Poder Joven

“Poder Joven is a preventative program that helps at risk children to find a better alternative to the street.”

Project Co-ordinator: Katy Vatis
Location: Medelin, Colombia
Date: ongoing support since 2010

Summary

• Fundacion Poder Joven is a non-profit organisation founded in 1996 by a group of university students in Medellin.
• This foundation has been running this preventative comprehensive social/educative programme since 2006 assisting children from underprivileged communities
• This project helps 135 children, aged 7-15 years, and their families.

Description of Project

Poder Joven Foundation is a non-profit organization whose members are students from local universities and young professionals working together to provide life opportunities to underprivileged children in Medellin who are victims of the humanitarian crisis in Colombia.

This is a program located in the outskirts of the neighbourhood of Manrique, Brisas del Jardin in the city of Medellin, where Poder Joven assists 135 children between the ages of 7 and 15. These children live in precarious conditions where poverty and the lack of basic services (health and hygiene) predominate.

Children are involuntary witnesses/participants of the armed conflict between gangs and drug dealers. They are very prone to abandon their home and adopt behaviours such as drug taking, begging and delinquency. Through this project, these children are provided with a safe place where they can express themselves and develop their skills towards finding alternatives for a better life. This is a pre- and after-school hours’ facility where the children will be provided with food, education, medical and psychological assistance on a daily basis. Their families will also be supported by receiving counselling about the education of their children.

For more information visit their website. You can also watch their youtube videos