In Colombia, more than 2.4 million children suffer abuse; 1.5 million children are undernourished and 2.7 million do not have access to a suitable education. As a result of the internal armed conflict, more than 1 million children have been displaced from their homes.
Since 1988 the foundation puts its efforts in helping forsaken and abandoned children so that the children under its care will not follow the path that many youngsters take towards crime, unemployment, ignorance, rebel groups or that go through life unskilled or grow up in violent homes. Ever since, activities have been structured to provide comprehensive care to those that are most in need.
To pursue these ambitious goals, the foundation has developed a foster home divided into a group of four homes in a village-type setting. located in a municipality, approximately 1.5km from its urban area and 60km from Bogota.
Each group is led by a substitute mother giving the children the attention and love they need. To guarantee the process of rehabilitation, the children are provided with comprehensive care. The foundation satisfies the children’s basic needs, such as balanced nutrition, housing, education. It offers the children access to professional psychological and medical treatment, education in a Montessori environment and non-formal cultural and recreational learning activities.
Participant’ profile: The pariticipant working activities consist in the care of the children and supporting the local staff in their daily routine. Activities can be for example teaching English, Office and doing homework. However, the project’s environment allows participants to develop own small projects or activities as well.
The participant should be willing to show full engagement to the project, since hosting will be in the project. Due to the children’s fates the foundation prefers female volunteers, however male volunteers’ applications won’t be rejected automatically. The participant should have basic Spanish skills and should be highly motivated.
