Chile upgrades and reopens early‑childhood centers after storm damage

More than 100 public kindergartens in the Valparaíso region have been monitored and gradually reopened following a severe frontal weather system. The Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles (Junji) coordinated a disaster‑risk management committee that assessed damage, carried out repairs and prepared safe, welcoming spaces. Director Alejandra Nielsen Molina highlighted the teams' rapid deployment and the fact that most facilities sustained only minor to moderate damage.

In the northern city of Iquique, the Servicio Local de Educación Pública (SLEP) invested 30.564 million CLP to renovate the façades of 11 kindergartens in the Alto Hospicio commune. The works included painting, metal treatment, new signage and flagpoles. Directors such as Karina Alcaíno Alfaro praised the improvements for fostering community pride, while sub‑director Sebastián Guacte Galleguillos noted the broader benefits for educational environments and local identity.