PROJECT 02 / THE MALAKATES PROJECT

My name is Jonathan Marroquín. Through the Quetzaltepeque Department of Freedom, I am a facilitator of Social Theatre and Circus, an entity which arose from the need for a space where children and youth could freely experiment in through arts and culture. We are faithful believers that the performing arts are tools for transformation in vulnerable communities.

 

About

This project exists within a society damaged by civil war and gangs or maras. With the additional harm caused by the pandemic, it has been identified that many children between the ages of 7 and 9 cannot read and have not continued their schooling at this time. If these trends continue, we will see an even higher increase in violence in society, just as with the gangs that were a direct result of the civil war. These negative effects reflect a lack of supports and resources for vulnerable youth in El Salvador.

 

In 2019, we obtained a physical space for the project called the Malakates House, where children between 8 and 16 could be cared for and supported through the arts. We provided painting and drawing classes, English lessons, and theatre workshops for free to keep barriers to access at a minimum. Prior to the pandemic, we also implemented the “Godparents Plan”, through which our youth could receive financial assistance from people abroad. Sadly, the pandemic left us without the materials for activities and without any godparents.

 

Currently, we hope to replenish our resources for learning, open the space as a cafeteria, and begin the dream of Malakates Café y Arte. 

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What we can do?

Learning for Vision will supply Malakates House with the necessary resources and materials to empower the visionary students in the program.

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