Donor: Gymboree, K.I.D.S. – Fashion Delivers
Local Allies: AeioTU – Fundación Carulla, APC Colombia, Conexión Colombia
Beneficiaries: 475 children
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Although clothes are a part of providing children a decent life, most parents who come from economically disadvantaged communities are unable meet such a basic necessity as they are forced to choose between giving their children proper clothing or feeding them. Unaware of this issue, most charities ignore this need and families are forced to make ends meet.
This issue can be clearly felt in the Olaya Herrera neighborhood found in Medellin, a place that has become a sanctuary for families that have been forced to move out of their homes and often travel long distances with nothing but the clothes on their back due to the internal conflict in Colombia. For the most part, the people of this community work informal jobs and are never sure if they will be able to provide for their families.
As part of a creative program between K.I.D.S – Fashion Delivers and Gymboree’s Crazy 8 stores, Give To Colombia received 14 boxes filled with over 800 items of beautiful clothing, shoes and accessories, which were shipped to Colombia with the help of APC Colombia and Conexión Colombia.
These were then delivered to the Early Childhood Development Center Olaya Herrera in Bogotá where in alliance with AeioTU – Fundación Carulla we created a program called “The Wardrobe” or “El Ropero”. This program seeks to provide children with proper clothing by helping parents from low-income communities purchase these items for a symbollic prize. The funds raised will in turn allow the center to be sustainable.
On September 20th, The Wardrobe opened its doors to the community and it now continues serving the families of the Olaya Herrera neighborhood. This program is one of the first to recognize the importance of giving children proper clothes and will hopefully continue serving the families of the neighborhood and become a shining example of philanthropy.