The hugely successful ‘Rofe Project’ is returning to Arrecife’s classrooms this academic year, with an expanded programme designed to reach even more students.
The initiative is a collaboration between Arrecife’s Departments of Education and Animal Welfare, headed by Abigail González and Jacobo Lemes respectively, together with the Dejando Huella Lanzarote Association.
Building on last year’s success with students who have specific educational support needs (NEAE) and those in the Aula Enclave programme, the project is broadening its reach. A new series of workshops aims to foster empathy, coexistence, and respect for animals among all schoolchildren in the municipality.
The sessions will once again feature the star of the show, Rofe, a specialist dog trained to interact with people with special needs. Kicking off this Friday, October 24th, at CEIP Antonio Zerolo, these sessions are designed to promote the emotional and social well-being of students. Through direct contact with Rofe, children work on social skills, emotional management, and self-esteem.
Simultaneously, the Department of Animal Welfare, led by Councillor Jacobo Lemes, is launching a new line of workshops for 5th and 6th year primary students across all municipal schools. These sessions aim to raise awareness about responsible animal care and the importance of a healthy environment. Starting today, October 23rd, at CEIP Los Geranios, these workshops will feature Rofe alongside Cartucho, the newest canine member of the Dejando Huella team.
During these interactive workshops, students will explore concepts such as ‘One Nature’ (‘una sola naturaleza’), learn appropriate behaviour around animals in public, discover the physical and emotional benefits dogs provide, and understand how to interpret canine body language to prevent conflicts and build respectful relationships.
The Councillor for Education, Abigail González, emphasised that “the Rofe Project is a unique opportunity to continue advancing toward inclusive education that promotes the overall well-being of our students. Rofe has proven to be a great ally in strengthening the self-esteem, empathy, and confidence of children with specific needs, and seeing how the project is growing this year fills us with excitement.”
The Councillor for Animal Welfare, Jacobo Lemes, highlighted that “educating children to respect animals also means educating them to respect other people. Through this initiative, we want our schoolchildren to understand the importance of caring for the environment and living responsibly with the animals that share our municipality.”
Elisa Sanz Naya, head of Dejando Huella Lanzarote, pointed out that “each session with Rofe and now also with Cartucho is an opportunity to sow the seeds of empathy, respect, and well-being. If we can get children to understand that animals feel, that we must care for and respect them, we will be helping to create a more humane and conscious society.”
The Rofe Project will run throughout the school year in various primary schools, secondary schools, and the Arrecife Nursery School, combining educational inclusion and animal awareness initiatives, and reaffirming Arrecife Ayuntamiento’s commitment to comprehensive education and more respectful coexistence with living beings and the environment.
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