Comprehensive development of working children

Child labor is common in the "20 de Julio" and "Caracolí" neighborhoods in Bogota. Children and their families work in the (illegal) markets in these parts of the city every day. Their grandfathers and grandmothers usually already worked here. Their parents and children are now learning the work to be able to run their street business independently in the future. Almost all of them are migrants who ended up in Bogota due to poverty and/or violence. Despite the street trade, these families live in great poverty, in precarious houses and experience a lot of domestic violence. These families run a high risk of falling apart and the children ending up permanently on the street. The children don't go to school very often, and it is therefore more difficult to keep up with the curriculum. The chance that they will drop out of school is high.

Our partner organization Fundación Creciendo Unidos (FCU) has developed a program for these children (on average between 5 and 16 years old). In total, 200 vulnerable children from 120 families received tailor-made guidance in 2020 and 2021. They received support in the field of health (vaccinations, healthy lifestyle, access to care), guidance in the event of abuse (including sexual and domestic violence). They also received homework support and numerous workshops to develop their talents: dance, sports and art.


The families of these children received psychosocial support. The project also explores other work opportunities since most of the families’ current work is illegal and does not offer any social protection. For example some mothers participated in baking and pastry workshops to increase their income.

Child labor is common in the "20 de Julio" and "Caracolí" neighborhoods in Bogota. Children and their families work in the (illegal) markets in these parts of the city every day. Their grandfathers and grandmothers usually already worked here. Their parents and children are now learning the work to be able to run their street business independently in the future. Almost all of them are migrants who ended up in Bogota due to poverty and/or violence. Despite the street trade, these families live in great poverty, in precarious houses and experience a lot of domestic violence. These families run a high risk of falling apart and the children ending up permanently on the street. The children don't go to school very often, and it is therefore more difficult to keep up with the curriculum. The chance that they will drop out of school is high.

Our partner organization Fundación Creciendo Unidos (FCU) has developed a program for these children (on average between 5 and 16 years old). In total, 200 vulnerable children from 120 families received tailor-made guidance in 2020 and 2021. They received support in the field of health (vaccinations, healthy lifestyle, access to care), guidance in the event of abuse (including sexual and domestic violence). They also received homework support and numerous workshops to develop their talents: dance, sports and art.


The families of these children received psychosocial support. The project also explores other work opportunities since most of the families’ current work is illegal and does not offer any social protection. For example some mothers participated in baking and pastry workshops to increase their income.

Child labor is common in the "20 de Julio" and "Caracolí" neighborhoods in Bogota. Children and their families work in the (illegal) markets in these parts of the city every day. Their grandfathers and grandmothers usually already worked here. Their parents and children are now learning the work to be able to run their street business independently in the future. Almost all of them are migrants who ended up in Bogota due to poverty and/or violence. Despite the street trade, these families live in great poverty, in precarious houses and experience a lot of domestic violence. These families run a high risk of falling apart and the children ending up permanently on the street. The children don't go to school very often, and it is therefore more difficult to keep up with the curriculum. The chance that they will drop out of school is high.

Our partner organization Fundación Creciendo Unidos (FCU) has developed a program for these children (on average between 5 and 16 years old). In total, 200 vulnerable children from 120 families received tailor-made guidance in 2020 and 2021. They received support in the field of health (vaccinations, healthy lifestyle, access to care), guidance in the event of abuse (including sexual and domestic violence). They also received homework support and numerous workshops to develop their talents: dance, sports and art.


The families of these children received psychosocial support. The project also explores other work opportunities since most of the families’ current work is illegal and does not offer any social protection. For example some mothers participated in baking and pastry workshops to increase their income.