Fundación HOPE Worldwide Colombia is a non-profit organization that has been working for the last 10 years in marginalized areas of Bogotá, characterized for their high vulnerability, high concentration of displaced families, and large population of young children.  The majority of these families are comprised of single mothers with three to six children.  These children are forced to spend the majority of their time alone, unprotected, and exposed to mistreatment, drug abuse, and delinquency.

Given the lack of educational programs and other humanitarian services in the “Barrio Rincón del Valle” in Bogotá, Fundación HOPE began an academic leveling program directed to children that were not currently attending school.  The program offers these youngsters the opportunity of enrolling into the educational system and provides them with additional services such as prevention, medical attention, nutritional support, tutoring, pre-school education, and psychological attention.

With the aim of strengthening the services offered by the Foundation, Genesis supports the “Centro Integral de Atención en Educación y Salud CIASE- Rincón del Valle” (Center for Comprehensive Attention in Health and Education).  This program benefits children in preschool, in the academic leveling program, and in the tutoring program.  Additionally, each child receives medical assistance (including dental treatment and ophthalmologic services) as well as nutritional support.  This comprehensive attention not only contributes to their enrollment in the educational system, but helps to ensure their permanence.

In 2007 Genesis facilitated an alliance between HOPE and CDI (Comité para la Democratización de la Informática), another of Genesis’ grantees, to implement CDI’s model in HOPE. A CDI team trained a team from HOPE on the model and the results of the experience have been positive for both organizations.