Intellectual disability:Busting Myths in Colombia

Paige is GlobalGiving's Champion for Customer Bliss in our office in Washington, DC. During a trip to Colombia, she had the chance to visit some of GlobalGiving's projects. Here is her postcard from the field.

When I arrived in Barranquilla to meet with Martha and Fundown Caribe’s team, I was greeted by the city’s infamous arroyos or rivers that form in streets during storms. For the several hours of torrential rains, Barranquilla slows to a stand still except for the kids running out to play in the flooded roads. Martha had planned on taking me to their event that day, an awareness building booth set up in the large and high-traffic mall in the center of town. However, the rains meant that the event was, sadly, going to be postponed to another day.

The good news is I was still able to meet with Martha and her team at their offices! Fundown’s offices are neat, clean, and multipurpose – some rooms have areas for young children to learn and play, others are set up as learning centers, and still others have medical supplies for the occasional check up days that Fundown Caribe organizes. What was most interesting about the office was that it is not a “center.”

“We do not keep kids here – we are not a care center. We are here to raise awareness about Down Syndrome in the community!”

And this is the amazing part about Fundown Caribe! They work hard to inform people that Down Syndrome isn’t the “disease” they think it is. Instead, the team works to let people know of the rights of those with intellectual disabilities, that they can learn and understand, and that the dignity of these individuals should be respected and protected! However, advocacy is hard to sell, especially when you’re working to treat your beneficiaries with respect. “People want to see sad photos,” Martha explains, “and we refuse to do that. We are here to show how those with Down Syndrome are the same as you and me!”

And indeed she is right! I was able to see all of the printed material they’ve been using, get an insight into the workshops offered to parents and teachers, and share ideas on how GlobalGiving can further help them with their work.

I even got the pleasure of meeting with Kristi, one of Fundown Caribe’s spokespeople! Kristi is bright and fun, an artist who loves music and is working at a publication. She also happens to have Down Syndrome. She’s a perfect example of the achievements Fundown Caribe – she’s an active member of a society that is sometimes not so accepting of someone who seems different than them, and she’s working with Fundown to help promote and continue their work! 

ENGLISH VERSION BELOW

Cuando iniciamos un  proyecto nuevo, tenemos las mejores expectativas e intenciones de éxito, que a veces pueden superar nuestra razón y objetividad llevándonos fácilmente al fracaso. Y por qué contar siempre sólo lo mejor? hoy queremos compartir con ustedes una de esas historias de fracaso y aprendizaje que han llevado a Fundown Caribe a convertirse en la gran organización que es hoy.

En el año 2007  cuando iniciamos nuestra Fundación, teníamos el firme propósito de ofrecer a las familias de escasos recursos, la posibilidad de dar a sus hijos en primera infancia, servicios médicos, que sirvieran para potenciar sus capacidades y funcionalidad, eso sentíamos que era lo mejor,  visto desde nuestra propia experiencia como familias con un miembro con síndrome de Down.

Con la mejor de las energías realizamos una convocatoria, ubicando alrededor de 60 familias con estas características, a quienes ofrecimos de manera gratuita un servicio de terapia para sus hijos.

De 60 invitados a nuestra reunión, sólo 30 asistieron. De los 30 asistentes, sólo 10 dijeron estar interesados en ello. Una vez entrevistados los 10 y explicado el plan a seguir, sólo 2 decidieron seguir con el proceso. Este fue nuestro primer fracaso y nuestra primera lección que nos llevó a pensar: Qué pasó? Por qué algo que considerábamos tan bueno, no tenía ninguna acogida? Cuál era la solución?

Hoy podemos decir con orgullo que este “fracaso” por llamarlo de alguna manera fue el motor propulsor de lo es hoy Fundown Caribe, nuestra gran lección. Aprendimos a proponer desde la perspectiva del otro, entendimos que necesitábamos reformar el entorno de las personas con síndrome de Down y discapacidad cognitiva, para hacer crecer en las familias, en los educadores y en la sociedad en general las expectativas  y una visión positiva que aliente a la aceptación de la diversidad.

El próximo 15 de Octubre GlobalGiving  dará un 30% adicional sobre las donaciones realizadas  al programa "Discapacidad intelectual: derribando mitos en Colombia" de Fundown Caribe. Así,  por cada USD1000  que ayudes a recaudar, recibiremos USD300 adicionales.

Por favor comparte esta información con tus amigos o regálanos un "Me gusta" en Facebook para continuar haciendo que los derechos con las personas con síndrome de Down y discapacidad intelectual, sean una realidad.

ENGLISH VERSION

When we start a new project, we have the best expectations and success intentions; these sometimes go over our objectivity easily leading us to failure. Why do we always count on the best? Today we want to share with you one of these failure and learn stories that have led Fundown Caribe to become the big organization it is today.

In the year 2007 when the Foundation started we had the sole goal of offering underprivileged families, the possibility of giving their first infancy kids, medical services that would help potentiate their capacities and functionality. We felt that it was the best offer from our own experience as families with a member with Down syndrome

With the best energy we developed a call, being able to find over 60 families with these characteristics, to whom we offered free therapy. Out of the 60 guests to our reunion, only 30 showed up. Out of the 30 who attended, only 10 said were interested in this. Once they were interviewed and explained what was the next step, only 2 families decided to continue with the process. This was our first failure and our first lesson, which led us to think: What went wrong? Why did something we thought was so good, wasn't working at all? What was the solution?

Today we can proudly say that this "failure" was the engine of what Fundown Caribe is today. our biggest lesson. We learned to propose out of the others' perspective, we understood that we needed to reform environment for persons with Down Syndrome and cognitive disability  to make expectations grow in these families, in teachers and in society in general giving a positive vision that encourages diversity and accepts it.

Next October the 15th, GlobalGiving will give an extra 30% over the donations realized under Fundown Caribe's program:. "Intellectual Disability: Busting Myths In Colombia" This means that for every 1000USD you help us gather, we will receive an extra 300!

Please share this information with your friends or give us a "Like" on Facebook to make rights of persons with Down syndrome and intellectual disability , become real.