i want to give some money away.... seriously

MotoAdventures says on May 10, 2005, 23:50:

Medellin Grass Roots Organization I've been living in Medellin for one year. Last December I donated enough food to feed 100 families for 10 days here. My girlfriend put me in touch with a good friend of hers here who has been working for a grass roots organization for a few years. They primarily provide a free lunch for children in one of the poorest barrios in Medellin every Saturday. The barrio is called Moravia, and consists of thousands of people living on a former trash dump. They live there because the 'land' is free and available, and close to work (they collect trash), and because they can put a pipe deep into the hill and use the combustion of the waste to give them fuel to cook with.

I asked Cesar what exactly I could do to help out, short of just donating money, and I ended up accompanying him to local food distributors, looking for the best prices, and personally buying rice, beans, lard, panela, powdered milk, and corn products, and delivering it all to 100 families. Just for a rough idea, this all cost me about U.S.$350. It's incredible how much you can help here with a little foreign money.

If you're interested, PM me. The best thing would be if you're in Medellin, and I can put you in touch directly with Cesar, and you can personally buy all of the food products, and deliver them to the people with him. I guarantee you'll receive a great sense of satisfaction seeing the people face to face that you're helping out.

Best of luck either way.

Paul Thoreson - Casa Kiwi Hostel Medellin - www.motoadventures.org

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COLDK says on May 11, 2005, 11:21:

Organisations As already mentioned, not all them are corrupt. I know one in Bogota held by a retired woman that help kids with cancer. Antinarcotics donated them a house where they have some kids from poor areas specially out of Bogota that are remited to the "Hospital Cancerologico" and they do not have family there and of course no money to pay a place to stay when they are not hospitalized, but need to be in control in the hospital. Then those kids have a place to stay and food for free. People make donations in diferent ways, buying food, givin money, giving clothes for the kids etc. My 16 years old cousin was remitied with cancer and he could stay there for about 2 years until he finished the treatment. Another organisation from Holland donated him the prothesis for his leg. Now, after some years he is working so he can pay rent an food by himself, but he will go to university because some people will help covering half of the cost. So there are many diferent ways to help. We are very thankful for those instituions. Even when we all in the familly helped with money, was not enough to cover all the expenses.
If you are in Bogota, you can visit the Hospital Cancerologico and you can find lot of people who need help and you can do it directly to them.

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b bruce says on May 11, 2005, 20:51:

Check out "The Colombia Project!" Check out the Colombia Project which operates out of Miami. They raise money for small loans to people in rural Colombia who have wonderful small business ideas. The project oversees and assists with the start up. The Colombians who start the businesses do not need a lot of money and they pay the loansd back in full over one year. I believe the small business loans are in the $375.00 U.S. dollars range. But it lists the people in need, what they are doing and where they are located within Colombia! The Colombia Project. 2151 S.W. 17th Street, Miami, Florida 33145-2117 (305)856-5573 or
colombiaproject at yahoo.com

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