2020 – “Terrifying and Tragic” for Fenix Students

Fenix logo - educational charity in Bogota, ColombiaThe 2020 annual report from Fénix, the Colombian charity which supports vulnerable young women through mentoring and education, makes difficult reading.

“This was a terrifying and tragic year.” writes founding director Timothy Ross. “For the Fénix girls, it meant confinement, fear, the proximity of death and reduced income and hopes, in a nasty echo of early experiences of poverty and trauma.”

Several girls contracted Covid-19 and some lost family members during the pandemic.  The “stay at home” lockdown rules have been stressful for many but they brought much greater hardship for girls living with abusive, violent families.  The usual weekly get togethers, lessons and psychology and mentoring sessions had to be done online and the lack of face-to-face contact and freedom to escape tense home environments were very real set-backs.

Despite the many difficulties, Fénix reports notable academic successes and achievements.  New members have joined the group and are participating in the regular Saturday discussions and classes including Kenyerlith who shared her experiences as a Venezuelan refugee during this time of crisis which led her to take an overdose.  Her Fenix friends got her to hospital and continue to support her after the emergency.  Kenyerlith now has a residence permit and can apply for a place on a SENA course.  “Her great intelligence and insight have allowed her to share with the Fénix group, work with the psychotherapist, to receive warm support and to integrate fully,” reports Timothy Ross.

Sandra graduated from her ‘Tecnólogo’ (Higher Education Diploma) in Human Resources Management and sisters Indira and Lizeth Angélica both achieved excellent academic success at high school and university while coping with the loss of their mother and grandmother.

Funds from Children of Colombia and other supporters have helped Fénix continue its work with these vulnerable students – including providing food and laptops – and the peer mentoring has proved a huge help during the pandemic.  Fénix supported me through depression and anxiety, you opened your arms and listened to me when I most needed it, and even helped economically when I had no work” writes one new member.

Through all their personal struggles and disadvantages, it is very moving to read how these young women have helped others even less fortunate than themselves.  With support from Children of Colombia’s appeal, they sent six shipments of medical material and food to families in Puerto Nariño in the Colombian Amazon which was hit particularly hard by Covid-19 and local flooding.  Kilyam, a fully qualified nurse and former Fénix student, now works full-time with Covid patients in Leticia, in the Amazon area and alerted other Fénix members in Bogotá to the crisis.  Educators from Natütama, the charity based in Puerto Nariño, helped sort and distribute the supplies and it was inspiring to read how the two groups had co-operated for the benefit of the local community.

You can read the full report and more about Fénix on the Fénix charity page

or download here:

Fénix 2020 annual report (updated)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Samuel Gelvez raised money for Children of Colombia's Bed Appeal to help sick children at the Luz y Vida home in Bogota

Bed Appeal Hits Target – Thank You!

A huge THANK YOU to everone who supported Children of Colombia’s Christmas Bed Appeal and helped to raise just over £3000* – way beyond our original target and our expectations.  As soon as we receive the last donations from Just Giving we will transfer the money to Hogares Luz y Vida to purchase specialist, hospital style beds to provide better care and comfort for some of the very sick children who live at the home in downtown Bogotá.  We will follow the process closely from purchase order to delivery and will post pictures of the beds in use as soon as they are delivered.

A very special thank you goes to Samuel and Gabriel Gelvez-Zapata, two little boys in Cambridge, UK, who set up their own Just Giving page to support Children of Colombia’s Bed Appeal and raised over £700 towards the total.

Sandra, their mum, contacted us after five-year old Samuel said he would like to do something special to help less fortunate children in Colombia at Christmas time.  A Colombian working as a hospital consultant in the UK, Sandra is very aware of the added difficulties of caring for vulnerable people during the current pandemic.  She wrote:

“One  day my son Samuel came home from school asking me how he and his brother could collect some money to help children in need from Colombia this Christmas… What do you do as a parent when your 5-year old tells you that?  Well, to start fundraising was the first thing that came to my mind.

“We want to support this charity (Children of Colombia) because they help 3 foundations in Colombia and due to the current situation, there are more children who need a special environment to be safe.”

Samuel painted rocks with beautiful bright rainbows to say a special thank you to his supporters living in Cambridge or working at Addenbrookes Hospital, Royal Papworth Hospital or Lister Hospital.  We – and everyone at Luz y Vida – are so grateful to Samuel for his thoughtfulness for others, his inspiration and all his hard work painting rainbows.   He is truly a very special young man.

 

 

*Includes Gift Aid before Just Giving fees.

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Children of Colombia's 2020 Christmas Appeal to Raise funds for specialist hospital beds for sick children at the Luz y Vida children's home in Bogota, Colombia has nearly reached its target

Happy Christmas – Feliz Navidad

A very Happy Christmas to all our friends and supporters who have given so generously to Children of Colombia’s Christmas Bed Appeal.  We are raising money for special hospital-style beds to improve the care and comfort of very sick children and young adults at the Luz y Vida home in Bogotá, Colombia – and are just £349 short of our target!  We hope to reach our goal by the end of the campaign on 31 December – a wonderful gift to start off the New Year.

Luz y Vida is building a new unit for residents who need special medical care and needs 40 specialist beds for the project.

But because of the additional risks of Covid-19 to these very vulnerable youngsters, they need the beds right now to provide the extra care and safety they require. 

If you can help, please donate now and give a very precious Christmas gift in this most difficult year.

And a very Happy Christmas to all the carers, administrators, staff and educators at all three Colombian charities who have been working even harder than ever to provide care, love and support to very vulnerable youngsters in the face of the additional worry, pressures and challenges of Covid-19.  We are in awe of your courage and commitment.  Thank you.

 

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Donate now to help Children of colombia's Christmas Bed Appeal reach its target to buy beds for sick children at the Luz y Vida home in Bogota, Colombia

Christmas Bed Appeal – Nearly There!

We need just £469 to hit our target by 31 Dec!  A huge thank you to everyone who has already supported our Christmas Bed Appeal on Just Giving.  You have raised over £1700 to buy special hospital beds for very sick children and young people at the Luz y Vida children’s home in Bogotá, Colombia.

Please consider making a donation – your personal Christmas gift to these less vulnerable and needy children.  Even £5 can make a difference so please give what you can.

The inspirational Luz y Vida home cares for 230 residents with conditions including with chronic or serious mental and physical health conditions including cerebral palsy, crystal skin (Epidermolysis Bullosa), hearing loss, blindness, mental and developmental delay, chronic and acute malnutrition, gastrostomy (gastric tube feeding), quadriplegia and cancer.   Each child and young person is given professional medical care and lots of love and encouragement to achieve their own full potential.

The beds they need are electrically operated and adjustable to five different positions to raise the patient’s back or legs or the mattress height and make it easier for carers to attend to the child’s needs.  They have IV (Intravenous Therapy) stands and custom-built mattresses to help prevent bedsores and improve patient comfort.

Please click below to read more and donate now:

CHILDREN OF COLOMBIA CHRISTMAS BED APPEAL – JustGiving

 

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Generate free funds for Children of Colombia this Cyber Monday with every online purchase if you sign up to Give As You LIve

Raise free funds with your Cyber Monday Shopping

It’s Cyber Monday and many of us will be looking for online shopping bargains.  Lots of people – and especially charities – are feeling the pinch as a result of Covid-19 restrictions so getting a good deal is even more important this year.  And with Give As You Live you can make the most of the bargains and help Children of Colombia at no cost to you.

Hundreds of top brands, supermarkets and High Street stores including Boots, John Lewis, Asos, Argos and many more have signed up to the scheme.   They will donate between 1 and 4 per cent (and sometimes more) of every online purchase you make to Children of Colombia – so easy and completely free to you!

With many shops still closed in the current Covid-19 lockdown and Christmas just a few weeks away it’s easy to surf the web for gifts for family and friends, great offers for the home, a wardrobe update or decorations to make this Christmas as special as possible to make up for having to celebrate with limited numbers this year.  And you can have double satisfaction of getting a great deal on your shopping and helping vulnerable children at the same time

Please click https://www.giveasyoulive.com/join/childrenofcolombia? now – select Children of Colombia as your chosen charity and opt for a reminder every time you visit an online shopping site so you never miss a chance to raise free funds and know you are doing something to help others every time you buy.

What better way to make Christmas a little better for the children and young adults we support in Bogota and the Amazon, Colombia, South America.

Thank You!

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Get free donations with every online purchase this Black Friday with Give As you LIve

Free Charity Donations with Online Purchases this Black Friday!

Did you know that major supermarkets, High Street brands and even comparison sites will donate between 1%-4% (and sometimes more) of your online spend to Children of Colombia with no cost to you if you sign up to Give As You Live? It’s such an easy but little known way to generate free funds – something we can all do with minimum effort once we know about it! 

Lots of us have turned to online shopping during the current pandemic. With shop closures and social distancing restrictions, it has proved a lifeline to have home deliveries of essential items and still buy gifts for friends and family for important occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.

“I’ve raised over £100 for Children of Colombia since signing up with Give As You Live – mostly from doing my mum’s weekly grocery shop online when she was living at home and couldn’t get to the shops herself,” writes Children of Colombia Secretary Gwyneth Simmons.  “If I buy clothes or gifts online for birthdays or Christmas each purchase generates a percentage which goes straight to the charity with no admin or fuss on my part. It’s really easy. And in these difficult times, when the charity needs all the support it can get to help children and young adults who are vulnerable or suffering, it’s hard to find a reason not to raise free funds when you can.”

Just click on the link below to sign up:

https://www.giveasyoulive.com/join/childrenofcolombia?

Amazon also gives a percentage of every purchase to Children of Colombia if you sign up to Amazon Smile. https://www.amazon.co.uk/amazon smileOnce signed up, just sign in to your Amazon Smile as you would to Amazon and carry on with your shopping as usual. 

Online purchases are likely to peak this weekend when prices are slashed and pre-Christmas sale events are scheduled for what has become known as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. So please consider signing up to Amazon Smile and Give As You Live today and know you are helping Children of Colombia with every online Christmas present or grocery order.

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Christmas Bed Appeal – Let’s Make it 3!

Wow – we are overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity.  Our £725 target – enough to buy one hospital-grade bed for Luz y Vida’s new special care unit – was smashed on Day 1 of our Appeal.

So we are raising our goal to THREE beds to improve the comfort and care of children or adolescents with serious health conditions at the Luz y Vida residential care home in Bogota, Colombia.  The unit has the capacity for 40 beds and three would get them off to a great start.

Read all the details on our Just Giving campaign page and our Blog.

Or click Donate to contribute directly to the appeal right now.

A huge Thank You to everyone for every donation small or large.  Every little helps to improve the quality of life and care of the much loved but very seriously ill children at the inspirational Luz y Vida home.  Children of Colombia is raising funds to buy specialist electric hospital beds to give better care and comfort to very sick children at the Luz y Vida residential home, Bogota, Colombia

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Children of Colombia is raising funds to buy specialist electric hospital beds to give better care and comfort to very sick children at the Luz y Vida residential home, Bogota, Colombia

Children of Colombia Christmas Bed Appeal

Please help our new Christmas Bed Appeal raise £725 to buy a SPECIALIST HOSPITAL GRADE BED to improve the care and comfort of a young person with serious medical problems.

Donate Now

The Bed Appeal – Children of Colombia’s Christmas Campaign – starts today 20 November and will run over Christmas until 31 December 2020.

All money raised will go to purchase an adjustable, electrically operated hospital-grade bed for the new Special Care unit at the Luz y Vida residential home in Bogotá, Colombia which cares for 230 children and young adults with serious mental and physical health problems.  Entertaining children with serious health conditions at Luz y Vida residential care home Bogota Colombia

Luz y Vida Director Hermana Valeriana Martín explains:

“Our new Special Unit is being developed to care for children with more serious disabilities and illnesses.  The health of these children can suffer significantly without specialist care.  The new unit will provide them with a more suitable space where they can benefit from equipment that is specially designed to make them more comfortable and make it easier to deliver the care they need.”

Hogares Luz y Vida is currently caring for children and young adults suffering from Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, crystal skin (Epidermolysis Bullosa), hearing loss, blindness, mental and developmental delay, chronic and acute malnutrition, gastrostomy (gastric tube feeding), quadriplegia and cancer.

The beds they need are electrically operated and adjustable to five different positions to raise the patient’s back or legs or the mattress height and make it easier for carers to attend to the child’s needs.  They have IV (Intravenous Therapy) stands and custom-built mattresses to help prevent bedsores and improve patient comfort.  They are on wheels with brakes so are very stable but can be easily moved when necessary.  They are sourced from Biosmedic, a reputable medical equipment supplier in Bogotá and you can read a full product description here.

Each bed costs just over £725.  We hope to raise enough to buy at least one bed in our Christmas Bed Appeal.  To find out more or to donate now please visit our Just Giving campaign page 

Thank you!

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autumn leaves seen on Gwyneth's lockdown challenge to raise funds for Children of Colombia's Bed Appeal

Gwyneth’s Lockdown Fundraiser – Week 3

I was doing so well, encouraged by daughter Bryony who is in my “bubble” who joined me on some very damp and muddy walks.  But yesterday was so grey and miserable we opted to stay home and bake cake (and eat it!).  So I only managed eight hours again in week 2 of my Give As You Live “fundraise from home” challenge.  Another £10 for Children of Colombia – £5 for each hour below target.

https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/beat-the-lockdown-blues

All the money raised will go to Children of Colombia’s Bed Appeal – our exciting new Christmas Campaign which will be launched TOMORROW so watch this space…..

Meanwhile, here are some photos from our walks in the Coln Valley near Chedworth and Greystones Farm near Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire.

 

 

 

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Gwyneth’s Fundraiser – Week 2

Well I blame the weather – it has been very damp – but I only managed eight hours in week 1 of my Give As You Live “fundraise from home” challenge.  A bit of a failure for me but a win for Children of Colombia as I have put £10 in the pot: £5 for each hour below target.  But that’s probably what I saved on fuel over the week so not a great sacrifice and it will help the kids get through the Covid-19 crisis in Colombia.

Did you know that HMRC will increase donations from UK taxpayers who add Gift Aid by a massive 25% with no added cost to themselves?

And you can raise more free funds for Children of Colombia every time you shop online simply by registering with Give As You Live.  Leading supermarkets, travel companies and lots of big name High Street stores will donate a percentage of your spend with every transaction.  Such a painless and effective way to keep those donations coming in.

Well here’s to the start of Week 2 – and looking forward to some more walks in the lovely Gloucestershire countryside in the autumn sunshine (hopefully!).  Here are some pictures of my walk around the ancient Rollright Stones.

https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/beat-the-lockdown-blues

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