Fifteen children from poor families in the neighbourhood come to the Foundation Mi Casa en Ipauratu kindergarten every morning.
The kindergarten means that parents can work or study and that their children are cared for and taught with the guidance of the teacher and volunteers. Their sense of language and other basic skills such as hygiene and social contact are developed through play.
The school hours are from 8am until 2pm. As the children get little to eat at home, the foundation provides them with lunch so they get at least one good meal a day. In Colombia kindergarten is mandatory, but the parents have to pay for uniforms and school supplies for the children. The parents in Palauato cannot afford this so all costs are assumed by the foundation.
Without the kindergarten these children would not be able to attend school. The kindergarten is very
popular with parents. Thanks to the volunteers, the children become acquainted with the English language at a young age. By learning the sounds so early in life, the children can eventually master the language properly.
The main costs incurred by the foundation are the teacher’s salary, the cost of the classroom, the course materials and lunch for the children.