Mothers begin to bake

To address the widespread issues of poverty, neglect and family breakups in Guacamayal, Colombia, we care for over 200 children at our Emmanuel Care Centre. Through regular food, medical care, counselling, homework help and family support, we are helping children overcome trauma and realise their full potential.

Families in Guacamayal experience the everyday struggle to survive while living below the poverty line. We tackle this obstacle by providing food for children at our care centre as well as food and rent support for the neediest families, relieving some of the burden on our children and their families.

As well as supporting their everyday needs, we also give families the means to improve their lives for the long term. Our care centre has been running self-sufficiency courses. One of the courses has been to teach the mothers of our children baking and pastry-making.

The mothers attend regular workshops where they have been taught how to bake bread, biscuits and cakes. Alongside baking, the workshops also include training on business, finance and entrepreneurship. The objective of the workshops is for the mothers to start small businesses and make a profit. 

When families are given the helping hand they need, they begin to be able to provide for themselves and become less reliant on Stand by Me, lifting themselves out of poverty. It’s thanks to our amazing supporters that we can help strengthen families and enable them to become self-sufficient, helping them to know they are not forgotten and showing them God’s love.