I go by many names, depending on the location: Kelly N Patterson (my "professional" name); KALI (*on the playa); Kelly of the Pattersons (IT world); The Goofy Guru; The Nonprofit Guru; Tornado Maker's Daughter (La Kota Sioux name); Anacheka Oksijeni (East Africa, "She who LAUGHS at Oxygen"); "Kerry" (in NE Asia); "Kali" (Central America and the Caribbean); and most recently, the Radically Honest ART Cheerleader (Miami)
On DEC 17, we, at the Women’s Well-Being and Development Foundation (http://www.wwd-f.org/index.html ), are holding our annual Children’s Christmas party for the children we work with in La Carpio, San Jose, Costa Rica.
The children look forward to this event all year round, as well as their parents.And this year, we are expecting a total of 200 children and parents!We still need resources to purchase food, decorations, rent buses, and of course, gifts for the kiddies.
Donations of gifts, worth no more than 5,000 colones (or $10 USD) each please (so the kids feel they all get “equal” value gifts) and this year, we are trying to individualize gifts, so each child feels individually acknowledged.
Donations of pastries, chocolates and sweets for the kids.
Party decorations (even if we can just borrow some Xmas decorations!)
Music: A sound system with DJ (but live music is preferred!)
Face Painters, clowns, magicians, balloon artists, children’s entertainment, games
Photographer and Videographer
Set Up and Clean Up for the party
If you have any questions, concerns, or brilliant ideas as to how to make this the BEST Christmas EVER for these kids, please contact me directly at kellyofthepattersons@yahoo.com
I would love to do a survey of tourists and Costa Ricans (who live outside of San Jose), and ask them if they have ever heard of “La Carpio”?I suspect most of them, both visitors and Ticos alike, will answer “no.”“La Carpio” is basically the “slums” of San Jose and like most slums, unless you live there or have family there, no one ever visits, much less wants to accidentally end up there while trying to find the San Pedro Mall.The Women’s Well-Being and Development Foundation (WWD-F) is one of the few local women-designed and operated; non-profit, community-based organizations specifically addressing the well-being, internal and external development, and quality education and empowerment of women and children living in La Carpio. (Just my cup of coffee!)
Previously, I was just a fan and supporter of the quality work of WWD-F; now, I am a volunteer member of this extraordinary, international team of powerful, inspired, and resourceful women.WWD-F might be new to you, but I have done some pro bono consulting with them in the past, as well as actively promoted last year’s big children’s Christmas party.
This is Keilyn, she wants to be a singer or doctor, when she grows up.
This is the 3rd building that WWD-F is hoping to be able to purchase for their women and children's alternative community education center and play ground
Every Tuesday, we all go out to La Carpio to play with the kids, do some workshops and then eat!
A typical street in La Carpio, San Jose, Costa Rica
They do not have playgrounds in La Carpio, so this is where kids play
For the time being, I am taking on various roles with WWD-F which range from promoting this year’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party (more details to come shortly!); working on their new website (http://www.wwd-f.org/index.html) as well as assisting in the design of an integrated social media communications and marketing plan; and marketing their new series of children’s books, called Wise Heart Books, which focus on teaching values to children in a fun, memorable way—again, more about this soon!
Current projects of the Women’s Well-Being and Development Foundation (WWD-F):
Experiential, uplifting children’s education program called Ilori Educational Program, which includes “playshops”, fieldtrips, and events/activities outside of La Carpio.
Educational Center Canto Al Sol: a preschool located in Lomas de Tepeyac, San Jose-- with programs such as yoga, swimming, music and the arts, in addition to early childhood development education.
Wise Heart children’s books—which will partially fund all current WWD-F projects
Women’s Support Group called Granos Solidarios, which is currently working on putting together a small group business, in addition to training and support in conflict resolution; parenting skills; nutrition; self-esteem development; community organization; and holistic health care.
The Sattva Vita ComplementaryHealth Care Center, located in Guadalupe, San Jose, which is staffed by certified Aryuvedic practitioners and other professional alternative and holistic health providers.
WWD-F just purchased two buildings in La Carpio (and intend to purchase a third building) and are actively in the process of transforming this series of buildings, in the middle of the slums, into an eco-friendly, safe, welcoming, and most importantly, fun women and children’s community education center with everything from an organic garden and playground to classrooms, library and computer lab and more!For information about WWD-F:http://www.wwd-f.org/index.html
Ahora, en mal Español…
Me encantaría hacer una encuesta de los turistas y los costarricenses (que viven fuera de San José), y pedirles que si alguna vez han oído hablar de "La Carpio"? Sospecho que la mayoría de ellos, tanto los visitantes como los ticos por igual, se responde "no". "La Carpio" es básicamente el "barrios bajos" de San José y como la mayoría de barrios pobres, a menos que viva allí o tiene familia allí, nadie visita nunca mucho menos quiere acabar accidentalmente allí tratando de encontrar el Mall San Pedro. La mujer Bienestar y Fundación para el Desarrollo (WWD-F) es uno de los pocos locales de mujeres, diseñados y operados, sin fines de lucro, organizaciones de base comunitaria que aborden específicamente el bienestar, el desarrollo interno y externo, y la calidad de la educación y el empoderamiento de las mujeres y los niños que viven en La Carpio. (Sólo mi taza de café!)
Anteriormente, yo era un admirador y partidario de la calidad del trabajo de WWD-F, y ahora, soy un miembro voluntario de este extraordinario equipo, internacional de mujeres poderosas, inspirado, y con recursos. WWD-F puede ser nuevo para usted, pero he hecho algunas consultorías pro bono con ellos en el pasado, así como el año pasado promovió activamente la fiesta de Navidad de los niños grandes.
Por el momento, estoy asumiendo diversos roles con WWD-F, que van desde la promoción anual de este año la fiesta de Navidad para la Infancia (más detalles a venir en breve!), Trabajando en su nuevo sitio web (http://www.wwd-f. org / index.html), así como ayudar en el diseño de una red de comunicaciones integrado de medios sociales y plan de marketing, y comercialización de su nueva serie de libros para niños, llamado Sabio Libros del Corazón, que se centran en la enseñanza de valores a los niños de una manera divertida y memorable de nuevo, más sobre esto pronto!
Los proyectos actuales de la Mujer, Bienestar y Fundación para el Desarrollo (WWD-F):
• Experiencial, edificante programa de educación de los hijos llamados Ilori Programa de Educación, que incluye "playshops", excursiones, eventos y actividades de las afueras de La Carpio. • Centro Educativo Canto al Sol: una escuela preescolar ubicada en Lomas de Tepeyac, San José - con programas como el yoga, la natación, la música y las artes, además de la educación temprana de desarrollo infantil. • libros sabios hijos del Corazón-que en parte se financiará todos los proyectos actuales
• Grupo de Apoyo de Mujeres denominado Granos Solidarios, que actualmente está trabajando en armar un negocio pequeño grupo, además de la formación y apoyo en la resolución de conflictos, habilidades de crianza, nutrición, desarrollo de la autoestima, organización comunitaria y la atención de salud integral. • El Sattva Vita Complementaria Centro de Salud, ubicado en Guadalupe, San José, que es atendida por profesionales certificados Aryuvedic y otros tipos de profesionales y otros proveedores de salud integral.
WWD-F acaba de adquirir dos edificios en La Carpio (y la intención de comprar un tercer edificio) y se activa en el proceso de transformación de esta serie de edificios, en medio de los barrios bajos, en un eco-amigable, seguro y acogedor, y lo más importante, las mujeres y el centro de diversión de los niños educación de la comunidad con todo, desde un jardín orgánico y un parque infantil a las aulas, biblioteca y laboratorio de computación y mucho más! Para obtener información acerca WWD-F: http://www.wwd-f.org/index.html
Kelly Recipe: 1/4 Indiana Jones; 1/4 Mother Teresa; 1/4 Hunter S Thompson; 1/4 Dr. Seuss--with a side of wasabi. Originally from Washington DC, Kelly has 20 (OMIGOD!! 20?!!! already?) years experience serving international nonprofits, development agencies, academic institutions, the arts, and social entrepreneurial enterprises on four continents--mainly in East and Southern Africa, Central America, NE Asia, and North America--on all levels. Kelly's personal and professional mission is to EVOLVE and therefore, transform the world... and have a DAMN good time while doing it! How does she do it? By showing people how to integrate JOY, PLAY and LAUGHTER into ALL aspects of LIFE! When she is not working, Kelly can usually be found in someone's baby pool with a pomegranate margarita.
