Delivery of certificates to Cuenca Recyclers

The 9 of April, at the University of Azuay, the delivery of certificates of the Project of Strengthening of Interpersonal Capacities to the Recyclers of Cuenca was made. The objective of this project was to organize personal development programs on issues of self-esteem and self-development, in order to generate in recyclers ideas that their work is valuable for the city and society.

The project was organized by the School of Organizational Psychology of the University of Azuay and the Municipal Public Toilet Company of Cuenca (EMAC). The idea is born from a first link between the School of Psychology and the EMAC from the preprofessional practices.

From this, two projects arise. The first was a Christmas treat with the children of the recyclers, which could create an approach between these people and the University.

The second project aimed to strengthen the personal development of waste pickers. This involved more than a hundred recyclers who were trained on three different occasions.

This process lasted six months, finally concluding with the delivery of the respective certificates.

The School of Social Communication participated in the project making videos that tell the testimonies of people working as recyclers.

The teachers Daniel Bravo and Mario Moyano led the project and facilitated the participation of tenth cycle students in the career of Organizational Psychology and the participation of different teachers of the University.

"The people who were trained now have other aspirations for life, even the children of recyclers dream of coming to the University when they grow up," says Monica Rodas, Coordinator of the School of Organizational Psychology.

For the future, more Christmas celebrations are planned with the participation of the EMAC and also, a new project to link with the students of Educational Psychology and with the master Lucía Cordero, a professor at the University, to assemble recycled school backpacks. The aim of this project is to collect the students' sheets and turn them into bound notebooks to be able to give the children these recycled backpacks.

On the other hand, it will continue with the modality of carrying out different workshops, but this time with the tram frontage.

"All the time we are looking for spaces to work with vulnerable groups," concludes Rodas.