FUNDACION AMANECER - Colombia

Fundación Amanecer ("Sunrise") promotes peace, harmony and understanding. The Foundation operates a center that creates and supports activities that enrich the human spirit, develop enterprises and relieve poverty.

Fundación Amanecer seeks to harmonize both the inner and outer aspects of human development, allowing for transformation of the spirit and the improvement of material conditions.

Background/History:
Fundación Amanecer was founded in 1991 to develop programs, projects and activities in the areas of social, community, cultural and enterprise development. After five years working with the International Child Development Program (affiliated with UNICEF), the Fundación became an independent non-governmental organization.

Fundación Amanecer develops both short- and long-term projects. Fourteen years ago a preschool was started, with a primary school added five years ago. These serve children from poor communities in urban and rural areas around La Tebaida.

The Fundación created the Talents Program, to help develop the creative abilities in children. This operated from 1997 through 2000, when it evolved into a new program, Fuerza Joven ("Youth Strength") for young people at a high risk for addiction, and their families, in the towns of Cali, Jamundi and La Tebaida.

In response to the 1999 earthquake, the Fundación provided a residence and psycho-social assistance to 110 children and their mothers for 18 months. This program was recognized by the Province as one of "Quindio's Worthy Neighbors."

Project's Humanitarian Reach:
Fundación Amanecer continues its work with preschool children (ages two through five) with the day center Semillitas ("Little Seeds") started fourteen years ago. This program serves 24 children from the poor communities around Amanecer as well as rural areas including Embera Chamí, an indigenous community. This is the only preschool the Colombian government supports in this area, and offers a nutritional program.

The school Nuestra Senora de Fatimah, operating for five years, provides free education for 43 youngsters from first through fifth grade. The focus of the school is to implement sensitive and caring curriculum that allows children to express their nature and develop a love for learning. This facilitates the growth of their minds and character.

Fundación Amanecer cooperates and establishes strategic links with other organizations to help develop its goals. It has the advantage of drawing on community residents - over 100 local people participate and offer support to the programs.

Semillitas Preschool:
Amanecer´s Semillitas ("Little Seeds") is a social program providing a preschool for children from the poor communities around Amanecer; the sons and daughters of farmers and countrymen of the coffee region. Its focus is on social relations, nutrition and immediate care of the children while their parents are working.

This year Semillitas has been able to attend to a particular community in a lot of need, located 25 minutes by car from Amanecer, called the Embera Chamí. It is composed of indigenous people in very poor conditions. This year we have been able to bring six of the children. This all thanks to a young girl of this community who is 15 years old and was important in this process due to the fact that the children do not speak the Spanish language. The young girl who has little education has expressed her interest in joining our school, and she is currently enrolled in the second grade of elementary school at Amanecer.

The Amanecer Foundation provides the establishment were Semillitas operates. The government provides part of the materials and the nutrition for the children. The local community (parents) contributes US $3.40 per child to complete the salary that is given to the community mothers. The parents have been very reliable with the contributions and the government has always provided its contributions in materials promptly.

Institutional Principles of Amanecer Educational Programs:
We attempt to combine an educational program based on the awakening of spirituality and a respectful and free education which honors the nature of the child. Our principals include: