Nurturing Children: Helping Kids Overcome Abuse
Although our wish is for all children to have a happy childhood, we are aware that not all of them get this opportunity as they sometimes encounter violent situations. In 2018, the National Institute of Legal Medicine & Forensic Sciences recorded that 87% of cases related to sexual violence involved children and teens. And in 2022, the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare noted that over 37% of cases to reestablish a child’s rights were related to sexual violence.
Given that many cases occur in the child’s home, the government’s only choice is to relocate them to protective institutions or transit homes. Casita de Belen was created for this reason: to protect vulnerable children. In 70 years, they have helped thousands of kids via nutritional, academic, medical, and early childhood development projects.
However, in this process children are forced to uproot their lives and must deal with the emotional, social, and academic impact, which can lead to mental issues. As such, they require specialized psychological care to help them cope with the changes and the trauma they experienced. To help them overcome their situation, Casita de Belen created the “Cultivando Infancias” project where they hope to:
- Provide continuous therapy and other psychological services to children affected by sexual violence.
- Promote self-care and risk mitigation through group workshops for children between the ages of 4 and 8.
- Create a safe and nurturing environment for children by strengthening the skills of caretakers, teachers, and employees of Casita de Belen.
But they can’t do it alone and need your support. Please help us ensure a safe future for the most vulnerable children of Cali.
To learn more about Casita de Belen and their projects, click here.