Desafio Levantemos - Chile

 

Since its creation, Desafío Levantemos based in Santiago, Chile, has been committed to supporting populations in emergency situations by providing sustainable solutions.

In 2022, the Endowment Fund partnered with the organization to launch the project "Desafío Curiosity": an innovative program aimed at developing the socio-emotional skills of vulnerable students.

This innovative program seeks to develop socio-emotional skills (SES) in students from schools with high vulnerability rates, through space exploration and activities created in partnership with NASA.

This project addresses a growing issue: the shortage of systematic and progressive educational programs aimed at strengthening young people's socio-emotional skills, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Problems related to social skills and conflict resolution among students have also intensified. This situation is particularly evident in schools where the School Vulnerability Index (IVE) exceeds 85%, schools that face a lack of stimulating programs, leading to increasing demotivation towards academic work.

Ignacio Serrano, Executive Director of Desafío Levantemos Chile, highlights what he calls an "educational earthquake": "Today, we face a new emergency, an educational earthquake. The statistics are clear, and we need to confront it with the same urgency as in the past. But also, with passion and creativity. This project is a comprehensive solution that provides children with more opportunities and new tools to tackle the challenges of the 21st century."

The program was launched with students from Colegio Polivalente Elisa Valdés and Colegio Quitalmahue, located in the Bajos de Mena area of Puente Alto. These students, coming from vulnerable backgrounds, are the pioneers of this three-year initiative, with space exploration as the primary motivational tool.

Felipe Muñoz, Director of Education at the Curiosity Foundation, reflects on the first year: "We have seen a great interest from students in space exploration, but also significant improvements in their teamwork, critical thinking, and frustration tolerance skills. We will continue to develop this program to motivate more students and teachers, preparing them for future careers by offering powerful learning tools."

The "Desafío Curiosity" project aims to reach over 131 children each year, as well as their parents and guardians, with the goal of energizing education and encouraging the development of socio-emotional skills through innovative and engaging methods.