Canoeing program supports youth social reintegration in Coquimbo

Youth from the Special Assisted Liberty Center with Partial Internment (LAE-IP) in Coquimbo, Chile, have participated in Polynesian canoeing sessions at La Herradura. The initiative, conducted in partnership with the Quitai Va’a Polynesian Canoeing Social Sports Club, uses sport and nature contact as complementary tools for adolescent intervention processes.

The program aims to foster personal skills such as teamwork, communication, discipline, and perseverance. These attributes are intended to assist participants in building life projects away from crime. Humberto Bermúdez Ramírez, the regional minister of Justice and Human Rights of Coquimbo, noted that providing tools for new life paths contributes to greater public security. Johana Honores San Francisco, acting regional director of the Coquimbo Youth Reintegration Service, added that such alliances promote healthy lifestyles and effective social reintegration.