Feed the Future: Nourish 120 Underprivileged Dream

In Bogotá, where hope fights against adversity, alliances that transcend solidarity's limits are born daily. We want to tell you today about our efforts with several social organizations so young people in excluded areas of the city can have a bright future. We seek to provide decent opportunities for all and prevent any child from going to school hungry. The focal point of our actions is the population from 0 to 21 years of age and their families, those who live informally but are hard workers: recyclers, street vendors, service employees, children of inmates, and addicts.

In these spaces, children and young people find decent opportunities. Some testimonies tell how sometimes children arrive in search of paper to do their homework because they don't have 0,12 cents to buy it; others go to get internet access, unfortunately, a privileged service in the most vulnerable areas.

We cheer and encourage families who want to move forward and strive daily to grow and live with dignity. We transform realities through different programs: Hunger should not be a barrier to the learning process and development of the little ones. The purpose is to avoid children going to school with hunger, thus guaranteeing a daily diet to counteract malnutrition and combat dropout. What we do is that the man who sells ice cream and earns $1.21 a day can buy what his familiy needs with his limited resources. We allow him to acquire safe and nutritious food regardless of his financial circumstances. Many might not realize it, but having Greek yogurt is a privilege for a vulnerable family. Schools of music, dance, theater, soccer, and English programs offer safe spaces where each child can dream big and develop their talents. Saturdays are filled with laughter, inspiration, and hope, away from the risks and dangers of the streets. Effort and dedication find an incomparable reward in this program. Dedicated and committed young people can acquire scholarships with partners in universities or specialized training institutions. This initiative provides them with opportunities to further their professional lives and nurtures their dreams of a promising future.

Many believe that poor people are poor because they want to be, nothing further from the truth. Unfortunately, in our country, thousands lack possibilities and opportunities. These children deserve to develop their skills and abilities like children from more privileged whereabouts. The goal is to find in the academy, art, and sports possibilities to improve their living conditions and prevent them from falling into drug use or various types of violence characteristic of the street.

The synergy between the Bogota Food Bank and the different social organizations it works with has been a seed of change and love. The horizon is full of hope because we know that the development of each of these children and young people is also the development of our country. Seeding for bright futures, we demonstrate that the world blossoms with infinite possibilities when we unite for a noble cause.

Thank you for supporting our daily effort. Today, we invite you, once again, to walk with us and support our tasks to ensure that food in Colombia becomes a right and not a privilege.

To learn more about our job, please visit us at www.bancodealimentos.org.co

Links:

• Bogota Food Bank website