Breaking poverty cycle for 70 youths in Bogota

For the past 24 years, Pintando Caminos has promoted inclusion in all its forms and in every way possible, becoming a recognized point of reference in the educational sector of our community.

In August, the psychologist from a nearby public school contacted me to ask if we could include Samuel, a six-year-old boy with autism, in our after-school academic support and homework program.

At first, I was a little concerned because our team had not been trained in the specific skills needed to support Samuel. However, after listening to his father's story, I learned that Samuel had been abandoned by his mother three years earlier, had only begun speaking this year, and was experiencing behavioral difficulties at school. I also learned that he spent every afternoon with an elderly caregiver. After hearing his story, I felt encouraged to give it a try.

I did some research and explained to his father and the school psychologist that we would try to support Samuel with the help of Nini and Sonia. We prepared ourselves, arranged a space in the classroom with toys and games that could help him feel comfortable, and gave ourselves the opportunity to try.

The day Samuel arrived, the challenge began. The chairs were different colors and did not match the tables, which upset his routine and made it difficult for him to settle in. He would not sit down to work until we brought all the pink chairs to the pink table and the white chairs to the white table.

He did not respond to our instructions and wanted to do things his own way. The first few days were very difficult, as he needed constant support and was not yet able to participate in the activities as we had hoped.

I was worried because we did not have the resources to provide him with the attention he deserved. I decided it would be best to tell his father and the psychologist that we were unable to provide the individualized, specialized care he needed.

But just as I had made that decision, something unexpected happened.

The children and teenagers who attend our afternoon program, which is when Samuel comes, approached me at the end of the day. They told me that they wanted to help care for Samuel. They had seen how difficult it had been for the teacher working with the younger children to focus exclusively on him, and they wanted to become part of the team supporting Samuel.

For me, that was the answer. From then on, each afternoon, one of the children would sit at Samuel's table, waiting to see if they could interact with him. There was only one girl with whom he initially chose to interact: Dana Sarai.

From that moment on, whenever Samuel wants to interact with her, he looks for her and leads her to his table. On other days, he plays with Jenga, puzzles, or colored craft sticks, and he is very happy.

On my birthday, we had a celebration with dancing and cake. Just like the other children, Samuel happily joined the group for a photo, ate his piece of cake, and continued enjoying the afternoon calmly.

Samuel's story has deeply moved all of us. The children want to play with him and be close to him. His progress has been remarkable: he now interacts with other children, plays calmly in his assigned space, and completes his homework—things we were unable to achieve during those first few days. He also walks around the tables, looking at things that catch his attention and enjoying activities in his own way.

Once again, this experience has shown us that love, patience, and solidarity can open doors that once seemed impossible to open.

Samuel’s story is a beautiful reminder that inclusion becomes possible when we open our hearts and give every child the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong. Thanks to your support, Pintando Caminos can continue creating opportunities for children like Samuel and building a community where every child matters.

Thank you for believing in our mission, for standing with us, and for helping us transform lives through love, education, and solidarity. Together, we are making a difference, one child at a time.