Fundación Crisol

“Las colonias” is a vulnerable community undergoing social, environmental, and economic development, located in the city of Pereira, Colombia. It is made up of people in displacement due to the armed conflict, the lack of opportunities, and social inequality, coming from some regions of the country and from the city. It is common to find among its inhabitants people from the three most traditional ethnic groups of the Colombian people (mestizos, Indigenous, and Afro-descendants).

The Transformaciones con amor are a daily occurrence, since the arrival in 2008 of the Crisol Foundation, which manages the volunteer program “Oasis”, with spaces where one learns to “Live beautifully.”

There are several projects, such as the “Escuela Re+creo”, an educational and free space for the children, adolescents, and adults of the community, with a proposal aimed at teaching how to live well where pedagogy is used as a tool for deep change; there are voices of the children and adults who are considered valid interlocutors in all processes. We also have a Center for early childhood, which runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., where in addition to receiving care and education they also receive breakfast and lunch.

The CreSer project seeks free professional training for the women and mothers of the community. There are already several professionals, among them teachers, assistants and psychologists who are in charge of the care and education of the children of the school “Re+Creo.”

Another project to be proud of is the “Asociación Ecolonias”, a NGO dedicated to the care and preservation of natural resources and in general of the surrounding environment; this organization is led by women from the same community who one day decided to shed the social label of victims and transform their own territory to be the change they want to see in the world, imprinting feminine energy, compassion, and love in all their environmental actions.

These and other projects, sustained by the Crisol Foundation, aim to improve the quality of life of the community members, making them responsible for their lives and creators of their future, a future in which they can make their dreams come true.

The Oasis volunteer program is an experience in which all involved learn to “Live beautifully”, as it strengthens the community, provides support to families, contributes to education, recreation and care of the children, and furthermore, the participating volunteer can live a different experience, full of sensitivity, compassion and empathy, which allows them to develop social and community skills, which they will enjoy and carry forever in their heart, and they will always want to return.

The whole process is built on love, without exclusive political and religious viewpoints.

This is a very enriching experience that you should not miss. In Las Colonias people are very friendly and truly value international volunteers, even if you don’t speak perfect Spanish. You’ll have the opportunity to live with a local family and eat traditional Colombian meals with them.

Your host family will welcome you with open arms and it will be an incredible way to learn/improve your Spanish. Las Colonias has a good atmosphere, safe and cordial, close to the main city of Pereira and to tourist spots if you want to do some things during your free time or on weekends.

You will be welcomed and treated like home from the first moment, not only in your new family but in the whole community. The tasks of volunteers are different, such as teaching English and French, supporting the spaces at Escuela Re+creo, managing social networks, developing NGO websites and helping with recycling and educational activities focused on the care and preservation of the territory.