In Chile there are about one million children and adolescents (NNA) living in poverty, which unicef says corresponds to 23% of this age group, considering multidimensional poverty, not just economic poverty. This is why during March the Colunga Foundation – an organization that works to improve the quality of life of minor stings – will have the call open to apply to a fund that, in addition to providing funding, accompaniment and technical support to those who present innovative projects for this purpose.
Colunga Transforma started four years ago and has directly impacted 14 programs, including cases such as “Fútbol Más” and “Teaching Boost”. In the first, with the input received, they developed a model of neighborhood leaders for minors to develop skills that they can use in all areas of their lives, through football, in safe spaces. In the second, they generated a network of mentors for Chile, which translates into teachers who train and accompany other teachers, to improve the quality of education in the country.
“The main feature of this fund and what sets it apart with others is that it works directly with organizations that have been able to develop effective methodologies and have been working on the ground for at least two years, so it is not only an opportunity to improve processes, but also strengthen and continue initiatives that have already shown their impact on communities,” explains Arturo Celedón, Ceo of Colunga.
The finalists will have an accompaniment program that includes technical and training advice through the Colunga Social Innovation Laboratory, which will provide them with measurement tools, project evaluation, team development and sustainability.
“This fund, in particular, allows these initiatives to develop faster, with better and greater impact, helping to face and overcome the different barriers that children and adolescents face in the face of poverty,” says Celedón.
The themes to which organizations will be able to apply in this version have four fundamental axes: developing innovative strategies to improve the quality of education in the classroom; create safe spaces free of violence; mental health advocacy and care; work on the inclusion of children and adolescents in migrant status.
The call is available on the foundation’s website where the foundations of the fund are available.
