Prevent child abuse in rural areas of Colombia

At first glance, Samuel looks like any other 9-year-old boy. He goes to school, does his homework, and sometimes laughs with his classmates. If you saw him during recess, you would never imagine everything he carries inside.

But there are things you can’t see.

No one sees how hard it is for him to fall asleep each night, because the silence brings back memories of what he lived through.
No one sees that he hates being alone in a room, even if he can’t explain why.
No one sees that when an adult raises their voice, his body freezes, as if the danger were still there.

After the abuse, Samuel didn’t just lose his sense of safety. He lost something even deeper: trust. In adults. In the world. In himself.

His mother didn’t understand what was happening. She thought it was “just a phase,” something he would grow out of. But the changes became stronger: sudden anger, silent tears, fear of things that never bothered him before. What no one had told them is that abuse doesn’t end when it happens… in many ways, that’s when it begins.

The invisible wounds are the hardest to heal.

That’s when they found Fundación Paula Cristina. They didn’t arrive looking for “therapy.” They came looking for answers.

Here, Samuel began a different kind of process. No one forced him to speak before he was ready. Instead, he slowly learned to recognize his emotions, to understand that what he was feeling made sense, and that he was not broken.

Through play, art, and psychological support, Samuel started to reclaim what abuse had taken from him: his voice.

His mother also began her own healing journey. Because helping a child heal means supporting the environment around them. She learned to listen without judgment, to be present without pressure, and to hold space even while navigating her own pain.

Today, Samuel is still healing. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight. But something has already changed forever: he is no longer alone.

And that changes everything.

Every day, hundreds of children live stories like Samuel’s. Stories that don’t always leave visible scars, but deeply shape how they experience the world.

You can be part of their healing.

Your donation helps provide psychological support, safe spaces, and life-changing programs for children and families who are navigating the invisible aftermath of abuse.

Give today. Help a child feel safe again. Help them find their voice