Initiatives and Activities

Teaching English through Chess

The SHAFRO Foundation instituted a Teaching English through chess tutorial class in the Potrero Grande neighborhood of Aguablanca. The Aguablanca district (sectors 13, 14, 15, 21) in the city of Santiago de Cali is located in the southeast of Cali and has approximately 700,000 inhabitants. The homicide rate has reached 140 per one hundred thousand while the homicide rate in the city is lower at 77 per hundred thousand and the national rate is also lower at 44 per hundred thousand.

Every Saturday during the eight-month chess program, SHAFRO volunteers organized 26 children between the ages of 9 and 17, grouped them according to age and administered English and chess classes for 3 hours. Contributions were given to provide snacks to the children after the end of each tutoring session. The program culminated with a chess tournament called the Tournament of Champions. Cash donations from individuals in the United States were used to buy cameras, iPods and other items that were awarded as prizes to the first, second and third place winners in each age division.

Presentations

Coordinator of BHREP in Cali

The members of the Shafro Foundation are giving presentations on the history of Africa in different colleges, universities, foundations and communities of the city of Cali and its surrounding municipalities. Our lecture and slide presentation introduce and illustrate to the participants the contributions and achievements of African people in history. In addition, the presentation stimulates reflection on concepts of self-identity, culture, ancestral origin and inquiry regarding the attitudes and position of the descendants of Africa in the diaspora.

Study Groups

Before translating written academic work, study groups are formed for the members SHAFRO and the general public. In these weekly group sessions, the selected text is read, discussed and analyzed for its relevancy to the current issues that affect the black population living in South America. Subsequently, audiovisual presentations are developed to facilitate the presentation of information in the text to other foundations, secondary schools and universities in the city and its surroundings.