Build Development Center for 300 Colombian Kids

Since 2017, the newly-rennovated Early Childhood Center, part of the Fundación Las Golondrinas, has been an incredibly valuable space for children and families in the Llanaditas neighborhood in the hills of Medellín. There are over 300 children (across 12 classrooms) that attend class and receive 4 meals a day at the Center. This achievement was made possible by public and private sector donors from around the world, and we want to thank you for your ongoing support of the Center and its programs.

One example of the hope that the Center brings to the neighborhood and to Colombia in general is the story of 4-year-old Anyely, from the coastal state of Córdoba. As she explains (translated from her native Spanish), "my family and I were displaced by armed groups in my hometown" where "I used to play with my friends and swim in the rivers." She continues, "I came to Medellín very sad that I had to leave my favorite dolls and my best friends." Arriving in the city was a difficult experience, where she knew nobody and didn't feel comfortable in this large new place, along with her parents not having a steady source of income. But after her mom enrolled her in the newly-constructed Llanaditas Early Childhood Center, she began to feel at home in her neighborhood, in this "school where all the boys and girls in the community play and learn," Anyely describes. "In Llanaditas, I feel very happy and safe with my teachers." At school, "I love the to run around outside, to eat the delicious bean soups, and to draw and paint with the other children."

Over 300 children in the surrounding neighborhoods are currently on the waiting list to study in the Early Childhood Center. The Fundación Las Golondrinas is prepared to open five more classrooms for students to accommodate this increased demand, but not without the support of sponsors like you. The first year of the new Early Childhood Center has been such a success for the children and families who call the Llanaditas neighborhood home, and we're eager to be able to expand this opportunity for more young students. As Anyely expressed, "I love being here at Llanaditas a lot. I want it to be bigger, so that more kids like me from other parts of Colombia can share in singing, enjoying and exploring together." With your continuing support of the Fundación Las Golondrinas Early Childhood Center, we can furnish the next five classrooms with desks, chairs, whiteboards, bathrooms, and learning materials and guarantee that the next generation of children will have the same opportunity that Anyely has had.

All of us at the Fundación Las Golondrinas are so grateful to you, our donors from GlobalGiving, who have allowed us to build the Center into what it has become. Thank you for ongoing help with this project, and best wishes.