We are a non-traditional, non-profit educational entity with Legal Authorization No. 0727 of October 1999 issued by the Colombian Institute of Social Welfare.

To protect children and youngsters who live under particularly difficult and trying circumstances and whose basic human rights have been violated, by providing them guidance and the spaces and the means that will promote their integral development through the acquisition of the social, cognitive, emotional, physical and transcendental skills that will allow them to build their life plan and to live a better life with greater resources.

To be a non-traditional, non-profit educational organization, leader in the development of programs to promote the integral development and the social and human welfare of children and youngsters who are living in highly risky circumstances. Also, to provide counsel services to other NGOs and/or governmental entities on matters related with children and youngsters in Colombia.

In 1998, Victoria Molinos de Dussan, together with four other colleagues founded the firm called “Consultores Cinco Investigación y Proyectos Sociales” that in 1990 made a participative community diagnosis of Usaquen’s San Gabriel Norte community in the northeastern hills of Bogotá for the Ana Restrepo del Corral Foundation. One of the conclusions of the analysis was the need to offer the local children and youngsters the spaces to carry out activities for the integral development of their potentialities during their free time.

With the purpose of not only describing the problems of the sector but also of implementing solutions, in 1991 Victoria designed the “Self-education Circles” Program for children and youngsters living in high risk situations. This was a program additional to the regular school activities in which 60 kids participated. This number eventually increased to 140. Many of the founding children have kept close ties with the Program.

From 1993 to 1996, the United Nations provided financial support to the CAF Program through an agreement with the Mayor’s Office of the City of Bogotá because it became evident that the Program was very effective in the prevention of drug use among children and youngsters. When the agreement between the United Nations and the Mayor’s Office expired, the economic assistance also stopped in view of the change in the policies regarding the programs against the use of psychoactive substances.

In 1995, the Colombian Institute for the Family and the Population and the Francisco José de Caldas Colombian Institute for the Development of Science and Technology carried out an assessment investigation of the CAF Program and they concluded that it was an effective program for the prevention of child abuse in one of Bogotá’s communities.

The following year took place the Psychology Congress of the Americas in Mexico City. Victoria Molinos was invited to participate as lecturer and she presented the methodology of the CAF Program as an instrument for the integral development of children, specially the self-esteem, which is a protective factor for the prevention of drug addiction and child abuse.

That same year and the year after that, she also participated as lecturer in the National Social Work Congress and the National Congress of Forensic Medicine. Due to the success and achievements with children in 1998, with the assistance of social worker Violeta Parra, currently our Programs Coordinator, our work extended to Ciudad Bolivar and Soacha under the name of “Crear, Educación para la Paz” [“Create, Education for Peace” Program]. The expansion of our coverage and the expansion in the number of centers and services for children led us to the realization that the time had come to create a Foundation. In 1999, a group of persons who knew the program and who had contributed to its financial support met and officially incorporated the Fundación Proyecto de Vida. The Foundation was granted official authorization to conduct its business through resolution No. 0727 of October 8th, 1999 issued by the Colombian Institute of Social Welfare. Up until February 2004, 410 children were enrolled in our programs and this coverage increased to 470 children and youngsters after the inauguration of the “Genesis” Integral Development Center in Soacha’s Sixth Commune this last May 15th.

We have many plans for the future: build the Ciudad Bolivar Center; offer more services to the children, their families and the communities in order to improve their standard of living and to bring them back to society; carry out investigations on education, gender, violence, education, work, methodologies, teaching practices and many other subjects that may contribute to the knowledge of the reality and the problems of Colombian children and youngsters.

Focus on the children: We strive for excellence in the understanding, the attention, the guidance, the strengthening, the orientation, the support and the love of our children and youngsters, without any type of discrimination.

Excellence: The achievement of an excellent quality is first and foremost in everything we do. Our efforts are oriented toward the improvement of the quality of our endeavors, above and beyond the levels considered acceptable in other organizations of a similar nature.

Competitive Position: We dedicate all our energy and all our resources to the continuous improvement of our work and our resources in the most efficient way in order to be in a competitive level with other organizations.

Operational Style: We adapt all our procedures, our transparency, our honesty, our organization and our behavior without losing sight of our reason for being –the children and youngsters who live in particularly difficult circumstances.

Innovation: We strive to be more creative by looking for new and effective strategies, contributing with our knowledge about the problems that affect children and youngsters.

Ethical Behavior: We carry out our daily activities based on the highest ethical standards and we shall work to set an example.

Transparency: We conduct our business under the based on the highest ethical and moral principles and we assume full responsibility for all our actions. We are open to constant evaluation and to the public eye.

Respect: We base our interpersonal and inter-institutional relations on the principles of tolerance, fair treatment, respect for all human beings and diversity of thought.