2005 was filled with
great news and accomplishments for COLOMBIANITOS. We continue
to grow at an accelerated pace and each day we benefit more
needy boys and girls in our country. It is an honor for all
of us who are part of the COLOMBIANITOS team to be able to
share these accomplishments with all of you. Thanks to your
support we have reached our goals for 2005.
We hope to continue to count on your trust and economic support
in 2006!
Goals for a Better Life in Ciudad Bolivar
, Bogotá, currently benefits 659 boys and girls that
attend soccer training three times a week. The training is
complemented with meals. Children and parents alike attend
social workshops on drug prevention, sexual education, conflict
resolution and prevention of family violence among others.
Goals for a Better Life has become a social tool to
keep children away from violence and crime. Our dream is to
take this program to all the regions in Colombia with similar
social problems as Ciudad Bolivar.
In April 2005 we started making this dream a reality by
opening our second Goals for a Better Life program
in Puerto Tejada, Cauca. The program is complemented by the
Musical Program Caraluna that utilizes the musical skills
of the children through musical instruments and the art of
dance. This curriculum, through music, obtains the same objectives
established in the Goals for a Better Life program. 450 boys
and girls currently participate in the Goals for a
Better Life program in Puerto Tejada, Cauca. 184 of these
children participate in the musical program.
Our Sponsorship Program was created in 2002 as a complement to the Goals for a Better Life program. This program was created to solve the need of boys and girls that, due to the lack of economic resources or lack of space in public schools, do not receive a proper education. In August 2004 we sponsored 74 children and in December 2005 we are sponsoring 198 children that now spend their time between school and the activities of the Goals for a Better Life Program. The Sponsorship Program not only provides education, but offers a detailed follow up by a social worker for each child that includes home visits, therapeutic attention by a psychologist and family workshops.
COLOMBIANITOS offered between 2002 and 2004 rehabilitation to 11 boys and girls that lost their limbs in landmine explosions. In 2005, six of these children came back to Bogotá to change or receive maintenance on their prosthesis and to continue with their rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the number of victims of land mine explosions in Colombia continues to grow. In October we started the rehabilitation of another 10 year old boy that lost his right foot when stepping on a land mine in Cocorna, Antioquia.
As we expand our programs, the commitment also grows and
the need to count on the support of our friends has also grown.
I want to take this opportunity to make a special invitation
for you to continue spreading the word about our work. You
can do this by sharing our good news with your family and
friends, sponsoring a child, by contributing to the maintenance
of our soccer field or supporting the rehabilitation program.
With your help and continued support, that we are counting
on, we can all see a prosperous and peaceful Colombia in the
near future.
We have great expansion plans for Colombianitos in 2006.
We will by implementing three new Goals for a Better Life
Programs in other communities of extreme poverty and high
crime levels. We will begin by opening in the earlier part
of 2006 our third program in a very deserving community in
Cartagena, Bolivar.
On behalf of all the children who benefit from COLOMBIANITOS’
programs and from all of our staff members that work with
great passion and commitment to make this dream a reality,
we wish you a very successful 2006.
Sincerely,
Angela Patricia Janiot
President
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Highlights of our programs in 2005:
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