Talent development of working children

€ 40.000 until 2023

Locatie

2 neighborhoods in Bogotá

Protecting the rights of working children and young people in Bogota

Child labor is common in the 20 de Julio and Caracolí neighborhoods in Bogotá. Every day, children and their families work in the (illegal) markets in these parts of the city. Most of their grandfathers and grandmothers already worked here, and now their parents and children are learning the work to run their street business independently in the future. They are almost all migrants who ended up in Bogotá due to poverty and/or violence. Despite the street trade, these families live in great poverty, in precarious houses and there is a lot of domestic violence within the families. These families are at a high risk of falling apart, and the children of ending up permanently on the street. The children don't go to school very often, making it harder to keep up with the curriculum. Their chances of dropping out of school is high.

Our partner organization Fundación Creciendo Unidos (FCU) has developed a program for these children (on average between 5 and 16 years old). A total of 148 vulnerable children and their families received tailored counseling in 2023. They received health support (vaccinations, healthy lifestyle, access to care), counselling in the event of abuse (including sexual and domestic violence). They also received homework support and numerous workshops to develop their talents: dance, sports and art.

The families of these children received psychosocial support and are involved as much as possible in the work with the children. The mothers participated in baking and pastry workshops to increase their income.

New child culture

FCU employs specialised social workers, a psychologist and a teacher to provide this counselling.

It also works with (local) government child and youth policy agencies to better respect and implement children's rights. These activities fit into a more comprehensive vision, where FCU empowers children and young people to claim their rights and work towards a Nueva Cultura de Infancia (new children's culture). This involves, for example, actively participating in dialogue on children's rights in so-called children's assemblies.

“I’ve come here since I was five years old. When I come here, we eat and then I make my homework. In general I get good grades in school. The psychologist asks me how I am doing, how I am treated at home, what I like doing. I have made friends here,wWe play football together and I have learned not to argue with others, for it is just a game. I feel happy here and I learn a lot.”

Juan

Results

In 2023, Wereldkinderen was able to help 148 children and their families with:

psychosocial support through individual therapy and group sessions;
conducting trainings and workshops on children's rights (UN convention);
skills training for parents;
family crisis management.