This season,Ā Tea is partnering with The Global Fund for Children to give back to severalĀ organizations located in South America. This month, weāre featuring the Corporación Correcaminos in El Retiro, Colombia.Ā Learn more about this wonderful organization below.
This month we feature Corporación Correcaminos, a grassroots organization in El Retiro, Colombiaāa town that suffered during Colombiaās armed conflictĀ and that today struggles with family violence and unemployment. Correcaminos promotes community participation, education and economic opportunities through cultural, educational and recreational activities with a focus on bicycling.Ā One program donates bikes to rural children to encourage school attendance,Ā while a small bike repair shop provides youth employment, and an after-school club combinesĀ mountain-biking with life-skills training.
Just one bicycle can change the course of hundreds of lives. The founder of Corporación CorrecaminosĀ credits receiving a bicycle when he was young as a turning point; it led to better opportunities forĀ education and employment, better health, and in general a higher quality of life. Now hundreds of kidsĀ living around El Retiroāa town that suffered during Colombiaās armed conflict and that today strugglesĀ with family violence and unemploymentāare getting the same opportunity.
The Global Fund for Children supports their after-school Recreation and Competition program. Correcaminos uses threeĀ core programs to help children in different ways: the after-school Recreation and Competition program,Ā which promotes healthy lifestyles; a bike repair and job training program that helps youth develop new,Ā practical skills; and the Biking to School program, which offers free bikes to rural children andĀ encourages them to stay in school. Several program graduates now earn a living as professional cyclists! We are amazed at all the good work Correcaminos is able to do in Retiro and we’re so happy we could connect with them to help out.