The change stories shared by adolescents were translated using Deepl, with no additional editing beyond translation.
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In 2020, drugs, violence, murder, and crime reigned in the Potrero Grande neighbourhood. Because of this, children were not allowed to go very far or out of sight of their carers, and we entertained ourselves by playing tumba puya, marbles, tapón, ponchao, with toy cars, and time passed. We witnessed homicides, which filled us with fear because something bad could happen to us.
In 2023, when the VMC project arrived and they began to transform Parque de la Paz, it was a very cool thing. We started doing recreational activities, film forums, football, painting tyres and planting plants in that park, in that space that no one wanted to use except for the thugs. Nowadays, the park is used more. For example, they sell empanadas and food on the field, and there are lights at night, and they hold sports tournaments, when before there was nothing.
Thanks to VMC, things are better in the neighbourhood. The community feels safer in the park and works more together, organising collections and community lunches.
