How_to_Change_the_World_Memo_-_Group_2b (1).mov
Sofia Zabaneh: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
Ethan Jad: www.linkedin.com/in/ethanjad
Abel Alexander: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abel-alexander-maniangat/
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Children living in informal settlements in Bello, Colombia, are in an environment of tension between the government and armed groups, leaving their communities vulnerable. Limited access to quality education, safe spaces, and structured developmental programs perpetuates cycles of academic underachievement and social marginalization. These conditions increase the risk of psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, which can hinder cognitive, emotional, and social development. Without the aid of Non-Government Organizations and community leadership, these challenges are likely to persist, reinforcing inter-generational repetitions of poverty and locational exclusion within Bello’s informal communities.
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TogetherWeGrow bridges the gap between children (ages 5–18), community leaders, and NGOs to foster academic and emotional development. Each student is paired with a local leader, such as a doctor or educator, and a representative from partner NGOs like UNICEF, Save the Children, or Transparency International.
The NGO provides international resources and support, empowering community leaders to organize local sports, tutoring, and social events. Our goal is to create a cycle of continuity where students eventually transition into leadership roles. To ensure holistic well-being, children have access to an anonymous mental health hotline for underlying issues.
Operating through WhatsApp with a short-term value proposition, the program remains feasible and socially accessible. Most importantly, TogetherWeGrow is free for families and maintains a neutral environmental footprint.
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<aside> ℹ️ The “TogetherWeGrow” program presupposes the regular involvement of volunteers, NGOs, and communal leaders but since the number of people willing to take part might be insufficient, the program will be launched with the limited pilot program with already engaged stakeholders and well-defined roles. Mistrust may also be an issue and hence the program will be opened up by the schools and any other known community place. The assumptions made on mental health and academic difficulties are grounded on the similar informal settlements and will be confirmed with the pre-implementation surveys, institutional data, and community feedback. The major obstacles are lack of finances, coordination problems among stakeholders, cultural hindrances and safety issues in risky locations and these might interfere with participation and performance. These issues will be discussed with the help of the powerful partnerships, frequent check-ins, and communal methods of the community to establish confidence and permanence in the long-term sustainability and continuity of the program.
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Please note: Community leaders should have gone through the education system and have experience in helping young children. This will allow them to share their own advice and experiences with the children to help motivate them to stay in school.
According to (Bittner, 2012) NGO representatives visited Colombia last year to interview children between 10 and 16, some of whom had been child soldiers or victims of kidnapping, rape, and torture. This demonstrates the importance of TogetherWeGrow as a programme keep young children safe and supported preventing them from being as at risk to these dangers. We desire to foster a cultural environment for children in their developmental growth, both academically and emotionally.
The Pollination Project (https://thepollinationproject.org) is a micro-grant organisation for social action projects lead by communities. It is an example of how we could implement TogetherWeGrow in Bello.
While direct statistics for the informal communities in Bello, Colombia remains private, we pulled data from similar informal/low-resource settlements. This enabled us to gain a stronger understanding of the realities for children within these marginalized regions. Listed below include the most influential and stand-out pieces of data that we collected.
From our virtual interview sessions, we were also able to understand the root causes behind the educational discrepancies in Bello, Colombia.
While there are a multitude of causes, including transportation and food insecurity, the most potent issue is regarding family dynamics. Many families in Bello fail to understand the value of education that stretches beyond basic reading and writing. This drives a large majority of students to drop out of educational institutions before the age of 16. Families would prefer having their children join the workforce, eliminating their educational continuation into secondary school. These deeply-rooted beliefs perpetuates generational cycles of low-income households, as a college degree is required to obtain high-wage occupations in Bello.
The primary goal of TogetherWeGrow is to provide assistance and guidance to the children of Bello, Colombia. With the aid of community leaders and Non-Government Organizations, we hope to break the cycles of educational injustice and continuous mental health strains.
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