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Obra Social Mornés
  Location: Bogotá, Colombia

In the year 2000, a Sisterhood of nuns conducted a study in Ciudad Bolivar, Bogotá finding a large proportion of children at risk for living on the streets, falling into patterns of delinquency, drug addiction, and other dangers which could impede their education, development, and ultimately, their success. Obra Social Mornés was born the following year from the vision of providing these children with an alternative to their previously dangerous lifestyles. Since then, it has served as a place where the children can find refuge while learning and developing. 

As of 2008, the center serves over 170 children ages eight to fifteen. Many of these children are either out on the streets or at home alone while their parents are begging for money.  Obra Social Mornés offers these youngsters nutritional support, accelerated learning programs for those children who are out of school and want to return, tutoring for those who are enrolled in the education system, psychological support, and vocational training programs to promote future employment. The vocational training program is a refuge from the detrimental conditions in which these children live, and a complement to the need that they have to find a dignifying job.   

Genesis has been supporting the vocational training program, which completed its initial phase (2006-2007). Phase I consists of providing the students with the theoretical basis for each workshop so that they can start with the production of the materials (the workshops are jewellery, textiles, machines and elaboration of knots). Now, they want to continue with Phase I for the new students that become part of the program, but they will initiate with Phase II, in which the students will receive specific training in entrepreneurship, production and business, so that they can create strategic businesses plans to organize their own micro-businesses and strengthen their job skills.

For further information on this organization, or to make a donation, please contact us This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it