Sponsor's update from Ibagué, Colombia

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Ibagué, Colombia from December 2008

On behalf of the SOS Children’s Village programmes in The Tolima - Department: SOS Children’s Village Ibagué, the Social Center Juan Pablo II (former name - El Oasis), we share with you news about girls, boys, youths and their families in our programmes. There are not doubts that your support is utmost important to strengthen his or her existing family through strengthening programmes or provide a home and family in an SOS Children's Village; with your help we also ensure access to quality education and advocate for child's rights and development. Of course, together with community partners and your social responsibility we work in communities where more children are at risk ensuring the quality and impact of our programmes.

SOS Children’s Village Colombia has worked jointly the national strategic planning 2009-2016 in August, doing an alignment to the International planning and keeping in mind the global motto: Together for ONE million Children. This national plan was done based on inputs like an analysis of the child situation in Colombia among other topics.

The strategic objectives defined for Colombia are:
12.213 girls, boys and youths protected integrally exercising their child’s rights
Co-workers and board members of National Association expert and committed to achieve quality results.
Local funds and SOS friends fund the 60% of the running cost

Our SOS Children’s Village Ibagué:
Taking into account that we have to face the challenge of children, families and communities increasing, The SOS Children’s Village Ibagué welcomed this year 13 girls and boys notified by the ICBF and 9 boys, girls and youths from their biological families. 161 boys, girls and youths are nowadays the participants of the SOS Children’s Village. Some girls and boys are starting their life at the SOS family whereas others are beginning a process in the youth community. For instance, in 2008, 15 youths started this process together with their relatives; some of them live in an apartment together other youths and SOS Children’s Village Ibagué pays the rent, school and the continuous guide of a youth leader. A facility especial to youth processes will not exist more because the experience have proved that it is better for them to live with relatives or independent. The emphasis is the individual development plan; doing an assessment of each plan, we can say that there are youths with more social skills than others and there are some youth who has work experience although the unemployment situation of the city.

Growing up in Ibagué, Colombia

Some tips about Social Centre Juan Pablo II
At the end of the year, we would say to you that this strengthening family programme is attending 221 boys and girls and 199 families. Our activities have as a main goal: The children’s integral development. Boys and girls have received during this year medical, nutritional, odontological, psychological, pedagogical and recreational support. All of it has been possible through a joint work with pair alliances and partnerships. The process of growing has also been evaluated and according with results, action plans has been applied for their wellbeing.

We also has linked to man and women in order to improve their skill to protect their own children; moreover, they are trained in health habits (habits of hygienic, nutrition and sports), interpersonal relationship (couple relationship and family bonds); they are also guided to know about exploration of new sources of incomes to help the family economy.
Furthermore, we have done efforts to promote the community participation, through the community leaders, in current social networks of the neighbourhoods.

Great news for us was the signature of a partnership between SOS Children and the Juan Pablo II Foundation. This partnership gave a donation to build the facility for the Social Centre that changed of name. It is called Social Centre Juan Pablo II because it was a requirement of the donator.

The boys, girls and youth have the right to have a family
SOS Children’s Village Ibagué must guarantee a family to girls, boys and youth as it is told within the Infance and Adolescence Law, sentenced in November 2007. Our programme carried out a diagnosis regarding the situation of children’s relatives at the SOS Children’s Village. The result was need of support; hence, we began a training course by workshops. In this way, the first workshop of relatives was done on July. The main theme was - children’s rights and the New Infancy and Adolescence Law - with the purpose to commit families in the upbringing process of boys, girls and youth. The same families suggested to have more frequent meetings among them. So, the pedagogical team decided to have the second workshop on December the 14th, where the topic will be the strengthening of family bonds.

Working in partnership at Ibagué, Colombia

The community Assembly, a place for participation…
It is very important for SOS Children’s Village Colombia the participation of boys, girls and youths in community decision-making. Therefore, different meetings were celebrated, among them, the community assembly. It was done with the aim to make proposals for a better community environment; the base of this meeting was the results of a work by the youth groups called -Little ants - (youth in training) and -Angels - (in youth community). Each group selected a representative like a leader of the activity. Their participation was so active even four young adults from those two groups were in charge to review the public politic for young people. They made a jointly work together with other groups from the city and the department. Their proposal was presented among the community and was accepted by everyone.

Luzma’s departure has left her mark on our hearts…
At the end of 2008, Luz Mary will leave the SOS Children’s Village Ibagué; she was the first SOS mother here. Luzma, as we call her, gets her retirement after 23 years like SOS mother for more than 24 boys and girls and 8 grandchildren. Luzma, was characterised for her fresh and happy spirit; she has been always a great collaborator and good hearted, she said that she felt her girls and boys like real daughters and sons.

Nowadays, time to leave has came, and Luzma says: the best gift my life and God have given me, was to stay a long time in this organisation, my family; I feel fulfilled my expectations because each one of their goals…Some of them are professional and they’re successful in their jobs; others are not professional but they are happy with their life’s project. It is nice to know that they see me like their blood mother. The youngest teenagers, says that they want to go with her…but it will be a change that has begun because Luzma decided to return to her native town (Armenia-Quindío) to live together with her birth mother who is an old woman that need of her. Of course, Luzma also has planned to travel around the country, to visit exotic and wonderful landscape of our rich land. Her teenagers will return to their birth families who have been prepared for this reunion. Nevertheless, Luzma promises to visit them frequently and invite them to her house to spend vacations, for instance. This December is the month of the farewells. Most of her children who are independent and live in Bogotá have organised a touchy celebration. In the SOS Children’s Village Ibagué, we also will celebrate a party in honour of Luzma. That something she deserves for her unconditional dedication toward many girls and boys and for being a good example of vocation and perseverance toward the new SOS mothers. She goes away but she leaves her mark in our hearts, especially in the bottom of the heart of many girls and boys.

It is time to tell to you THANK YOU! You make a difference in life of many girls, boys, youth and their families; we value your help and confidence in our work in favour of many children. Hope our report has given you an idea about the impact of your contribution, we wish you.

¡ A MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008 AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!

Un cordial saludo,

Guillermo Vargas, Director (E) Aldea & Luis Carlos Moreno, Director Centro Social El Oasis