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Raise free funds for Children of Colombia when you do your Christmas shopping with give as you live

Your Christmas Shopping Can Raise Free Funds with Give As You Live

Every purchase you make this Black Friday and throughout the festive season could earn us a free donation, thanks to @giveasyoulive:

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Congratulations Alex for Completing the Noosa Triathlon

Congratulations to Alex Raikes who successfully completed the challenging Noosa Triathlon in Queensland, Australia last Sunday.

To date Alex’s effort raised almost £1000 for Children of Colombia.  You can still make a donation on her Just Giving page Alexandra Raikes is fundraising for Children Of Colombia (justgiving.com)

Alex was born in Bogotá, Colombia where she spent her early years and still has family and friends and the charity Children of Colombia is very close to her heart.  Alex has been a Trustee since 2018 and continues to support the charity since moving to Australia.

Noosa is one of Australia’s top holiday destinations with beautiful beaches and countryside.  The Noosa Triathlon is a major challenge to fitness, personal stamina and determination.  Alex had to swim 1.5 km in Laguna Bay off Noosa Main Beach – avoiding sea turtles, sharks and other competitors in her first open water race.  A 40 km bike ride followed through the countryside behind the resort including a very tough two kilometer hill climb which needed serious let power. Last came a 10km run along Noosa Parade with supporters cheering and encouraging the competitors all the way to the finishing line.

Well done Alex – a fantastic achievement and a huge thank you from everyone at Children of Colombia.  Your fundraising will help give sick and poor children and young people in Colombia a better start in life.

 

 

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Getting Ready for the Garmin Noosa Triathlon

Children of Colombia Trustee Alex Raikes is getting ready to take part in the Garmin Noosa Triathlon tomorrow in sunny Queensland, Australia.

Alex, who was born in Bogotá and spent her childhood there, is raising funds for Children of Colombia.  This is her first Triathlon and will be a huge challenge – especially the swimming section as Alex has not done a lot of swimming since leaving school and has little experience of open water swimming.  And hopefully avoiding the sharks!

Visit Alex’s Just Giving page https://justgiving.com/fundraising/alexandra-raikes1to send messages of support and donations ahead of tomorrow’s big event.  Watch this page to see how she gets on.

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Trustee Alex ran the London Marathon to raise funds for Children of Colombia

Alex enters Aussie Triathlon to raise funds for Children of Colombia

Trustee Alex Raikes is entering the Noosa Triathlon in Queensland, Australia this weekend to raise funds for the charity.  You can support her via her Just Giving page : http://www.justgiving.com/Alexandra-Raikes1

A keen runner and longstanding supporter of Children of Colombia, Alex has previously run the London Marathon and done a Tough Mudder challenge.  Both raised awareness of the charity and much needed sponsorship money to help the charities’ work on the ground in Bogotá and the Amazon.  But this is the first time Alex has attempted a Triathlon.  She says:

“This will be my first triathlon and it has been a huge challenge getting ready for it! Very sore legs and arms!

“It will be a 1.5km open ocean swim (hopefully avoiding all the sharks), a 40km cycle and then a 10km run.

“Before moving to Australia I hadn’t done much swimming since school and certainly not open water swimming! It has been quite a challenge to get comfortable in the open ocean and especially a fairly long distance! I’m definitely most worried about this leg.”

A pinnacle event on the Australian sporting calendar, the Garmin Noosa tri is ranked one of the world’s top 10 triathlons. “When the best athletes, biggest competitor field, beautiful beach-side vibe and week-long festivities of Noosa all come together, there’s nowhere else you’ll want to be,” says the Triathlon website.  Alex had hoped to complete the challenge earlier but the event was delayed due to Covid.  Now she is entering with a group of friends.

Alex spent most of her childhood years in Bogotá, Colombia before moving to the UK and still has friends and family there. Alex currently lives and works in Australia but visits her family and friends in the UK and Colombia regularly.

“I have chosen to compete in aid of Children for Colombia as Colombia will always hold a big part of my heart and I am grateful for the amazing work that the three charities we support do. I am hoping that any money that I’m able to raise, will go towards helping improve lives in my wonderful home country.”

Click on the link below to find out more or make a donation in support of Alex’s Noosa Triathlon.

http://www.justgiving.com/Alexandra-Raikes1

 

Repair Work Progressing Well at Natutama

 

Repair work on Fundacíon Natütama’s Education Centre in the Colombian Amazon has made great progress as these pictures show.

Thanks to fantastic support following our Christmas 2021 appeal, Children of Colombia supporters provided funds for major repairs to the education centre which had fallen into serious disrepair due to bad weather, lack of income during the Covid pandemic and the effects of time and climate on the mainly natural construction materials.

Money raised by Children of Colombia provided 800 woven palm leaves, nails and twine for the new roofing, payments for local workmen skilled in traditional construction techniques and paint and materials for the wonderful, bright new artwork on the floor of the roundhouse.

The education centre is used by visitors, the local community and local children to share information about conservation of endangered species of plants and animals in the delicate ecosystems of the Amazon rainforest and waterways.  Bright artwork and models illustrate the lifecycles and habitat of manatees, river dolphins, turtles and other species that are only found in this area of the world and rely on conservation of their habitat for survival.

With all major repairs now complete, the Natütama team can carry on with their important educational activities in their bright, waterproof and refurbished centre in Puerto Nariño.

 

 

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Thank you Dede Tailoring and Customers!

We’d like to give a very big thank you to the owners of Dede Tailoring Boutique and their customers for filling our collection box to the brim with cash donations for Children of Colombia.

Dede Tailoring Boutique offers top class dry cleaning and tailoring services at 4 Lyndwood Parade, St Luke’s Road, Old Windsor, Berkshire.  They have kept a Children of Colombia collection pot on their counter and raised a whopping £121.71 in notes and coins.  This is a record amount for our collection boxes and will be an important boost to funds for the three foundations in Colombia who do so much to care for and educate children and young people.

If you live in the Windsor area, do look out for Dede Tailoring and support them – as they support us!

Rico and his mother Mrs Kahlon have already received a new collection box in the post – their third to date! – to keep their amazing efforts going.

Thank you again.

 

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newly repaired roof on Natutama'senvironmental education centre in the Colombian Amazon

Natutama’s New Roof

This is the amazing and beautiful new roof on Natutama‘s roundhouse – or Kiosk – in the Colombian Amazon.  Funding for the repairs to Natutama’s environmental education and visitor centre were made possible thanks to generous donations to Children of Colombia’s Christmas Appeal – so a huge THANK YOU to all of you who kindly supported our campaign.

The roof is made of natural palm thatch and built by local craftsmen using traditional construction methods.  Now the team will start work on the floor of the building which was damaged by rain and weather when it was left unprotected from the elements.  The floor will be repainted with bright patterns of local flora and fauna, including many rare and endangered species native to the Amazon.  The centre is used to host community events and for weekly educational activities for local children keen to learn more about their environment and culture and how to protect themfor future generations.

damaged floor to be repaired at Natutama's environmental education centre in the Colombian Amazon

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repairs to Natutama's roundhouse in the Colombian Amazon

Natutama’s Building Repairs Underway

Repairs to Natutama’s Visitor Centre in the Colombian Amazon are well underway thanks to funding from Children of Colombia.

Natutama is a Colombian foundation focused on environmental research and education.  The Amazon is rich in biodiversity but its complex, delicate ecosystems rely on the ebbs and floods of the river and the support of local communities and visitors to protect endangered species such as river dolphins, turtles and manatees.

The Covid pandemic and particularly devastating floods impacted the area very badly, reducing income from the tourism and causing great poverty with shortages of essential food and medical supplies.

Natutama’s Visitor and Education Centre suffered badly and there was no money for essential repairs.

Thanks to your very generous response to our 2021 Christmas Appeal, Children of Colombia was able to transfer enough funds for Natutama to buy materials and labour to repair its iconic roundhouse – or “Kiosk”.  Built of mainly natural materials – such as palm thatch for the roof – and in traditional style, it is very eco-friendly but also requires regular maintenance as the construction deteriorates rapidly in the wet, humid climate.

Work can only go ahead in the dry season when conditions are right.  Once complete, the roundhouse will be open again to welcome visitors from far and wide as well as local schoolchildren and the community who come together to learn about their unique environment and how to conserve it and pass on local traditions, crafts and folklore to preserve and celebrate their cultural heritage.

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Double Donations Week with purchases via Give as you Live

Double Donations Week from Give as you Live

It’s Double Donations Week at Give as you Live.  Such an easy way to raise important extra funds for Children of Colombia when you shop online at no cost to you!

Give as you Live has raised over £18 million for UK charities with 5,500 High Street and big name stores giving free donations every time you shop.  Your weekly grocery shop with Sainsburys, Asda or M & S could add £s to Children of Colombia funds.

It’s very easy and completely free.  Just go to https://www.giveasyoulive.com/,up and select Children of Colombia as your chosen charity.  Each time you shop online participating stores will give a per centage of your spend to help Children of Colombia.

And this week you can raise even more – up to £100 if you book your holiday with Tui online.  Top brands John Lewis, TK Maxx and Made are also offering extra donations with purchases this week.  So why wait – help yourself and the children in Colombia by shopping online this week with Give as you Live.

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Fenix students in Bogota, Colombia celebrate academic and personal achievements in spite of Covid 19, pandemic and civil unrest

Fenix Students Celebrate the End of a Tough Year in Bogota

Students on Fundación Fénix’s education and support programme achieved excellent academic results and personal triumphs in 2021 despite the challenges of a particularly tough year in Bogotá, Colombia. 

“Lockdowns, protests and riots, street violence, curfews, job losses, classes online, fear of disease, the proximity of death, increased cost of living and decreased income and opportunities, have all made the past year extremely daunting and stressful,” writes  Fénix director Timothy Ross in the 2021 Annual Report.

“But Fénix members have gained surprising strength and determination, with great achievements and advances, growth in insight and self-knowledge, and improved family relations.”

Fénix supports students from very poor, vulnerable backgrounds through education mainly in social and health care.  To qualify in these caring professions requires long, disciplined studying, smoothing out background family problems, and money to pay for fees, books, uniforms, materials, internet, fares, rent, and food.  Your kind donations to Children of Colombia help make these things possible.

To celebrate their achievements, Director Béatriz and María Eugenia treated a group of girls to an outing to see the new Disney film ‘Encanto’ – set in Colombia – and enjoy ice cream.

Read the full report and find out more about the work of Fundacion Social Fenix by clicking the highlighted text to go straight to their page on this website.

“Our thanks go to the people who believe in us and

our personal and professional commitment to becoming

better people and contributing to a better country”. (Indira, Fenix student)

 

 

 

 

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