring out our creativity. I did not have a suitable space or tools to record audiovisual materials, but with a lot of patience and dedication, we managed to create support videos for all the projects, each one from our home.”

SPECIAL NEWS

Young volunteers committed to teaching children and youth are looking for a good education

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illions of young people in the world are at home with their families. Young people in El Salvador are no exception. Since early March, quarantine has been a government mandate as part of COVID-19’s response to the global emergency.

It would be easy to stay at home without much to do, but the young volunteers who are part of the FUSALMO Youth Network forgot their needs and thought about the time that children and young people would have at home bored and anxious for the confinement.

More than 50 organized young people, considering educational processes, created innovative ways to reach the homes of hundreds of children and young people through different social networks. The initiative consists of not pausing the classes of the different projects that were being taught in free time, and continuing to accompany children, adolescents, young people, and even their families through videos about creative activities.

These young people between the ages of 18 to 22 years, created educational projects using their resources: •CREA Project: where through different painting techniques the artistic skills of drawing and painting are enhanced in children and young people.

•Project X: in which math reinforcements are provided in these classes. The aim is to stimulate the learning of mathematics.

Christian Emanuel López Argueta Mechatronics Engineering Student is part of this project, he says: “It is a nice experience to be able to help young people with a subject (mathematics) which, generally, we think is complicated, but it is not. Online classes are challenging for me and my fellow educators as we need to be more meticulous about the content we are going to deliver to cover the subject in a comprehensive manner and in a reasonable amount of time to keep students’ attention”.

•Interactive English Project: offers the opportunity to learn the English language.

“Being part of Interactive English has taught me how to develop my teaching skills, be patient, and adapt to the way children learn, as well as finding methods for students who require extra attention. One of my favorite parts of the project is friendship and teamwork with my fellow volunteers. Working online is one more learning method for volunteers to find easy and feasible ways to bring our knowledge to students to the comfort of their homes.”

SPECIAL NEWS •Bosco Verde Project: it is an environmental initiative that raises awareness about the care we must give to our planet.

“We are in charge of educating the population on the environmental issue. The objective is to promote an environmental culture, logically we have to start at our house so that later the municipality sees the example in us. Some of the activities we carry out are: awareness campaigns, cleaning campaigns, environmental activities, and we also involve young people to become eco leaders”, said Katherine Ivania Navarro Mejía.

“These young people who commit themselves voluntarily to teach children, adolescents, and young people have a prior training process through the FUSALMO School of Leaders, in which they train to become leaders and subjects of change. Here we provide them with the tools to show them how to generate advocacy, how to go from being a participant to being a protagonist, taking action regarding the reality, and what is happening”, explained Reinaldo Viana, Advisor to the FUSALMO Youth Network.

SPECIALIZED ARTICLE

FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY

How parents can support our children in the most difficult moments By: Yenni HĂŠrcules Family Therapist Los Ă ngeles, California. United States.

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here are three ways that parents can support our children in these difficult times that we are all going through due to the emergency of COVID-19:

1. Be calm 2. Have a routine 3. Allow our children to express their emotions Number one. How as a parent we can have peace of mind? Stopping watching news with too much frequency, but always staying informed. Another way is talking to our children, connecting with them, and with God, these are very important keys. Number two.

How to do a routine? This is depen-

ding on the age of the children, but if they are 7 years old and up, as parents we can make a plan together with them to participate in organizing the routine, for example, what time will they get up? What time will they do the homework?

It is important to support our children to express what they are experiencing. They also stopped going to school, stopped doing many activities outside the home, so it has been a very hard change. Stress, depression, and anxiety also affect them, and they need to express it.

Going back to point one, we all have to be calm. We have to connect with our interior, ask God to calm

us down. You can talk to your children and ask them how they feel.

If they are small, you can play with them. Children express themselves through games, coloring, drawing, among other activities.

For our children it is important to feel our hugs. In the family, mom and dad have the role of hugging their children. Through this show of affection, we can make them feel that they are protected, and that is essential.

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