introduction

A real educational process underlies almost all Dianova's programs and activities, which endeavor to instruct in such areas as knowing oneself, one's capabilities and limitations, developing positive, enriching interactions with others, with our environment and with our community, learning vocational abilities, etc.

This educational process addresses the three domains of learning:

• Learning itself, or gaining knowledge through pedagogic means.

Every year, Dianova’s Las Marias School in Nicaragua accommodates more than 300 pupils who are either from the street or from disadvantaged, rural families.

• Learning skills, or gaining practical competences and experience in a given activity.

Vocational training is part of most Dianova's programs, and internal training is given to the staff on a regular basis.

• Learning abilities, or the capacity to develop positive, respect-based interactions with our environment, whether human or natural.

Gaining these abilities, including being attentive to others, displaying empathy, preserving our environment, etc., is a common feature at Dianova centers.

For Dianova, promoting the positive development of healthy human communities means to implement and support initiatives that are "healthy" in the broadest sense of the word, encompassing the improvement of social, cultural, economic and physical environments, as well as individual health.

In this process education has the main rôle to play.