Give at-risk Colombian children a safe home

These past few months have been a challenge, but one thing that this pandemic has shown us is humanity’s greatness that arises in times of need. With this in mind, we wanted to happily share with you that we recieved one of the microgrants that GlobalGiving gave to 100 organizations to weather the impact of this pandemic.

Thanks to your generous donations as well, so far we have been able to:

• Secure weekly Yoga breathing classes that help cope with stress and depression.
• Conduct weekly online workshops of proper Microsoft Excel use for those who are finishing high school education and are continuing on to career training. 
• Successfully supply all the homes with the proper bio-safety and cleaning products that were needed to guarantee the safety during COVID-19 health emergency.
• Change two of the main computers in each home, enabling easy communication within the children and their families, supplementing the regular visits that used to take place every Saturday.
• Improve the provision of sporting and recreational equipment including: soccer balls, bikes, board games and the painting divisions of the soccer field in Nuevo Amanecer. This will guarantee that every day there are more options for the children to properly manage their free time. 

Today we face a new challenge of internet access in all the programs, as we do not have all the technological tools necessary to face the challenges of virtual classes. Right now, only a few kids are able to connect at the same time, either with their schools or families with a decent coverage, forcing us to prompt a better connection so they can all be online at the same time. We are hopeful that they will be able to complete their school year and can continue to learn and grow academically and emotionally. In the end, even when the world feels upside down, it’s fulfilling to know that there are people like you who are willing to help make a change during this difficult time.

On behalf of Papa Jaime, our Board of Directors, staff and more importantly our children, there aren't enough words to thank you for your help and commitment to maximize our efforts in ensuring responsible management during COVID-19. We’d also like to take a moment to thank the brave health workers, social workers, first responders and public force who continue to risk their lives for the safety of ours and our loved ones. 

Please stay safe and well, 

Patricia Gonzalez

Community Relations Manager

P.S. We kindly invite you to visit our Facebook Page!

Lets do it together! Happy New Year, we are delighted to start this 2020 working hand in hand with our GlobalGiving friends and community. We wanted to take the chance and thank each and every one of our donors and especially those who participated in our Giving Tuesday and Year- End Campaign.Thanks to your unconditional support, GlobalGiving awarded us with a Certificate recognizing our outstanding crowdfunding success in the 2019 Year-End Campaign. The funds obtained will go towards improving the quality of the health, educational, housing and psychosocial attention. Fundación Niños de los Andes is incredibly proud of this recognition, but also thankful for your continuous help, as we work together to accelerate community-driven change.  

With this in mind, we would like to share with you what to look forward to in 2020:

1. Building our UPS Foundation funded outdoor gymnasium: On January 23, 2019, we officially recieved the Grant money that alllows us to set in motion our Project “My time at the Foundation, an Unforgettable experience” in our homes. This project aims to increase the motivation and sense of belonging of the 1,236 children in all of our three programs and will contribute to the generation of alternative methodologies to make institutionalization and surrogate family care in Colombia warmer and more welcoming. Our purpose and objective aligns with United Nations parameters for the alternative care of children and adolescents at risk. 

2. This upcoming year we are excited to witness first-hand and more importantly share with you more success stories of young adolescents like Nicoll, daughter of a young man who was a part of one of our programs, who with the support of donors like you, is studying modern languages at the University.  "I am so thankful for this opportunity, as I never imagined that my life would take this path where I am able to pursue my university studies at one of the most prestigious institutions in the country" said Nicoll at the end of 2019. At Fundación Niños de los Andes, our goal is to prioritize access to higher education in order to increase their opportunities of formal jobs inclusions and entrepreneurships.

3. In 2020, we are eager to expand our donor network, as we begin a year with new challenges and obstacles that encourage us to have more people learn about our worthy cause. Through this growth we hope to achieve more sustainable ways of having our children directly benefit from every single donation, no matter the size. In order to achieve this expansion, we are planning on posting more through our social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, at a more frequent basis. Also, we will be posting more project reports this year, with the sole purpose of keeping everyone informed of the milestones that we have achieved with your help, participations in campaigns and any other important activities. Nevertheless, as this is just one of many ways to grow our network, we are open to hearing any comments or suggestions any of you have!

As years go by, our work never ends, as we are committed to change the devastating situation our children continue to live in Colombia. Fundación Niños de Los Andes is eager to face this 2020 full of challenges, projects and opportunities that will allow us to make the best out of each and everyone of your generous donations this year and onwards.

Best regards,

Angelica Vega