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Mano Amiga Colombia

Population: 46,736,728
Percent Below Poverty Line: 27.8%

Colombia has population of 46 million people. 27.8% of those people live under the poverty line in dire situations. Although the country has roots in Catholicism it is not the prevailing ideology of the country. The government is doing everything in its power to increase security and stop drug trafficking and gang violence. Poor cities still suffer under this oppression though. Providing an education to a poor child in an impovished area like the two Mano Amiga schools in Colombia helps change the ideology of the communities and helps children choose career paths other than corruption and violence.

Mano Amiga Medellín

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School Facts

Students: 667
Founded: 1995
Location: Medellín, Colombia

Mano Amiga Bello is located in Medellín, Colombia. The city of Medellín and its metropolitan area suffered one of its major security crises during the 1990’s. As a result, many values were lost, especially the values of life, respect, love of neighbor, and helping others. Bello, a suburb of Medellín, is a small city but is growing fast, with delinquency, crimes, promiscuity, early pregnancies and where the residents still have to pay “vacunas” bribery to be protected from gangs.

Mano Amiga Bello in Medellín responded to these crises by opening a school offering academic training, social programs that benefit the student population and their families, free meals to the students, tutoring, sports, and psychological counseling.

They opened their doors in 1995, starting with 30 students who attended classes in a small home. Soon, teachers, students, parents and neighbors started to help and began building “their school” with the desire to counteract the indifference and destruction that was created through violence in Bello with love and education.

Today, Mano Amiga Bello has become a major educational institution in the area and serves an average of 600 low-income students, giving hope to families who would not be able to pay for education otherwise. The children attending Mano Amiga Bello want to take full advantage of the education they receive and help positively transform their area and their country.

Students from Mano Amiga Colombia:

Meet the MA Family

Lorena Rodriquez is a 27-year-old pre-school teacher at Mano Amiga Bello in Colombia. A busy working mother of a 3-year-old, Lorena is also studying at the University Luis Amigo.

“I have grown so much professionally, personally and spiritually since joining Mano Amiga,” Lorena says. “The children help me see life with a fresh perspective.”

Even though the children are young, Lorena engages them in a bi-annual Technology and Innovation Project in Medellín. Despite the turmoil in Medellín that at times cripples the city, the children here are involved in positive, innovative programs such as water conservation. School administrators say Lorena’s patience and dedication to the children serves as a wonderful model for others. She is known for her attributes of generosity and joy, communicating a message of peace and charity with her students. Lorena is an example of the valuable teaching team at the Mano Amiga Colombia schools.

Ana María is a student at Mano Amiga Bello in Medellín, Colombia. She is 16, and lives with her mother, Onécima, and her seven brothers. In addition to her job at a local slaughterhouse, Onécima also volunteers at Mano Amiga Bello, where five of her eight children have been able to receive a quality education.

Ana María is kind, generous, and works hard to help her mom around the house. “I’m grateful for Mano Amiga,” she says, “because the school has taught me and my brothers how to be better people every day. I know how important it is to study so that I can be successful and help support my family. Plus, with the school’s help, my family was able to build our house!”

Updates

November 2017

Back to School Campaign provides new desks for students!

A big thank you to all of you who gave to our Back to School campaign this year. You provided new desks for the little ones at Mano Amiga Bello! Check out the cute pictures in the image carousel below.

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Help a Child Today!

At Mano Amiga Bello the students are studying hard….but it becomes difficult in the sweltering heat that they endure due to broken AC units. The school is also short on desks–60 in the preschool and another 40 in the high school are needed–and other equipment for learning aids. The education that Mano Amiga offers these children is life-changing, but the school needs help to provide for so many. Can you help provide these learning necessities today?

Your most generous gift to Mano Amiga Bello will help end the vicious cycle of poverty the students endure, giving them hope for their future!

Mano Amiga Zipaquirá

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Students: 120
Founded: 2011
Location: Zipaquirá, Colombia

Construction for Mano Amiga Zipaquirá began in 2011. Located in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, a rural area in the outskirts of Bogota, the school currently serves 100 students enrolled in kindergarten and first grade. Their first classroom had only 20 students but they hope to one day to have 900 students attend the school.

Mano Amiga Zipaquirá is trying to truly respond to a pressing need. The local population is composed of poor families who mostly engage in agricultural activities. Out of 10,593 residents, only 3,289 have some level of education.

Mano Amiga Difference

The Mano Amiga Difference

  • To provide underprivileged children with a quality education and values
  • Generate in the population in need for improvement, based on a solid and comprehensive formation, guided by Catholic values​​
  • Reaching out to the families involved
  • Provide educational support from preschool through technical education
  • Participation of companies in the process, promoting solidarity and sense of social responsibility
Faces of MA Zipaquira
Help a Child Today

Help a Child Today!

The local population is composed of poor families, most of whom work as farmers. Out of 10,593 residents only 3,289 have some level of education. Your most generous donation today creates opportunities for these students to end the cycle of poverty in their lifetime.

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