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With an electric nightlife, the finest restaurants, and plenty of activities and attractions to see, Medellin is a traveler’s playground.
However, many locals live a vastly different reality. Your favorite ex-pat areas of Poblado and Laureles are like little bubbles that encompass an alternative, more comfortable reality, inaccessible to millions of Medellin’s inhabitants.
The city’s social issues are all the more prevalent in the wake of COVID. Here’s how you can get involved in philanthropic projects around the city and leave an impactful footprint along your travels.
Marcos Kaseman is an American ex-pat who, after teaching English in Medellin, decided to build a community center in one of the most impoverished parts of the city.
Situated high in a hilly and remote area of Medellin, it serves many families displaced by drug warfare and the Colombian civil war.
Many do not have clean drinking water in their homes or access to education. Here basic living resources are scarce.
The Foundation, started in 2006, is a safe place where children can spend time in the afternoons. Here, they can play games, learn English, and use the computers. Marcos also offers education classes for single moms so they can learn a new skill and get better-paying jobs.
Over the years Angeles de Medellín Foundation has received volunteers from over 107 countries. There is something for everyone to do:
Facebook: Angeles de Medellin Foundation
Although Colombia has made progress with gender equality, there is still a significant disparity between men and women regarding education and employment.
The aftermath of Covid has exasperated these hardships, and reports of violence against women have increased. Proyecto Florecer is a non-profit dedicated to empowering and advancing women through educational workshops and humanitarian services.
While working in Medellin’s public school system, co-founder Erin Colton-Enberg, saw many female students fall into cycles of drug abuse, pregnancy, and abusive relationships.
Proyecto Florecer’s grassroots programs are led by community volunteers and offer Latin women the opportunity to break these cycles.
If you have personal development, health, lifestyle, or digital marketing expertise, the folks at Proyecto Florecer want to hear from you! Here are some things you can get involved with:
Today 9% of Medellin’s population live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $45 a day, with nearly a third of Colombia’s overall population living in less than adequate housing.
TECHO was originally started in Chile and sought to provide the world’s most disadvantaged with the bare necessity of shelter. This group of young people began building houses for people living in dire conditions.
The initiative expanded to the far corners of Latin America and now operates in 564 settlements, including Medellin.
You can volunteer with TECHO and assist with activities that improve the lives of local communities.
IG: techo_col
Poder Joven Foundation is a Medellin non-profit founded in 1996 by a group of college students committed to helping vulnerable children at risk of being recruited by cartels or sexually exploited.
Targeting some of the city’s poorest areas, they provide life-skill workshops and educational classes.
They also host yoga and meditation sessions to nurture emotional and spiritual awareness within the children.
You’ll need to be over the age of 18 to volunteer and be able to commit at least a month of your time to the organization. You can help with the following:
Address: Cl. 45a #57a57, La Candelaria, Medellín, La Candelaria, Medellín, Antioquia
The Medellin grassroots project Empower the Barrios is run by the U.S. based company non-profit Kind Footprints.
Operating in strata 1 and 2 of Medellin, the organization aims to support families with limited resources by assisting with healthcare, food, financial aid, and education.
Since launching, it has provided over 307,000 meals to communities impacted by COVID.
Empower the Barrios is always looking for volunteers to help make a difference. You can apply for the below volunteer positions on their website:
Focused on three key areas; technology, English, and vocational guidance, this non-profit seeks to provide Colombian children with the tools to break the cycle of poverty.
The Fundación Marina Orth educational programs have been implemented in 11 rural Medellin communities and taught over 7000 students.
They also train public school teachers and provide English tutoring in after-school and spelling bee clubs.
Volunteers must be native English speakers and able to commit to a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months. You can contribute in the following ways:
Facebook: Fundación Marina Orth
After seeing families struggling to feed their children, Medellin native Sneider Zapata decided to create soup kitchens for kids in the Santo Domingo Savio neighborhood.
The kitchen operates daily, with over 100 children being able to enjoy a hot meal. For some, it will be the only meal they have that day. So, initiatives like this are a crucial part of the community.
Sneider’s goal is to improve the lives of residents by providing basic needs like clothes, food, sanitary products, school supplies, and toys.
There are several ways to contribute to Sneider’s project:
WhatsApp: +57 3127173240
Latin America is the fastest-growing tech hub in the world. With this exciting advancement comes new job opportunities within the sector.
Empower the Barrios has partnered with Medellin non-profit Recode the Future to provide programming and coding workshops to the city’s youth. These new skills will help them gain access to the best STEM jobs.
Classes take place on Fridays and Tuesdays and provide healthy meals for the students, access to computers, and a quiet and calm place to learn.
Recode the Future is currently seeking expert coders to assist with workshops. You can help with the below volunteer opportunities:
Facebook: Recode the Future
The city is home to some real innovators and game-changing initiatives. Project leaders are always looking for new ideas and people to collaborate with.
If you have an exciting idea or just want to lend a helping hand, reach out to them and get involved!
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