For this Christmas season, we have created a special Advent Calendar for our community of supporters. The idea is simple - for each donation we receive during the month of December, we will open one of the doors of the calendar. Each door contains the story of one of the children that will directly benefit from our initiative.
So without further ado, please meet the kids.
DOOR #21:
My name is Irali. I lived on the streets since I was 7 years old. I am a strong and resilient woman. At a young age, I experienced poverty, physical violence, and sexual trafficking. I became a mother to my son Angel at the age of 13 and to my other son Chander one year later. The foundation was the answer to all of my prayers. I have always hoped for my children to have a life different from mine, and here I am able to achieve it. I am currently studying cosmetology and I dream of having my own beauty salon. Looking back at my life, I am convinced that what doesn’t destroy us makes us stronger. Therefore, I wake up every day with a smile on my face to pursue my dreams.
DOOR#18:
I'm Duver and I was born in Cauca, a place in Colombia where the war is felt right outside the house, as guerrilla groups and drug trafficking are very present in this region. These groups kidnap boys and girls as young as 9 years old to recruit them into the war. My family was threatened, and the guerrillas wanted to take me. Thanks to the foundation, I was able to leave the area and continue my studies. After finishing high school, I was allowed to stay at the foundation so I could attend university. I am currently in my sixth semester of automotive mechanics and work in two jobs to afford transportation and university materials.
DOOR #12:
"My name is Alexander, but at home, they call me Chander. I am currently in kindergarten, and I love studying and learning. I was born on the streets. My mom is my heroine because, despite living on the streets since she was a child and being part of several trafficking networks, she has always wanted a different life for us. Thanks to the foundation, my mom, my little brother, and I were able to escape violence, poverty, and life on the streets, and today we are studying to move forward."
DOOR #6:
"Hello, I am Thiago. I was born in at the children's home of the foundation Ciudad de Dios Zoe. My parents escaped from Venezuelan and came to Colombia seeking new opportunities because everything in their country is going very badly—there is no food, no medicine, no work, and no way to study. My parents came as migrants by foot during the pandemic. They were living on the streets until they received shelter at the foundation, our new home. My parents are studying at night and during the day my dad works in construction, while my mom helps keep our home clean and organized. I love superheroes, especially Spider-Man. We dream of one day having a house and being able to help more displaced families."
DOOR #3:
"My name is Juan Sebastian and I arrived at the home while still in my mom's belly. At that time she managed to escape from a sexual trafficking network where my biological father (I don’t like calling him dad) was the leader. My mom came with my siblings. Due to all her pain, my mom used a lot of drugs, which makes it harder for me to learn new things sometimes. I love building things and dream of being a police officer to save boys and girls. I love going to school."
DOOR #2:
"My name is Christy and I am a sweet loving girl. I am in kindergarten. My mom discovered the home many years ago. When my grandmother was murdered, my mom had to live on the streets and was sexually exploited. Thanks to the foundation, she was able to heal and escape that life. I came into her life when she was struggling to keep going, and she says that because of me, she found the will to fight again. She has since graduated high school and is now in her first semester at university."
DOOR #1:
"My name is Xaider, but they call me "Bump" because I fall down a lot. My mom passed away from cancer three years ago when I was just a baby and my dad came to Bogotá from the coast looking for a better life. We ended up in a human trafficking network. They kept us locked up for many days, and my dad was forced to work without being paid. My siblings and I were kept in terrible conditions. Thank God we were rescued just before Christmas and we arrived at the foundation, our new family. Here, we feel loved, and we can study and play. This year, I am graduating from kindergarten. When I grow up, I want to be a firefighter."
You also would like to open one of the remaining doors? Just make a donation to our current project.