FOUR YEARS OF THIS BLESSED DREAM | BLESSED FRUIT FOUNDATION
In commemoration of our fourth anniversary, a virtual event was held, due to the Covid-19 health emergency . Our celebration took place on September 30, 2020, at 2:30 pm. We had several special guests, with the aim of celebrating this very important day for the Fruto Bendito Foundation.
On November 1 we are four years old . Four years of this blessed dream. Four years of supporting those who need it most and working to reduce social gaps in Colombia. An occasion like this could not be overlooked. Despite the health situation and my pregnancy, we succeeded. It was held in advance and taking our cribs to two beautiful places in our country.
I dream from virtuality
Our four years were celebrated. It was a dream from virtuality. We were on the point of canceling it on several occasions due to different complications that arose with the passing of the days. My pregnancy with Pedro was high risk, for this reason the cancellation of this event was considered. In addition, in the first instance, on our anniversary we would talk about love for 12 hours. Finally, we decided to shorten the time and impact two important communities, located in Tumaco , Nariño and in Saboyá , Boyacá.
I had the opportunity to meet Carlos Vives and Claudia Elena Vásquez in New York. This, thanks to our recognition as a foundation in the UN. The repercussion of their ideal as a couple influenced me to make another of my dreams come true: working with my husband at Fruto Bendito. Likewise, that moment was crucial to determine that the impossible would be done to have Carlos Vives in our celebration.
That dream materialized on our fourth anniversary . A magical moment that the community enjoyed and was able to experience as a shocking event. His words were inspiring to the listeners and encourage us to continue working as a foundation. We are already reflecting on our work to, in the future, work with his foundation, assisting and empowering more moms and families.
Celebrating and helping
Starting our celebration, I gave a preamble to the established schedule and addressed a few words to our communities, thanking them for their presence. They are four years impacting society. Therefore, for us it is essential to tell how we had the presence of these communities. The Social Manager of the municipality of Boyacá contacted us on Instagram asking about our cribs. His happiness overflowed when he saw our message. She herself narrates that she went to several foundations and none of them gave her any answer. In Tumaco we were able to establish a presence thanks to the Red Cross, our ally.
Within the support given to the communities of Tumaco and Nariño, we not only gave them our crib with love accompanied by elements necessary for early childhood. Our pillars of the Blessed Plan were also shared with them . Our speakers were in charge of the development of each topic to sow love and education in families.
Conscious pregnancy and the 1000 days
Diana Romero, child physiotherapist, was our first guest speaker . She shared with us the subject of conscious pregnancy and the importance of the baby’s first 1000 days. This period is understood from the growth of the baby in our womb , until the first two years of life. Everything that happens in this period of time is crucial . “ C is ientíficamente shown that 40% of all mental and cognitive skills of adults were developed in these first 1000 days , “ Diana says.
Conscious pregnancy becomes a crucial issue within our pillars. It inclines us to place love as the axis of our family. S bove all, to become aware of pregnancy as a center to establish an invaluable connection with our baby from the care and love.
That is why the physiotherapist Diana Romero invites us to consider and put into practice this acrostic with the word love, a fundamental concept in our foundation . LOVE: To mar us ourselves; M imarnos ourselves, aimed at self – care; Or orientation, since talks like this help developmental issues for our baby; R epita, when in doubt the answer will always be love. Finally, add “love each other so you can love the babies on the way.”
He also highlighted that in this stage social, cognitive, motor, language and emotional skills are developed. To enhance them, you can deny the baby to see screens. Interpersonal communication must also be ensured. Explain why things happen. Teach you concepts. Speak clearly and positively to her and strengthen her self-esteem and confidence from the womb, not underestimating the intelligence and potential of babies.
Long live the tit!
Then, following the thread of our fundamental pillars as Blessed Fruit, Julieta Villegas, our medical scientist, arrived. Julieta highlighted the formula for taking care of babies in the first 1000 days. This includes good nutrition and stimulation from the womb, through music and interaction, talking to the growing baby . This can also be done after birth, with massage and permanent contact.
To guarantee the baby’s nutrition, our doctor spoke about another of our pillars: breastfeeding . This must be exclusive in the first 6 months. Then the nutrition is supplemented with other foods. Breastfeeding, ideally, should take place until the first two years at least . From there, the time remaining is the decision of the mother and the baby.
On the other hand, the kangaroo position is very important to strengthen the bond between mother and baby and help in the breastfeeding process. It consists of putting the baby skin to skin on the mother’s chest. This increases the production of oxytocin in the mother. It also helps the baby to feel familiar, reminding him of his stay in the womb before birth. In addition, it is important that the parent participates. According to studies, this makes parents more sensitive to the needs of their children and strengthens family structures.
Safe sleep
Now, what inspired our great project of cribs with love is safe sleep. Julieta spoke of the syndrome of sudden infant or newborn death, which can occur in the first two years of life. “From cradles with love we promote safe sleep.” Our crib has a mattress attached to the edges, without a pillow, without stuffed animals or toys, which cause suffocation; And the sheet is secured . Our doctor also recommends covering babies under the armpits. Nor do you have to put so many clothes on them, as this prevents them from regulating their temperature on their own.
In addition to this, other aspects associated with sudden death were recognized . For example, the position in which the baby sleeps. This should be on his back, until his neurological capacity allows him to turn sideways. Another important aspect is cigarettes, which should be avoided in the home. The father must leave and when he returns he must change his shirt and wash his hands well. Finally, from Fruto Bendito we promote cohabitation, which facilitates the breastfeeding process, and not co-sleeping, which generates risks for the baby .
Raising from love
Next, Leydi García, specialist in neuropsychology and trainer in positive discipline, shared with us different principles about parenting . He was emphasis on discipline from love, kindness and firmness. Averting the blows of children’s lives. Loving, respecting and connecting are three fundamental principles to educate our children. Raising from love establishes essential guidelines to be firm, raising responsible, autonomous and judicious children.
Love, our first principle, establishes that everything is possible with it. This connects us with our essence, with our inner child. Kindness is the second principle, which allows us to connect with the other, beyond being permissive. Finally, respect for ourselves emphasizes not going against our principles. Connectivity with our children is important for understanding their lives. But, at the same time, it is significant to establish an order for the free development of the child in accordance with his age.
Self-care is important and we allow our brain to act in a different and integrated way. When we do not take care of ourselves, our brain does not have the same patience due to its alertness. Attending to the need through care is necessary to establish guidelines in our lives and connect with the other in an appropriate way.
Firmness and kindness are consistent with what we say and do. Thus we establish guidelines without resorting to blows and / or yelling. The stability of our actions and the anticipation of them allow us to instill good treatment in our children, connecting us with their need. The remembrance of the events makes our children aware of the decisions made.
Marco Lives
Later, Erika Bonilla sensitized mothers with her story about her son Marco. A child diagnosed with down syndrome. He fought until the last moment of his life. Right now she is an angel to her family. Marco inspired his mother and made the life of his family happy, through strength and love.
“What bothered me the most about this journey were the labels they put on my son,” Erika said. Through its history, it teaches us to remove tags of children with a ave disability. It is essential to teach the value of inclusion to our children so that they understand that we all have a space in the world and in society and that we will all become equal with love.
“I promise”
One of the most important parts of the event to commemorate the four years of the foundation was the promise of the beneficiary mothers of the communities. A promise that commits moms to the crib, as it will be the place of protection for the baby. At the end of the promise, the mothers had to say loud and clear ‘I PROMISE’.
The points of this promise go as follows: being aware that emotions and thoughts impact the life of the baby, in the same way, dealing with caregivers; be careful when sleeping the baby with everything and what this implies, from his position to eliminating the unnecessary elements in his crib; if possible, defend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, at least up to two years and from there until mother and baby want; be a loving, respectful, empathetic and exemplary father and / or mother, avoiding hitting and screaming and, lastly, designing parenting guidelines with caregivers.
Four years!
Next, happy birthday was sung to the foundation, sharing a cake in a virtual way. Four years of this blessed dream have already been completed. The mothers of the beneficiary communities had a space, in which they thanked for the cribs and the virtual presence of the foundation. It was very emotional for us to hear them speak and give their views on the work that was done.
To close, Claudia Elena Vásquez and Carlos Vives shared their thoughts with us from a look at their Tras la Perla foundation, in Santa Marta. They are a fervent display of love, work and a union of effort to carry out social projects. It all starts with Vives wanting to contribute to his city. This, understanding that from his visibility he could articulate and transform spaces. Improve ed and quality of life through projects of social fabric and infrastructure. All this, in a neighborhood full of sports and culture, but with a lack of order, motivation, love and institutionality.
Claudia Elena highlighted the building from love and family. Giving and receiving strength and example from parents and honoring life, regardless of bad experiences. He also finds the word as something sacred. Taking into account that with this the children are built and empowered.
A couple: a team
In addition, they motivated us to continue working for the communities, from love and as a couple. Claudia Elena and Carlos Vives spoke about the balance of their personal and professional lives and as a couple to, with order, care and love, cover all the fronts that serve in favor of helping their territory . In addition, they rescue the importance of understanding the other, of listening and of respecting the different points of view of the other party.
Carlos Vives mentioned that, despite the differences, the inclination towards the country and its people unite them as a couple. It is born from their hearts to serve the community with a view to growth. A better future, where differences are overcome and love prevails to unite as a country. It is important to build from differences, then, as Carlos’s motto says: “united from diversity”. In addition to this, Vives highlighted our work since the foundation for the communities we support and for the powerful message that we carry of unity, empowerment and that care in early childhood. Well, to be able to fulfill your rights is to be one step further and raise a family forward.
Dream big
To finish, not without first singing some fragments of their songs, Vives mentioned that generating opportunities begins with each of the women, leaders and caregivers. The country’s problems are the sign of the lack of care . Q hose who know best care are women. Therefore, their empowerment, leadership and education are important as the great engine of change. Also, dreaming is where you start, it’s the spark. Dreaming of a future for her children, with a job, with her identity strengthened, “all mothers have the right to dream.”
With the message of dreaming big and fighting for dreams ended our commemoration of the four years of Fruto Bendito. We are delighted with the magnificent event that was held. It was very important to reach new communities through this event and have the presence of Carlos Vives and Claudia Elena Vásquez. These moments fill us with pride and satisfaction. They drive us as a foundation to continue impacting and reaching more families in Colombia, in order to be Equal with Love.
