In December, 24 shining stars successfully completed the YES residential Empowerment training 2023. In the video, you can get a taste of the atmosphere of the unforgettable days we spent together.
YES wishes everyone lots of inspiration and awareness in 2024!
Brasa (hug) from Suriname,
Apana van Leeuwaarde
This video gives an impression of some of our students, though of course, they are of not the only ones. We have worked with a total of more than 100 young people this school year.
Everyone knows how difficult and tough times are in Suriname, but our young people show that, despite everything, they have a lot of strength and perseverance. As a team, we were once again touched this year by the steps they dared to take and how much development can take place when you continue to invest in young people. 
Offering them tools to increase their awareness so that they know what they think, feel, do, and why! That truly makes a difference at this complex age and in a world with so many uncertainties.
Thanks from a parent of one of the young people
Last year, we once again provided an Empowerment training for the parents of our students. I would like to share a comment from one of the parents that really touched us as a team:
"I want to thank you for the work you do: strengthening the bond between child and parent(s). The work you and your team do is priceless. I now see the relationship with my daughter growing and blossoming. I am very proud of her. I understand her better and she understands me better.
Thanks to you and your team, we have a better relationship where we can laugh more, share more, be more considerate of each other, and simply enjoy each other's company. I notice that we just get along much better.
YES has given me the opportunity to love life more with my loved ones. Every parent and every child should receive this guidance at some point in their lives. Suriname would become a truly beautiful place, this is my wish for YES! You and your team are doing God's work. Your intentions are pure, and that is something you don't find everywhere or all the time.
My gratitude cannot be expressed in words, but I can say it simply and from the bottom of my heart: thank you, YES team❤.”
Our projects at the schools have been completed, but we are still working on a very special Empowerment project, which unfortunately we cannot reveal too much about just yet. We would however like to share some of the statements made by the participants themselves:
We have now started the initial preparations for our last project of this school year, our annual Residential Empowerment training. For updates in the coming period, follow us on Facebook
We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and thank you for your support and interest in our mission!
YES WE CAN!
Brasa (hug) from Suriname,
Apana van Leeuwaarde
Our annual gem... the YES residential Empowerment training 2022! Enjoy the video and follow us on Facebook for weekly updates on our projects.
Brasa (hug) from Suriname,
Apana van Leeuwaarde
Hi!
Covid-19 has returned to a “new normal,” except for wearing face masks. In the last newsletter, we shared that our Empowerment trainings had finally started again. After two years of Covid drama, YES is now busier than ever before. In fact, it is so busy that Apana has asked me to take over this newsletter to give you an insight into what YES has been up to lately.
YES, this is me, Serita
Who is me
My name is Serita Smit. At the end of February, I left the Netherlands to join the YES team as a volunteer for six months. The covid-19 pandemic inspired me to take a sabbatical, among other things. Suriname is the birthplace of my late grandmother, and I wanted to do something meaningful for the young people of Suriname. I flew over with a background in social psychology and youth welfare in my backpack, but I can tell you... the YES material has been an eye-opener for me too! Every week, I see how YES creates a safe place for young people to be themselves, talk about what's on their minds, and share their emotions. Every week, I see how YES creates a safe space where young people can be themselves, speak openly about what’s on their minds, and share their emotions.
Data analysis and impact report
I am currently processing the impact measurements and evaluations of the young people who have already successfully completed the Empowerment training Level 1. A nice report is coming soon, and that is my responsibility. In the meantime we would like to share a few quotes with you about how the young people experienced the Level 1 training:
YES was like a door that opened up new possibilities for me.
A path to development.
~Jean- Marie
YES was like air conditioning that gives you fresh air with positive things you can use for the rest of your life.
~Desilio
It was a mindopening experience.
~Denise
YES was like the wind for me. I was blinded by the fog in front of my eyes that blocked my consciousness. Then the wind came and blew the fog away and made me aware of my life.
~Caesa
YES was like a ocean washing away my shell revealing my innerself
~Christian
Through this training, I learned to build bridges instead of walls.
~Dristhi
Before YES, I felt like the only star in the universe, but after the training, I see the whole universe.
~Shachand
The training was very important for me to develop myself and to understand myself better. YES was sent by God, and I needed it. I am grateful because I learned a lot, and I will always need the material we covered.
~Rochelle
I was in a dark place, but YES gave me hope and brought light into my life.
~Challegain
YES has made me feel safer, I can be more open about how I feel and I can ask for help. The training is like a warm hug, I feel safe.
~Tanisha
What YES has implemented and completed
The motivation training in March reached more than 80 final-year students and gave them a boost for their exams. Also in March, 88 young people obtained their Level 1 Empowerment Training certificate. YES was happy that we were still able to work with 10 parents on new possibilities in parenting and communication with their children during the Empowerment training for parents. We are currently very enthusiastic about working with 55 young people in the Empowerment training Level 2. In this training, we work with the young people on a weekly basis to deepen and consolidate what they have learned so that they can take the next steps in Empowerment. And during the Easter holidays, we conducted our first residential Empowerment training for girls, in which powerful young women developed themselves to face a freer future.
What else is YES working on?
Last week, we resumed our activities at the schools after a few weeks of Easter vacation, and we are looking forward to seeing how the young people will commit themselves to the continuation of the Level 2 training over the next six weeks. The intensive follow-up program for the Residential Empowerment training for girls has started. Furthermore, in August, after two years, we will finally resume our regular residential training.
Resilient Suriname
Suriname is a fascinating country. It is clear that the country has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, but despite this, it is a country that is full of potential. Suriname can be proud of its young people, who are committed to their development and making strong choices for the future!
YES WE CAN!
Greetings from the entire YES team and a brasa (hug) from Apana,
Serita Smit
Check our Facebook page every Sunday for weekly updates on our projects.
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