Colombia
In Colombia there are more than 2 MILLION child workers. For this reason Proniño, the social action program of Fundación Telefónica helps more than 9,300 of them, with their target for 2008 being more than 12,000.
For our work in Colombia we benefit from the support of various NGOs in the country with a reputation for work on education, childhood and community empowerment, and which work on a network basis.
Fundación Mario Santo Domingo; Corporación Juntos Construyendo Futuro; Fundación Carvajal; Corporación Minuto de Dios; Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes; Fundación Pies Descalzos; Corporación Coprodinco; Fundación FUNOF; Universidad del Quindio; Convidame; Sincelejo; Proinco; Fundación Picachos and Concern Universal.
Our strategies for the eradication of child labour are:
Firstly, education as a strategy, with the use of new educational methodologies, such as the Fontán Relational Education System (www.fontan.com.co), which seeks to help students develop autonomy, decision making skills and the ability to act for themselves, to transform their quality of life and surroundings. It also seeks to provide them with a space in which to develop their skills and abilities, key tools so that they may, in the future, construct their own life path.
Concerned about closing the training inequality gap, Proniño ensures educational achievements in school career paths and knowledge of new information and communications technologies (TIC).
Also, the transformation of cultural patterns, with awareness raising actions and campaigns against child labour.
Work is also carried out on an Integral Action model, through Alternating Days and care for health and nutrition.
Alternating Days are a chance for activities to occupy children's free time, in line with their abilities, skills and interests, ranging from sports training, technical and/or vocational training, recreational training etc.
Nutrition is the basis for good development, so Proniño receives nutritional support during educational days. Also, through our dental check-up days, the program strengthens its concern with the healthy development of children.
Also, it seeks opportunities to help employment prospects of those around children, and ways of bringing them closer to ICT, as the educational process should involve children's entire environment.
Institutional management, the creation of partnerships and mass campaigns against child labour will allow Proniño to work on the Strategic State Plan and combine forces in their work, thus creating a path to support the implementation of the 2008-2013 governmental strategy on the eradication of child labour.