Alegria de Vivir: Meet Jhon Felipe

The interns at Alegria de Vivir, Katy, Ryan and Izumi introduce us to Jhon Felipe: 

Introducing Jhon Felipe! This five year old boy has an amazing spirit. He has a wonderful smile and a cute and quirky sense of humor. In November, the Alegria de Vivir foundation was able to raise up enough money to send him to Bogota to receive a much needed surgery on his legs to help him walk. The surgery was successful, but unfortunately there wasn't enough money raised to be able to purchase a brace. Since November Jhon Felipe has been practicing walking, but without a brace he is unable to learn the proper leg movements. With the help of a brace and physical therapy he will be able be contribute to society with his sweet and caring spirit. With the help of Alegria de Vivir and Eagle Condor these children like Jhon Felipe will be able to live a happy and healthy life.

Katy, Ryan, Izumi

Alegria de Vivir: Help Juan David

Great update on Alegria de Vivir from Sheena!

This week I had a chance to meet Juan David, pictured above. Juan David is a cheerful eight year old who loves animals and playing with his siblings. Juan David also has cerebral palsy which affects both his body and his learning. Despite this, he is very active and walks independently with his walker. When he was able to attend school he enjoyed painting and doing other activities with his classmates. Unfortunately he cannot attend this school anymore and the only ones now available to him are costly. His mother wants him to receive an education above all, but she cannot afford the tuition and transportation costs. This is a common dilema of many of the families that participate in the organization Alegria de Vivir or Joy of LIfe here in Turbaco. This foundation is the only support that many of these families have. In supporting this foundation, we can give hope to children like Juan David who want to attend school just like everyone else.

To help Juan David and other children like him, click here.

More posts about Alegria de Vivir.

More info about Alegria de Vivir.

Alegria de Vivir: Meet Mauricio

Sheena introduces us to Mauricio:

This week I had a chance to get to know Mauricio (7) and his mom Yesenia. Yesenia is a single mom and mother of three children. Her son Mauricio suffers from Cerebral Palsy and Asthma and cannot speak due to a tracheotomy that he had when he was younger. Yesenia struggles to make ends meet with the small income she receives from odd jobs and government assistance. The day that I visited her Mauricio had only had milk for lunch because Yesenia did not have anything else to give him. Despite all this, Mauricio is an incredibly cheerful young boy! He has a bright smile and is always laughing. He likes doing the exercises the physical therapist at Alegria de Vivir has assigned him and does them well. When I visited he stood up from a chair 5 times with very little assistance! Despite his physical potential, Mauricio does not have braces, a walker, or even a wheelchair to help him move more independently. In addition he often cannot make it to school or to Alegria de Vivir because his mom cannot afford the transportation there and back each day. With a little help Mauricio could realize his potential and start moving and learning.

More info about Alegria de Vivir.

More posts about Alegria de Vivir.

Show your gratitude this Thanksgiving by donating to help children like Mauricio!

Alegria de VeVir (Laura)

One of the things we found most remarkable at the Alegria de Vivir, in Trubaco, Colombia, was the level of volunteerism and dedication to provide care for handicapped children in the community. Every women at the home was a single mother, or grandmother, of a handicapped child who could not pay for medical treatments or evaluations. The four young women running the home, all under 30, had seen the need in their own community so they decided to bring the physicians to these children. They went through the paperwork of registering the home, spend their free time contacting doctors who will donate their expertise and do local fundraisers to pay transportation costs for the doctors.

Alegria de Vivir (Cameron, expedition leader)

Note: This home is a funded home in Turbaco, Colombia specifically catered to helping handicapped children providing care so these children can stay with the families and off the street.

“Alegria de Vivir” started with a few women in Colombia who wanted to help handicapped children receive medical care that they desperately needed but could not receive. The name means “Happiness of Living” and the volunteers that work to keep this small center running, truly make this their goal when working with these kids.

In the areas surrounding Cartagenas there are many deformities and chorinic diseases that would shock most of us here in our comfortable homes. In this area these kids very rarely will see a doctor will most likely never receive the type of care they need. In a sense the kids are forgotten and looked over. The brave women of “Alegria de Vivir” have proven that this will not happen in their community and have made it a personal fight to help these children. They have made connections with local physicians and medical personnel who are committing to offer their time and services to help. Still the center has a long way to go.

When we met the children at the center and saw how much help they really needed, Southern Cross decided to be a part of this beautiful home and cause for the needy children in Colombia.

Since January, Southern Cross has helped in the funding the home, allowing the volunteers provide food and activities for these kids. The funds are designated to help in whatever aspect these volunteers deem necessary, including helping to pay for treatment of certain problems or visits to the hospital when needed. We hope to raise enough interest in this area in Colombia and in these children to bring an expedition to Cartagena and help construct a playground in the back of the center where children with disabilities can leave the small building, and enjoy the outdoors.

We applaud the volunteers who work with these children and plan to become even more involved in this wonderful cause. Help us improve the lives of these children so that together we understand what it really means to have “alegria de vivir.”