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SOS Children's Villages in Rionegro
The Antioquia department was once known for the infamous Medellín drug cartel and skyrocketing crime rates. Since the 1990s, Medellín has turned into a cultural and economic hotspot that attracts not only tourists but also foreign investors. Although the area around Antioquia's capital has made remarkable economic progress, many people continue to live a life in crippling poverty.
In order to respond to the difficult socioeconomic situation that many children and young people in Antioquia are facing, SOS Children's Villages decided to start working here in 1996. Our organisation is now offering an integral package of services to the population in need of support. These services include family strengthening programmes, loving homes for children who have lost parental care, vocational training opportunities and counselling.
Our SOS Social Centre includes a child day-care centre for local families. The centre forms part of our SOS Family Strengthening Programme which represents a comprehensive concept, targeting children who are at risk of losing parental care and ensuring that they can grow up within their own family. Many young mothers who would otherwise not be able to raise their children have sought our support. They are now able to go to work and earn a living while their children are being looked after during the day at our day-care centre.
The SOS Children's Village Ríonegro also includes an SOS Youth Programme where young people are given the opportunity to live in shared accommodation while they attend vocational training or go on to higher education. Some of the former SOS children are granted a scholarship. With the support of qualified staff, the young people develop perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. Vocational training opportunities are also available. Up to 133 children from the region who have lost parental care are affectionately being cared for by our SOS mothers. They grow up in 15 loving SOS families at the SOS Children's Village Ríonegro.
Despite positive economic trends, many children in and around Ríonegro face poverty and neglect
At an altitude of around 2,130 metres above sea level lies the city of Ríonegro, located roughly 45km outside of Medellín. Medellín is the capital of the "Antioquia" department and is the second largest city in Colombia. What was once one of the most dangerous cities in the world has blossomed into a vibrant spot of great cultural and economic importance.
However, looking for a more tranquil place to spend their lives, many antioqueños have moved to Ríonegro. The city is well-connected to Medellín and now hosts the region's busiest airport. It has a total population of around 110,000. Economic growth in and around Ríonegro has been overshadowed by fairly high levels of poverty.
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), around 44 per cent of Ríonegro's population are poor. Tens of thousands of people in Antioquia have been displaced as a result of the on-going internal conflict between left-wing guerrilla groups, paramilitary forces and the military. As a result, many children grow up poor and without parental care.
Around 30 per cent of households in Ríonegro lack proper sewage systems. Even access to electricity and running water is not available for everyone in the region. Although crime rates in Ríonegro may have dropped and may not be as high as in nearby Medellín, nearly six per cent of rionegreros have moved away during the last five years because they have been threatened with murder. In such conditions, children from poor families - especially those who work in the streets - often end up in a vicious cycle of crime and drugs that is hard to break.
Our Impact
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SOS Vocational Training Centres in Colombia provide young adults from our youth centres, SOS villages and the surrounding community with the skills they will need to secure reliable employment. They provide realistic job opportunities for the future and an avenue to independence. |
1 VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES | 605 Youth and adult students |
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The SOS Children's Village in Colombia provides loving homes to orphaned and abandoned children |
1 VILLAGES | 98 Orphaned and Abandoned Children |
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The SOS Youth Facilities in Colombia provides youth with a loving environment where they learn to transition into independent living and to expand their education |
2 YOUTH FACILITIES | 29 Youths in our Care |
Our Impact