Rebuilding lives for street children

According to Colombian Social Services there are an estimated 11,000 street children in Bogota, and thousands more earn a living there rather than going to school. Forced displacement due to the armed conflict and economic migration from poor rural areas has led to a breakdown in family and social structures, and an increase in the number of children living and working on the streets. These children come from very poor and vulnerable families and have ended up on the streets as a result of serious problems at home including poverty, neglect, domestic violence, sexual abuse, drug or alcohol addiction, exploitation and behavioural problems. On the streets, though, they face the dangers of abuse, exploitation and the hardships associated with child labour.  Without support these children will struggle to escape life on the streets, and will have little hope of building a future free from poverty and violence.

As part of COTA's commitment to supporting street children, we work with the ‘Albergue Infantil Mamá Yolanda' (the Albergue), a Bogota-based care home for boys aged 7 to 15 with experiences of living on the streets.

The Albergue:

provides vital healthcare and emotional support to street children when they arrive at the Albergue. Many children arrive at the project with complex health problems stemming from a history of neglect, malnutrition, drug use and unsanitary living conditions. The Albergue also runs a drug rehabilitation scheme for the boys who arrive addicted to solvents and other drugs commonly used to cope with life on the street. On-going counselling and therapy is also provided.                                          

aims to improve the educational inclusion of the boys in their care, through providing tailored support according to each child's needs. The boys at the Albergue come from extremely challenging environments where education has been a low priority. They have spent extensive periods on the street and are not used to following a routine or having anybody look after them. The Albergue provides a stable and nurturinghome, whereboys can overcome difficulties, gain basic skills, increase their confidence and learn how to successfully interact with other children and adults.

aims to ensure that children do not return to the streets by providing structured, intensive support for each child throughout their stay and for the whole family before, during and after they return to their families. These families live in poverty, often sharing one rented room or living in makeshift homes, lacking basic facilities such as water and sanitation. Many parents, if employed at all, work in temporary, insecure jobs (domestic services, street vending) or illegally (begging, prostitution, criminal activity). Through working with families, the Albergue can identify when it is not in the child's best interests to be returned home and ensure these children are not put at risk by being returned. In such cases alternative care is sought.