During December 1995 a group of college students from local universities in Medellin decided to serve children victims of poverty and social deterioration in the city. The primary goal was to assist street children and help them find a decent place to live. However, they noticed that the best way to contribute to the solution of social problem of street children was prevention of that situation in the first place. With that goal in mind, Poder Joven was funded as a non-profit organization in July 1996.
In Casa Karah we serve 60 children between the ages of 6 and 15. These children live with their families in individual rooms (one per family) in a nearby and overcrowded where they pay rent on a day-by-day basis. The children live in very precarious conditions and are often mistreated and disregarded. They are surrounded by a hostile environment where drug dealing, prostitution, vagabondism, delinquency take place on a regular basis.
Our work with this population is focused on providing the children with education and instilment of values for a better future. Children are receive two hearty meals per day, they also are enrolled in the local school, and are provided with educational, psychological, and medical assistance.
In Casa Maren we serve 70 children between the ages of 6 and 15. These children live in precarious conditions where poverty and the lack of basic services (health and hygiene) predominate. Children are involuntary witnesses/participants of the armed conflict between gangs. Casa Maren is a safe place where children can freely manifest their feelings and fears as well as their goals in life. We also help them explore their potential toward finding alternatives for a better life. Similar to the children in Casa Karah, children in Casa Maren are provided with food, education, and psychological and medical assistance on a daily basis.
Experience the joy of volunteering. Even from the distance you can be an ambassador for Poder Joven Foundation by promoting our work, finding sponsors, or just simply creating awareness. Obviously, we would be delighted to have in person too!.
If you are interested in participating on the daily activities carried out in our children service centers Casa Karah and Casa Maren we would be very happy to have you on board!
Your donation can be transformative to the lives of 130 underprivileged children in Medellin.
Donations in Colombia can be performed through direct deposit in Poder Joven’s bank account:
Bank: Bancolombia
Account: Ahorros
Number: 10162884539
Name: Fundación Poder Joven
NIT: 811.006.346
If you live in the United States or Canada, we recommend to donate through our sister organization “Friends of the Third World”. FOTW is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the USA and they can provide you with a donation receipt for tax deduction purposes.
Or if you prefer, you can send a check. For this option, please follow these instructions:
* Make a check payable to “Friends of the Third World”
* Write “Poder Joven” in the memo field of the check
* Mail the check to:
Friends of the Third World
611 W Wayne St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
USA
You can also make a payment through PayPal, but please be aware that is not tax deductible.
Donations from overseas can be done through Paypal
Also donations can be done through international wiring to Poder Joven’s bank account and the following information:
Bank Name: Bancolombia
Swift: COLOCOBM
Account Number: 62509524772
Name: Fundación Poder Joven
NIT: 811006346
Medellín Municipality: since 2009 Poder Joven has been part of a network of contracting organizations for the local government of Medellin in a program aimed at serving underprivileged children in the city. Through this partnership we join our efforts to other local organizations that focus on ensuring better living conditions for vulnerable communities in Medellin.
Totto – Nalsani S.A.: Totto is a backpack manufacturer company with headquarters in Bogotá, which has been supporting the work of Poder Joven since 2009. Totto’s financial support has been instrumental to cover the needs of 18 children in Casa Maren.
Friends of the Third World: FOTW is a USA-based institution that uses fair-trade principles to commercialize products of small enterprises (often social organizations) from developing countries all over the world. FOTW serves as out international sister organization channeling donations from the United States and Canada for Poder Joven Foundation. If you live in one of these countries and wish to contribute our mission, please feel free to contact FRIENDS OF THE THIRD WORLD.
Foundation for the Children: Foundation for the Children is a USA-based nonprofit organization that has provided funds since 2003 to cover tuition and school related expenses for 35 children served by Poder Joven Foundation.
La Vida: This is a UK-based nonprofit organization that sponsors health and education projects throughout Latin America since 2006.
In June, the children enjoyed a wonderful, fun-filled activity preparing simple recipes that allowed them to learn, play, and have a good time, all while serving delicious food to their classmates.
At Poder Joven, we seek the holistic well-being of our children; for this reason, we offer them activities designed to develop their cognitive and social skills. However, the nutritional support we provide daily is no less important. At our facilities, we serve a total of 230 meals per day (5,060 full meals each month). This nutritional support enables our kids to enjoy the activities we offer and helps them concentrate more easily during the academic reinforcement sessions.
DIGITAL NEWSLETTER- DECEMBER 2025 Christmas party for 100 families In December, we held our traditional Christmas celebration in the Manrique neighborhood. During the event, we
Medellín – Colombia
Phone +57-604-5831331 Email: poderjoven.fundacion@gmail.com
