AMERICA/PERU’ - “Ninos de plomo” Children of Lead: education programme for mineral contaminated minors

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Callao (Agenzia Fides) – They are all little inhabitants of a shanty town around Puerto Nuevo, in the district of Callao, Peru, who live situations at risk, day in day out, contaminated by lead, because of environmental damaging storage and transport of the mineral to the sea port. ANS (Salesian information agency) reports that in the outskirts of the city, the Foundation Don Bosco in the World has embarked on a special education project named “Niños de Plomo” (leaden children) to enable 80 children and adolescents poisoned by lead to receive coaching in reading, interpersonal-communication, logical arithmetic as well as psych-pedagogical assistance. Means of learning include the computer room with virtual games and programmes to encourage reasoning. There are music and dance workshops to improve the children’s physical, mental and emotional development. Most of the minors taking part in the project have levels of lead in their blood between 10 and 19.9 micrograms per decilitre, a measure considered highly dangerous by the health authorities. (AP) (27/2/2014 Agenzia Fides)


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