Fundacion Querido Amigo (FQA)

Yes, you can help!

You can help these children escape the cycle of poverty. Your small monthly gift will go a long way in our poor economy. You can make a big difference! For more than forty years the government of Colombia has been unable to protect its people, as the civil war with the guerillas continues. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of Colombians, have fled to Cartagena.

Cartagena is Safe, Beautiful, Historic, Proud, and poor!

Cartagena is recognized by Colombian’s, as a sacred and safe city, transcending civil and political problems. For the poor, Cartagena de Indias, is like The Statute of Liberty-"Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses, yearning to breath free"

The City cannot print money. It does the best it can, but this is still not enough. Outside help exists, but it too, is not enough. There are just too many children in Cartagena, who go to bed with bloated and empty stomachs. You can help!

Nothing else you do, will compare.

Look at the faces of these happy children. The photos were taken recently by The Guide To Cartagena, at an FQA party for the kids. The kids were bright eyed, in their best Sunday clothes, respectful, loving, and laughing. It was a real joy to be with them!

How do you decide which child, or children, to help?

A smile? Their name? Maybe they remind you of a friend or loved one? Each child will touch you in a different way, so you must decide. Click on the photo to enlarge. At the top of your screen, in the “Address” area, you will see the name of the child. Enter or paste the name in the “Subject” area of your E-Mail to: The Director of F.Q.A. Ask any questions, and tell how you can help. With your first donation, you will receive a postal response- a receipt for your donation, a thank you letter from FQA, and a hand written letter from the child or children that you sponsor. Please be patient. The mail system can take 3 weeks or more. Your encouraged to write the child back, but this time use your E-Mail. Include the child’s name in the “Subject;” area. Offer your encouragement to: study hard, play hard, to be a good person, obey your mama, etc. Tell a bit about yourself, members of your family, friends, pets, etc. Visit this CartragenaInfo website (take the Walking Tour on the front page) and tell them things about Cartagena that you find interesting. Your new knowledge will make them feel proud of Cartagena.

Please BOOKMARK,or store the location of this FQA site in your FAVORITES.

Thank you, from CartagenaInfo, and hugs and kisses from the kids of FQA.

FQA was founded in 1998 by a concerned group of Cartagena volunteers, with a desire to help the economically disadvantaged people who live in the poor ghettos of the city. FQA is licensed, approved and monitored by Federal, State and the local city government of Cartagena (NIT. 802.007.131-8). FQA's Mission is to improve the quality of life for the children and their families through education and assistance through both short and long term projects in education: matriculation, school supplies, uniforms, health: health care, psychology, medicines, clinical analysis, and lunch, formation: family values workshops, spiritual and social for the children and their parents, and recreation. Training in manual arts for the mothers of the family to help increase the family income.

CartagenaInfo’s contact with FQA, is Mrs. Oliva Coronado Daza, the Director. When we asked to visit their facility, Mrs. Coronado told us it would be better if she drove us in, as there are very few taxi drivers who will venture into the neighborhood. We stripped ourselves of any jewelry, and excess money, and here is what we learned and photographed during our initial half day trip. Click on any of the photos to enlarge.

The small building which houses FQA, contains about 1,300 square feet, and is leased for 200,000 pesos per month ( $87.00 us.) plus FQA pays all utilities. The foundation is currently building a larger structure (4,000 square feet) which is more centrally located within the barrio and to the poor families it serves. FQA works in two specific programs: The Childhood Attention Program where children receive benefits in education, health, character formation and recreation. The Community Development Program where social impact projects are developed towards the community in the form of: productive work, coexistence, health and character formation.

The day-to-day living conditions of families that FQA helps, are precarious. Employment sources are minimal, labor options, when available, include: bricklayers, chauffeurs, street vendors, garbage recyclers, maids, and other manual labor. The income of these families is insufficient for their basic needs. Their present income only permits half support, and therefore puts the children in danger of repeating the misfortunes of their parent(s).


Upon entering the building we were greeted by mothers who were painting ceramics under the guidance of a volunteer instructor. Crafts is the “fun and pride” part of teaching mothers which includes: continuous instruction in moral values, economic responsibilities, personal and family hygiene, prevention of family and neighborhood violence, family and community relations.

The room across from the craft area contains the pharmacy, basic foods and snack sales area.

 
Dany

The staff consists of the Director, a Psychologist, a part time Medical Doctor (8 a.m.-12, five days a week) a Certified Primary Grades Teacher, and a part time English Teacher.

 
Denis

Here are some of the questions that we (CartagenaInfo) posed to Mrs. Coronado.

CartagenaInfo: How many families do you serve, and describe the typical family?

Mrs. Coronado: We are financially limited to helping only 200 families. Typically one half of the households contain only the mother or grand mother, with no fathers or adult males living in the house. Families consist of as many as seven children, with an average of 3-4 children per household.

CartagenaInfo: What are their living conditions?

 Mrs. Coronado: We will visit some homes, and you can see for yourselves. Most are wood structures, built on ground. Some with concrete floors and some with hardened earth. Only ten percent of the homes have running water. The barrio (neighborhood) has open ditches which carry away the sewage. Open sewage is a health problem, plus a breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Eighty percent of the homes have electricity, of which about half are legal metered connections.

CartagenaInfo: What are the more common problems that the Doctor treats?

Mrs. Coronado: Malnutrition, parasites, skin conditions, allergies, flu, and the diagnosis of more serious diseases. The Doctor works with the League Against Cancer, which teaches women how to perform mammary exams, as well as actually doing regular exams, and treats cancer.

CartagenaInfo: Tell us about some of the problems addressed by the Psychologist?

Mrs. Coronado: Most of the children's psychiatric problems stem from family violence. In those cases involving violence, about 60% is caused by the father, and 40% by the mother. When a stepfather is involved, the violence against the children climbs to about 90%.

Incest, and resultant unwanted children, continues to be a big problem where the households contain adult or sexually mature males, or family male relatives who visit. Cultural machismo is being addressed by FQA and by Profamilia, a government organization who we work with on a regular basis. Profamilia teaches courses on: birth control, prevention, female sterilization, and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s). Our teaching re-enforces and compliments their work.


CartagenaInfo: How is FQA funded?

Mrs. Coronado: We receive help from a number of sources. The Colombia Institute for the Family (ICBF), a government agency helps. Families from Cartagena and Colombia help. There are families in Miami, Florida, and a family in Italy is helping 20 of our children. Plus, the Italian supported community church is helping.

CartagenaInfo: What are FQA’s major monthly expenses?

Mrs. Coronado: Food is our biggest expense. With 200 children and a daily food cost of 800 pesos each (35 cents us.), the monthly food bill is close to 4,800,000 pesos, or about $2,098.00 us.) Then there is the rent, utilities, medicines, uniforms, school, students and mothers supplies. Plus the staff receives a small monthly wage in compliance with government regulations. The Doctor is paid on a per patient visit.

CartagenaInfo: Mrs. Coronado, as Director, what is your total monthly pay?

Mrs. Coronado: 300,000 pesos ($131.12 us.)and from that comes my expenses for our family jeep, gas and repairs, telephone expenses, etc.


CartagenaInfo: Does FQA dispense any money to the needy?

Mrs. Coronado: No. There is no way to control how the money would be used. FQA provides education, food, medical treatment, medicines, books, uniforms, toothbrushes, dental paste, birthday parties and presents for the children, plus we all enjoy the celebration of the Birth of Jesus as Christmas. In all of our work with the adults and children, we try to set examples, and instill a sense of pride, honesty, respect and love for each other.

How can concerned people help the children of FQA?

Mrs. Coronado: There are many ways:

- We need help with our monthly food budget.

- With their support of the children, which comes to 25,000 pesos ($10.93 us.) per child per month. At least twice a year the child will write a letter to their sponsor, and letters to the child from the sponsor are strongly encouraged, especially when in the form of support, love, and encouragement.

- Our English teacher is very dedicated, but his English could use some help. Pronunciation is always a problem in teaching a foreign language. We would welcome people who's native language is English, and who speak good English, to help in our daily teaching. This would only require an hour or so a day, and would be of immense help to both the students, AND to our English teacher. If volunteers will commit for one month of help, we will find basic, but clean and secure living accommodations in the neighborhood, or if the teacher wants, something a bit more upscale. I am convinced that working with our children will be an fulfilling experience that you will never regret, as our students are attentive and anxious to learn.

- Our new building is under construction, but progress is limited because construction only takes place when we have some money. Donations to our building fund would be much appreciated. With our new building and increased donations we could help not just our current 200 children, but we could help 800 more who are currently in need in our barrio.

- CartagenaInfo. who is providing our Home Page as a donation toward our efforts, has told us that if we could regularly use a low cost digital camera to keep the donors visually informed as to what we are doing with their help, it would result in more needed assistance. They have volunteered to update our Home Page on a monthly basis with these photographs. The cost for a new digital camera, such as the OlympusD-360L, that they use, is about $200. Us., Plus about $50 for a case, re chargeable batteries and a spare memory card. This would be an important gift that would help us reach our goal of helping more children.

Note from CartagenaInfo: We will be glad to monitor the progress of any donations that are received as a result of this Home Page. If donors have any pre conditions or concerns please bring them to the attention of Mrs. Coronado, at: fqa@latinmail.com . If donors would like an independent monitor of their gifts, CartagenaInfo will help in this regard. Please cc in: webmaster@cartagenainfo.com. Mrs. Coronado says that in addition to government reviews, their books are open to any and all, which of course includes all donors.




FUNDACION QUERIDO AMIGO
Telephone: +57 5 677 6072
E-Mail: fqa@latinmail.com
Deposits can be made directly to Account #7377701296 at Megabanco (E-Mail for Routeing Numbers)
Cartagena, Colombia