2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

"Casa Taller"
The establishment of a community workshop center

Bella Flor project summary as of June 2003:

• Introduction
  
• Update on current and new projects
  
• Update on program activities
  
• Summary and accomplishments
  

Introduction

Project "Casa taller" in Bella Flor initiated in 2001. Last year we reached
mostof our goals in terms of our program development. We also made
considerable progress towards our commitment to create a more humane
environment in our community. Our project is growing and is now in its
critical developmental stage. We are actively looking for support and
resources here in Bogotá, through our international partners and through
our website and supporters like you.
Click here to donate!

Our main objective is to facilitate educational and social development
programs within a community of displaced and underprivileged families,
that have extremely limited access to basic social services.

We continue to motivate and promote community participation. This results
in an increased commitment from all parties involved. To encourage and
facilitate the grassroots aspect of our project we created various working
groups. The main ones include:

• MaLaudes: Is a group of 7 women in charge of coordinating program
  activities within the community. They represent the foundation and
  leadership of our grassroots organization. This year, the group
  enrolled in basic schooling and a vocational education program.
• Grupo Piloto: Created as an S.O.S unit, it is in charge off security
  and responds to emergencies. It also helps improve the basic
  aspect of the neighborhood as well as its infrastructure (garbage
  collection, sewage and housing improvements).
• Padres en Acción: Is a group of parents whose children benefited
  from our basic schooling classes in 2002, (refuerzo escolar) and
  are now part of our new "Plan Padrinos" project. "Plan Padrinos"
  is a scholarship program that enables children to enter the
  official public school system. This group of parents helps to
  support general community improvement projects.
• Grupo Monitores: Is a teenage leaders unit that helps to coordinate
  young children's programs. The group takes part in an intense youth
  leadership course within our foundation, and also receives vocational
  arts and crafts training through the School of Arts & Crafts
  Santo Domingo.
• Grupo Pingüino: The most recent group of parents whose children
  joined our program this year. Some of the group's families come from
  surrounding areas of our neighborhood.

back to top

Update on current and new projects

"Casa taller" Construction site
As of the end of April 2003, the first floor has been completed. This includes
interior walls, floors and bathrooms and represents about 30% of the planned
three-floors community center in Bella Flor. The second floor is now in
construction and depending on access to the financial resources we would like
to see our center completed by the end of 2003.

Creation of Playground "Parque la Torre"
Thanks to the hard work of our group"Padres en Acción", the playground was
officially opened in December 2002. Now children and young adults can play
in a safe and organized way in the heart of Bella Flor. The local community
board allocated the playground area.

Solidarity plan (Acción social)
"MaLaudes" and "Grupo Piloto", are in charge of coordinating support to
newly arrived families who often have no appropriate shelter or clothing.
The plan's objective is to promote a sense of solidarity within the
community, and to deliver practical help to one family in need per month.
Help is delivered in kind and includes basic housing materials and work time.
A two days work period is allocated to a specific family, chosen based on a
situation evaluation.

Creation of cooperatives (or family micro-enterprises)
Since last year MaLaudes has been working extensively in order to set-up
various cooperatives that serve the community from their homes. The project's
objective is to simultaneously build services and create employment. As a
result a mini-food-market cooperative opened its doors in April of this year.
The following cooperatives are in progress:

• Thrift shop (second hand clothing)
• Beauty shop & hairdresser
• Infirmary & drugstore

back to top

Update on program activities

"Refuerzo escolar":
The objective of this workshop is to provide daily education to a
group of children who have no access to the public school system and
to foster their literacy skills. In 2003, 130 children (ages 2-15)
enrolled in the workshop, and were divided into 3 age-group levels.
Last year's 90 students were prepared to enter the official public
school system at the beginning of 2003, and received financial help
through our newly established scholarship program.

Creative and vocational workshops:
The objective of our workshops is to stimulate creativity, build
self-esteem which encourages personal growth, and ultimately helps
with occupational/employment possibilities. Community members are
increasingly involved in the organization and coordination of the
program: community leaders themselves teach 50% of the workshops.
This year, 180 children and 22 adults are enrolled in our program.

The following workshops are given every Saturday:

1. Construction/carpentry
2. Textile weaving
3. Sewing &Embroidery
4. Puppetry
5. Painting &Drawing
6. Discovering colors
7. Rhythmic gymnastics
8. Folkloric dance
9. Modern dance
10. Dance &Theater for adults
11. Percussion
12. Recreation

1. Community celebration: workshop presentations and
   exhibitions, November 2002
2. Juggling presentation at the "Colegio Nueva Granada",
   November 2002
3. Soccer camp, January 2003
4. Beauty and grooming in celebration of the opening of
   the soccer camp, January 2003
5. Cultural exchange program in "la Guajira"(North-Eastern
   region of Colombia), January 2003
6. New school year inauguration festivities: Aguazurumba
   theater group presentation and workshop exhibition,
   February 9th, 2003
7. Various public performances by "Aguazurumba",
   March & April 2003
8. Children's day celebration, April 12th, 2003
9. Mother's month celebration, May 2003

back to top

Summary and accomplishments

Community participation has been our focus and working philosophy
since the very beginning of our activities in Bella Flor. Coordination
of our program is in majority under the community's leaders
responsibility. Our main objective is to gain self-sufficiency in
order to create a more humane and just environment in our neighborhood.

Here is an overview of accomplished projects:

• Establishment of the following new work groups: "Monitores,
  "Piloto", and "Pingüino"
• Creation of an acrobatic and theater group: "Aguazurumba"
• Development and creation of cooperatives or family
  micro enterprises
• Access to official public schools for 90 children
• Set-up of a scholarship program
• Official inauguration of Playground "Parque la Torre"
• "Casa Taller" first-floor (ground floor) structure completed
• Workshops and community events fully operational

back to top