How We Started
Children of the Andes (COTA) was established in 1991 following the transmission of a BBC documentary on the plight of Bogota's "sewer children" - street children who had literally been driven underground by street gangs and the police and had taken refuge in the sewers of Colombia's capital. The documentary featured the work of Jaime Jaramillo, a Colombian philanthropist, who was providing food, shelter and support to the children through his foundation Fundacion Ninos de los Andes, Subachoque (FNA Subachoque)
COTA supported the work of FNA Subachoque for 13 years and raised over £1.5 million. Thanks in part to this support, children no longer live in the sewers of Bogota.
We have continued to work exclusively in Colombia, but now focus on addressing the needs of all the most vulnerable groups of children including street children, working children, children with disabilities, children with HIV and Aids and children affected by the conflict.
