Give at-risk Colombian children a safe home

Dear Globalgiving friends,

In June this year I went to Bogota, Colombia, to visit the Fundación Niños de los Andes and its Residential Centres. I have worked with, and supported the Foundation, for over 20 years but the last time I had visited was 19 years previously. I was curious to see how the situation had changed, in terms of the plight of children living in a street situation or in abject poverty, and to learn about to the Foundation and its current activities. 

What impressed me most was the positive and happy environment in the Centres. The staff were affectionate and attentive, whilst at the same time imposing a daily discipline The staff obviously cared a great deal for the children. Many had been working with them for years and were qualified as social workers, psychologists, nurses and occupational therapists. Some had even grown up in the Centres themselves and were now employed as cleaners or cooks.   The Centres were spotlessly clean and all the children’s affairs miraculously tidy. As part of the process of learning to live on their own and with others the children have to tidy up after themselves, make their own beds and keep their things in order. 

Over the years since I had last visited it was clear to me that the Foundation’s excellent work with street children had become more widely recognised and valued. The ICBF (the official Colombian Family Welfare Institute) is working with the Foundation in many of its projects and Centres, and has increased its funding over recent years of the Foundation’s work. On the regular inspections of its Centres by the ICBF the Foundation always achieves an excellent rating.

 On my final day, the Foundation had organised an event at Nuevo Amanecer (New Dawn) Centre with Ingersoll Rand. This Centre is based on the outskirts of Bogota in the countryside. 60 children and teenagers live there and will stay for up to 4 years. They are mainly groups of siblings who have had to be separated from their parents due to physical abuse or because their parents cannot cope. These children have been exposed to abuse and neglect and have had little access to education. The Foundation’s philosophy is based on a loving care and support, encouraging the kids to have plans and dreams for the future.

 Ingersoll Rand Executives had kindly offered to give up their time and provide the money for materials to paint the dining room at the Centre and to plant a vegetable plot.  The adults soon got busy on the painting and digging.. The kids had been so excited waiting for the arrival of Ingersoll Rand. They had made a big banner which said “Welcome Ingersoll Rand”. The kids stayed close to the adults all afternoon, fascinated by the way they looked, by the different languages spoken (Ingersoll Rand Executives came mainly from the USA and from China) and asking them lots of questions.  Papa Jaime welcomed Ingersoll Rand and thanked them for their generous offer of their time, support and the materials to improve the children’s home. Then everyone got to work with lots of enthusiasm, good humour and tremendous effort. 

A few hours later after the work was done Ingersoll Rand Executives taught the kids how to play basketball. Later, as they boarded their bus back to Bogota, the kids enthusiastically hugged them and climbed on thefence to wave them off. They really appreciated the fact that the grown-ups had cared enough to want to come and help them make their home a nicer place to live.

I took with me a sense of wonder at everything the Foundation has achieved over the last years. The staffs work tirelessly to help the children grow up in the safe environment of the Centres. The children are so happy, positive and curious to learn. Amongst all the suffering and poverty widespread on the streets of Bogota you have the sense that there are people who really care and who want to make a difference. The children in the Centres homes are the lucky ones who can look to a better future with the Foundation’s love and support. There are so many more children out there who need our help. For this reason the Foundation is very grateful for your ongoing support and continues to seek new sources of funding so that it can help more children.