The gulf between the haves and the have-nots in Colombia is alarming. Decades of civil war and conflict have resulted in a country plagued by violence and murder. For six million children deep in poverty, a lack of educational opportunities and malnutrition is an everyday reality. Children have severe health issues worsened due to not being able to afford medical treatment. Many children suffer from psychological problems as a result of neglect, abuse and violence experienced in their homes.
Colombia
Our work in Colombia
When we discovered 52 children in desperate need of an education, a school was built and 52 became 245. Today, the poorest children in the town are receiving a quality education and whilst the educational aspirations of children are being met, many are still suffering from physical and psychological abuse, due to neglect and violence in their homes. So in response to the need, we established a care centre in 2015 to support families through educational provision, meals, counselling, training and housing support.
2005
We adopted 52 of the poorest children in an impoverished town and provided them with a good education and a hot meal each day
2010
We purchased and renovated a derelict building to improve the facilities and increase the number of pupils in our school to 245
2011
The first medical team visited the school to help us deal with the ever-growing health needs of our children
2012
We ran our first summer sports and Bible camp, allowing children to escape their inadequate home conditions, have fun and receive good meals
2013
Our first students graduated from school and went on to continue their education at a government high school
2014
Many of our children have health issues and cannot afford medical treatment, so we started a medical fund to help them and their families
2014
We began renovating some children’s family homes to provide a safe and healthy environment for our kids and their families
2015
A counsellor was employed to help support children who were suffering from psychological and emotional problems
2017
To fight against child abuse and neglect, we established a care centre to support families through counselling, training and housing support
2017
While we still face severe challenges, we feel our holistic approach is now impacting children’s lives and benefitting the local community
2019
We sent our first team to Colombia, including doctors and teachers who spent 10 days running clinics for our children as well as a fun summer camp.
Yina, Yerazade, Yerson, Jhoiser
These are our kids in Colombia. They're cheeky, caring and very brave. We love watching them grow.
Yina is the youngest of four siblings and lives in a house with just one bedroom. Living in terrible conditions without a toilet caused her many health issues and discomfort.
When Yina joined our programme we built her family a toilet. The toilet changed everything for Yina, better hygiene, much better health for Yina and dignity for her whole family. Yina loves learning at our care centre and she is working hard at her education so she can one day pursue her dream of becoming a nurse and caring for the sick.
Yerazade’s grandmother Nellys took Yerazade into her care after the death of her mother. But Yerazade’s father would soon to come to take her back. He had made an agreement to sell her for just £57.
Determined to protect her granddaughter from harm, Nellys stood her ground and wouldn’t let her Yerazade be taken away.
When we heard of their situation and how Nellys had fought to take care of Yerazade, we immediately gave her a place at the Emmanuel Care Centre. At the centre, she is free to be a child, safe from harm and surrounded by teachers and carers who help her know she is loved and special.
In a small, rented brick house by a rubbish dump lives Yerson, his mother, his brother and his grandparents.
The conditions are cramped, their kitchen is deteriorating, and they only have a single room for all of them to sleep in. Witnessing the challenging circumstances that the family lived in, Yerson was welcomed into our Emmanuel Care Centre where he receives academic and medical support and is given daily nutritious meals.
A few years ago, Yerson’s family were further devastated when the town flooded, destroying many of their possessions. We stepped in to provide them with vital support and ensure that they had food to eat and a new bed to sleep in. With the care of the centre Yerson is now thriving. He is a talented athlete and dreams of becoming a footballer when he is older.
Jhoiser lived with his mother, father, two brothers and cousin. He was a happy child until one day his father very sadly passed away.
The whole family was changed by grief and Jhoiser had to deal with emotions that someone so young should never have to experience. This tragic loss had a big impact on Jhoiser both at home and at school.
We are able to care for Jhoiser’s family through emotional and spiritual support and fund Jhoiser to receive the emotional support he needs. The pain of losing his father may never leave him but with our help and God’s love he can find joy in his childhood again.