Help Eradicate Child Labor in Colombia

Colombia is a soccer country. Here, we live soccer, we breathe soccer, we even ‘eat’ soccer when we scream in from of the TV every time our team plays. Since we are little, our parents, especially our dads, teach us about the importance of the ‘futbol’ (it’s how we call it) in the Colombian culture. We learned how to see it, how to understand it and, of course, how to play it.

Many children in our country dream about being a professional ‘futbol’ player to overcome their difficulties and, maybe become one day like James Rodriguez, the superstar who is making us all cry, scream and feel together the passion of the national sport.  And one thing is truth: being a professional ‘futbol’ player is always better than work when you are still a child.

In Juntos Construyendo Futuro we are sure of that and for that one and other many reasons (as keep the body healthy and become committed to something) we encourage kids and teens  that are at risk of being put to work or leaving school to see in the sports a good way to spend their free time.

During these months we had four soccer championships in different neighborhoods of Bogotá. 248 children participated and strengthened their sports skills, teamwork, respect and social skills while they had fun. Meanwhile, in Valledupar, a city in the north of Colombia, 120 girls and boys were playing ‘futbol’ after school to spend their free and internalize rules to live in society and help preserve the environment, all this THANKS TO YOU!

After every championship, the players were awarded for the effort and participation. They are always very excited to get a prize, even if they didn’t win. The biggest reward is witness their faces full of happiness and joy and, time ahead, seeing them making their dreams come true.

Andres was a boy at risk from Cartagena who, with your help, made posiible his dream of develop a professional career in ‘futbol’. Now, after using his free time to train and play, he is part of the junior players team of Club Deportivo Real Cartagena, the soccer team of his city.

Your donations are responsible for lots of smiles here in Colombia, not just the kids’ but their families’ too. We are hosting workshops with more than 1600 families all year long to teach them, though recreation activities about family communication, quality of education and cultural transformation. That way we can reach together the eradication of child labor in the country.

Thank you again for your support!