Americas Association for the Care of Children
Americas Association for the Care of Children's mission is to promote
support for those who are involved in early childhood care and
education through educational programs and projects, including,
inter-aliases, citizen exchange programs, global communication
networks, and resource assistance to participating communities.
Interested in helping? You can join a
delegation to Jalapa, NI
or make a contribution to AACC. Check our
contact page
for more information.
The Third Annual Champagne Brunch and Live Charity Auction
The Third Annual Champagne Brunch and Live Charity Auction will be held on March 2, 2008. There will be 2 seatings, 10:00 and 12:30. Please plan on attending. This is always a fun and worthwhile event. It will be held at Aji's in Boulder, CO with a live auction called by Robb of the store formally called Robb's Music. This year we are raising money to build a school and orphanage for the street children in Jalapa. This will be the third school in three years! For more information contact Debbie Young at:
Some AACC projects
Programma Integral Educando con Amor y Tenura (PIEAT)
PIEAT is a community development program in the Jalapan Valley
of Nicaragua. PIEAT started in the spring of 2003. The initial
group consisted of 10 women and 1 man. Today, PIEAT is a group
10 women who continue to help raise the standard of living of
the people of Jalapa by going door to door and teaching about
health, hygiene, the importance of education, alternatives to
physical punishment and innovative approaches to raising
children; one that treats children as equal to adults. 7 of
original members are still PIEAT members. AACC is in the
process of expanding the program to other regions of
Nicaragua. There is also international interest in using the
PIEAT model in places such as Kenya, Haiti, Guatemala, and
Ethiopia.
Educational workshops in both Nicaragua and the United States
AACC provides intensive workshops that provide information
to teachers about early childhood development and
alernative approaches to education. Debbie Young has been
teaching these workshops in Colorado for over 20 years. To
date, over 1500 people have completed the course. This
unique program is able to provide Nicarguan teachers with
certificates for completing these course from the Colorado
Department of Education.
Working with the people of La Chureca
La Chureca is the largest landfill in Nicaragua. It is
currently home to over 1500 people. The first people moved
to La Chureca in the late 1960's. These are some 3rd or 4th
generation people now living in La Chureca. Among the many
problems in La Chureca are near 100% unemployment, lack of
access to health care, malnutrition and lack of education
opportunities. Upward of 80% of the people in La Chureca
huff glue in order to both escape the realities of living in
a landfill and also to curb hunger pains. AACC and PIEAT are
hoping to work with other communities workers in Managua to
empower the communities to start to build a community with
hope.
Building in schools in the Jalapan Valley of Nicaragua
In 2006, AACC, PIEAT and students from Naropa University built their first
school in Nicargua. We now are attempting to build a school a year. The
2007 spring delegation will break ground in Championy for a school for
children ages 0 through 6. The AACC/PIEAT annual fund
raiser will be on March 4 at restraunt in Boulder, CO. You
can also contribute to the AACC/PIEAT effort by going to the
contact page.