Prevent Sexual and Gender Violence in Colombia

Dear friends at GlobalGiving, 

From the entire team at Children Change Colombia, we would like to thank you for your crucial support in raising global awareness about our organisation and our projects. Our core mission is to empower vulnerable, at-risk children in Colombia through a variety of educational, recreational, and sports-based activities. Your generous support is helping to keep these children safe from the dangers in their communities, and allowing them to develop important life skills in order to build happy, healthy, and positive futures. We believe that, when equipped with the right skills and knowledge, children are able to transform their own lives, their communities, and Colombia at large. 

This year Children Change Colombia was able to direct GlobalGiving donations to fund the project: “Reducing conflict-related sexual violence and commercial sexual exploitation against children and young people”. Thanks to this generous contribution, our project partners CDE and ACJ were able to successfully implement this project for the period between the 1st of March 2022 to the 28 of February 2023.

Although the estimated number of children and young people, both direct and indirect, who’d benefit from the project within the approach of the initial proposal was 799. The actual number of CYP that have benefited from it during this period is 1,959 This represents an increment of the 151% of CYP who have benefited, including both direct and indirect beneficiaries.

From this total amount, 471 children were direct beneficiaries in Bogotá (ACJ): 249 came from educational entities (112 male, 136 female and 1 self-identified as 0*), and 192 from local communities (76 male and 116 female), and 30 children leaders (12 male, 17 female), and 1 O* see footnote.

In the case of Cartagena and Quibdó (CDE) 65 CYP were direct beneficiaries of the project: 54 children (18 masculine, 36 female) and 11 young leaders, all female.

In Quibdó, one of the most significant achievements was the strengthening of skills in children to prevent them from joining illegal groups in Kennedy, Niño Jesús, Playita, Alamos, Palenque, Ciudadela MIA , Jasmine, North Zone. In this sense, the CYP were able to understand the importance to get away from any person or group whose purpose is to commit crimes.

In Cartagena, a collaboration was achieved with the Bicentenario community library, for the production of community forums focused on risk prevention. The activities carried out in the library generated visibility to communities from different neighbourhoods such as Bicentenario and Colombiaton, among others. This is positive, since it becomes a space for recreation and learning for the entire community. Some of the outcomes were:

1. 96% of children and young people WERE trained in self-care and self-protection practices and tools; they know NOW how to act when facing risks in their communities and build their knowledge about human rights (including children's rights).

Activities:

Workshop sessions: Sexual and reproductive rights

In these sessions, the aim was to enhance the children's knowledge on sexual and reproductive rights. First, the participants were asked to say their name and a word that begins with the initial letter (Example Carlos: Camión (truck) This, in order to involve them in a fun, calm and pleasant way, increasing their ability to concentrate; we proceed to ask the questions: what is sexuality?, what is sexual health? What is a sexual right? What is reproduction and reproductive health?

Awareness campaigns against bullying:

The NNJA created and promoted raising awareness campaigns in two educational institutions, through which issues related to the prevention of bullying were developed. Each student in charge visited the classrooms, explaining to the students what bullying is, effects, consequences, how to identify it, prevent it, and what to do if it occurs in the classroom. For this campaign they relied on billboards, presentations, talks, and stickers.

Training sessions on human rights:

Trainings were carried out, through which it was possible to raise awareness about the risks faced by the NNJA in the territories, care, and protection tools were provided. It was possible to generate spaces for artistic expression, where the NNJA manifested feelings, abilities and realities that they live in their daily lives.

1. At least 93% of families and caregivers participateD and contributeD to the reduction of gender-based violence, sexual violence and CSEC and acquireD knowledge about human rights (including children's rights) in their communities.

In Bogotá, during the execution of the project with the different family groups (41), significant transformations were evidenced. 93%, of the participants expressed changes in behaviours, and narratives on family and family dynamics thanks to these sessions. Likewise, participants learned positive parenting as a tool for the prevention and coping of different risk factors such as sexual violence.

In Quibdó, 100% of the families and caregivers who attended the meetings, learned how to guide CYP inside and outside the home, with a view on preventing violence and other risks. In Cartagena, 90% of the carers strengthened their parenting guidelines.

Activities:

Training Session: "Myths and realities about sexuality"

This training aimed to teach the importance of undertaking a safe and responsible approach to sexual behaviour and expression to prevent violence, unwanted pregnancies, care of our body, respect for others and their sexual orientations ; construction of identity and the generation of self-protection skills.

Family meetings

These sessions were carried out with the objective of increasing quality time between CYP and their families. The activity began by welcoming all families, and then ACJ shared the different services and projects that are being carried out. Afterwards, the participants wrote a letter to express their gratitude for the personal wishes and goals they had at the start of the project that this program has fulfilled during the year.

"Pueblos en movimiento" newspaper:

The CYP and their carers/parents created a Newspaper called Communities in Movement for the direct dissemination of topics of interest that occur in each city regarding Human Rights and risk situations, the current realities of the socio-political context, about what is happening in the territory, among other issues.

1. At least 100% of community members (public officials, teachers, community leaders, and youth leaders) participateD in advocacy activities to demand the protection of children's rights from the responsible public institutions.

This outcome was 100% achieved! This was possible thanks to the teachers and community leaders who with motivation, commitment and dedication achieved not only community advocacy processes, the involvement of more young people, the development of impact community actions against their rights, but also the articulation with others, to achieve an impact on a larger scale.

This result has been a total success in Quibdó, thanks to the great acceptance of the different activities included during this period. Young leaders and teachers have actively participated in the program, which has generated invitations to them to participate in other types of institutional spaces for children's rights promotion. In Cartagena, the process has been recent, the participants so far are getting acquainted. However, it is going in the right direction and transformations are already being seen.

In Bogotá, It is also important to highlight the strengthening of the life project of the participants. They have strengthened their profile as transforming leaders , their vision of life and how to persue their goals within the political training school of the program.

International Day of Peace:

On September 21, the International Day of Peace was celebrated. Within the framework of this day, a festival was held in the El Consuelo neighborhood of Santa Fe. 180 CYP from the community participated, who carried out a comparsas, dances, theater plays, mobilising the community through art. After this, in the park of the El Consuelo neighborhood, different activities were carried out which were led by the youth.

Round tables and partnerships with the school's governmental bodies:

The participating officials, professionals and leaders established inter-institutional relations with schools in Quibdó and Cartagena, with direct contributions, especially on the psychosocial perspective of Human Rights and artistic training.

100% of the participating teachers have done an excellent job in terms of promoting Human Rights within their educational institutions. In addition, everyone participates every time they are invited to activities. This year 10 round tables were carried out.

Thank you! 

This project has proven to have real, tangible impacts on the lives of vulnerable, at-risk children in various communities in Colombia. It is only with the support from organisations like GlobalGiving that we are able to achieve this progress, and stay true to the name of our organisation: providing children with the mindset, skills, and opportunity to change Colombia. We thank you again for your support!

Dear friends at GlobalGiving,

From all of us here at Children Change Colombia, we want to thank you for supporting us by showing this important project for children in Colombia throughout the world! Your generous support is helping keep at risk-children safe from the dangers in their communities, and allowing them to develop important life skills and strengthen their capacities to build positive futures for themselves. We believe that equipped with the right skills and knowledge, children can transform their own lives, their communities and Colombia itself.

Thanks to our donors, our project partners CDE and ACJ were able to successfully implement this project for the period between the 1st of March 2022 to the 28 of February 2023. Among the incredible results we’re reach, these are the highlights:

Although the estimated number of children and young people, both direct and indirect, who’d benefit from the project within the approach of the initial proposal was 799. The actual number of CYP that have benefited from it during this period is 1,959 This represents an increment of the 151% of CYP who have benefited, including both direct and indirect beneficiaries. From this total amount, 471 children were direct beneficiaries in Bogotá (ACJ): 249 came from educational entities (112 male, 136 female and 1 self-identified as 0*), and 192 from local communities (76 male and 116 female), and 30 children leaders (12 male, 17 female).

Regarding the project’s outcomes we can stand out:

In Quibdó, one of the most significant achievements was the strengthening of skills in children to prevent them from joining illegal groups in Kennedy, Niño Jesús, Playita, Alamos, Palenque, Ciudadela MIA , Jasmine, North Zone. In this sense, the CYP were able to understand the importance to get away from any person or group whose purpose is to commit crimes.

In Cartagena, a collaboration was achieved with the Bicentenario community library, for the production of community forums focused on risk prevention. The activities carried out in the library generated visibility to communities from different neighbourhoods such as Bicentenario and Colombiaton, among others. This is positive, since it becomes a space for recreation and learning for the entire community. 96% of children and young people were trained in self-care and self-protection practices and tools; they know NOW how to act when facing risks in their communities and build their knowledge about human rights (including children's rights).

Awareness campaigns against bullying: The NNJA created and promoted raising awareness campaigns in two educational institutions, through which issues related to the prevention of bullying were developed. Each student in charge visited the classrooms, explaining to the students what bullying is, effects, consequences, how to identify it, prevent it, and what to do if it occurs in the classroom. For this campaign they relied on billboards, presentations, talks, and stickers.

Session: Sexual and reproductive rights In the session, the aim was to enhance the children's knowledge on sexual and reproductive rights. First, the participants were asked to say their name and a word that begins with the initial letter (Example Carlos: Camión (truck) This, in order to involve them in a fun, calm and pleasant way, increasing their ability to concentrate; we proceed to ask the questions: what is sexuality?, what is sexual health? What is a sexual right? What is reproduction and reproductive health?

In Bogotá, during the execution of the project with the different family groups (41), significant transformations were evidenced. 93%, of the participants expressed changes in behaviours, and narratives on family and family dynamics thanks to these sessions. Likewise, participants learned positive parenting as a tool for the prevention and coping of different risk factors such as sexual violence. At least 93% of families and caregivers participateD and contributeD to the reduction of gender-based violence, sexual violence and CSEC and acquireD knowledge about human rights (including children's rights) in their communities.

Training Session: "Myths and realities about sexuality": This training aimed to teach the importance of undertaking a safe and responsible approach to sexual behaviour and expression to prevent violence, unwanted pregnancies, care of our body, respect for others and their sexual orientations ; construction of identity and the generation of self-protection skills.

Pueblos en movimiento" newspaper: The CYP and their carers/parents created a Newspaper called Communities in Movement for the direct dissemination of topics of interest that occur in each city regarding Human Rights and risk situations, the current realities of the socio-political context, about what is happening in the territory, among other issues.

Finally, 100% of community members (public officials, teachers, community leaders, and youth leaders) participated in advocacy activities to demand the protection of children's rights from the responsible public institutions.