Transforming The Lives of Children in Cartagena

Dear donors,

Thanks to your support, we've made significant progress. Here are some recent highlights: 

The Breakfast Club

Our feeding program continues to thrive. Over the past three months, we have distributed more than 3,000 healthy breakfast portions to our beneficiaries. This consistent effort has helped us maintain a strong attendance rate, reinforcing both healthy eating habits and emotional well-being among the children we serve. Each nutritious meal is accompanied by care and emotional support, ensuring that our impact goes beyond just providing food.

Educational Support

Our workshops in July, August and September focused on interactive, engaging activities designed to foster a love for learning. Some key activities included:

"The Balloon": An icebreaker where children navigated an obstacle course with a balloon between their backs, promoting teamwork.

"Choose the Letter": A literacy game boosting vocabulary through letter-based word creation.

"Adding and Subtracting": Math practice using worksheets and group activities.

"Word Race": A race combining physical activity with writing skills.

"The Alphabet Box": A hands-on game for alphabet recognition.

"Number Balloon": An interactive math game using balloons.

"Jumping ABC": A physical activity combining jumping with alphabet recitation.

Through these playful activities, the children improved their reading, writing, and math skills, all while having fun and working together. We even caught a glimpse of future aspirations - one child told us: "I love painting, I'm going to be an artist when I grow up"

Creative Workshops

September saw the launch of our EmocionArte workshop. The kids had a blast decorating their initials, turning them into colorful works of art. It was heartening to see their confidence grow as they expressed themselves through their creations.

Impact Stories

Charitza's Journey: Shirley, Charitza's mother, noted positive changes in her daughter's eating habits since joining our program. She shared, "In the Romero family, we hadn't seen anything like this. But now, my daughter eats more, and it makes me so happy."

 Deiner: Thanks to a donation from Juridicaribe, Deiner's family now has a safer and cleaner floor in their home. The family expressed heartfelt gratitude for this improvement in their living conditions.

Looking Ahead

Your generosity has provided over 3,000 nutritious breakfasts, supported engaging educational activities, and significantly improved the lives of families. But there is still more to do. With your continued support, we can reach more children, introduce new workshops, and assist more families like Deiner's. Every contribution creates lasting change. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and look forward to your continued support in our ongoing efforts.

Dear Donors,

It is with great enthusiasm that I share with you the latest updates from Fundación Betania Juvenil – Cartagena. Your support and generosity have been a driving force behind our ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families. Today, I want to take you on a journey through the progress we've made and the inspiring stories that have emerged from our recent projects.

Nourishing Bodies and Minds

At the heart of our mission lies the Breakfast Club, where we provide nutritious breakfasts to fuel brighter days. Over the past quarter, we've served a total of over 3,900 meals, with an average of 1,300 healthy breakfast rations per month. Each meal is lovingly prepared, not only to satisfy hunger but also to promote healthy eating habits and foster emotional well-being.

Igniting Creativity and Learning

Our reading and creativity workshops have become a haven of joy and discovery for young curious minds. From crafting stories and illustrations to engaging in dynamic games that sharpen concentration, these workshops have ignited a love for learning. One particularly memorable session involved playful exercises that made basic math concepts come alive, proving that education can be both fun and transformative. As one child expressed, "I found it very fun because we played, read, wrote, laughed, drew, and I liked it a lot."

In our arts and crafts sessions, little artists have unleashed their creativity, exploring color theory and experimenting with various painting techniques. The joy on their faces as they share their masterpieces with peers is a testament to the power of self-expression in building confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Another child shared, "I thought everything we did was cool. I learned a lot, I liked creating a story because it inspired me and I learned more than I knew with Deisy's help. I was able to do it!"

Touching Lives: Stories from the Field

Shirley, a devoted mother, has undergone a remarkable transformation through our family strengthening workshops. Where once patience was a struggle, Shirley now radiates tolerance and support, creating a nurturing environment for her daughter to thrive. This quarter alone, 15 families have benefited from these workshops, forging stronger bonds and fostering growth.

Education is the key to unlocking a brighter future, and we are actively working to help Javier, Jose, and Jhon return to school. Due to missing identity documents, these young students faced enrollment challenges. We are assisting them in obtaining the necessary paperwork and providing support throughout the process. Although they have not yet returned to the classroom, we are making steady progress and are encouraged by their growing excitement. Our commitment extends beyond enrollment, as we will continue to guide them, ensuring a smooth transition back to school and fostering their success in their academic pursuits.

Your Generosity in Action

Your donations have directly enhanced the quality of our services. For instance, the contribution from the food bank has allowed us to include add cereal and milk to the meals we already provide, and the children are absolutely thrilled with this addition.

Witnessing Lives Transformed Firsthand

We have had the privilege of welcoming donors from around the world who have experienced firsthand the incredible impact of their contributions. These visits have provided a unique opportunity for our supporters to connect with the children and families they support and witness the transformative power of their generosity in action.

We are excited to share that we have more donor visits scheduled in the coming months. If you find yourself interested in experiencing the transformation of children's lives firsthand, we encourage you to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to explore opportunities for you to visit our foundation in Cartagena, where you can see the impact of your support in person.

We also kindly ask you to consider sharing our mission with your networks, as spreading awareness can lead to more support and, ultimately, more lives transformed.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a constant helping hand, together, we are transforming lives, one child at a time.