Dear Friends of the El Rio Foundation,
We may have entered rainy season, but the Foundation programmes have continued apace across the board. Short updates on each of our ten community programmes are below. Our Instagram page, put together by our social media team, led by Catalina Hernandez-Torres and supported by our long-term volunteer Laura Rojas Ovalle, is also a fantastic way to catch up on our recent activities.
Academic Tutoring and Community English:
There have been some brilliant stories coming out of the La Vida, LATA Foundation and FIFA Foundation sponsored programme that provides tailored educational support to 80+ local children between the ages of 7 – 16.
In our quarterly feedback, the head of Tutoring, Lina Morales, shared:
‘In Villacuisa, Diomara has been recognised as the best English student in her school. In a family of 10, where no one had previously completed school, she and her brother Jeancao (also in Tutoring) are motivated and proud to learn, completely transforming how their family views education. Chess has also been an incredible tool to strengthen their focus, patience, respect, and commitment, with Jeancao the winner of the most recent regional chess tournament. Their class teacher also shared that their behaviour at school has never been better.
Los Linderos: This community faced many challenges, especially last year when behaviour problems were common. The change has been extraordinary. Children now show respect, love, and genuine excitement to attend tutoring. They have also become more patient and collaborative with one another. Keyla is one of the strongest examples of this transformation—previously she struggled with conflicts at school and with teachers, but now she demonstrates better behaviour, conflict resolution, and respect. She has become one of the leaders of the group and we are very proud of her. This transformation has been possible thanks to the combined effort of all foundation programmes working with her, especially the dance and wellbeing programmes (see below).’
In July, August and September, we had 78 after-school Tutoring sessions across five communities.
The 60+ hours a week of Community English classes have also continued for local children and adults. The most pleasing feedback this term has come from the Quebrada Valencia primary school, which only has two teachers for all primary grades. They have been extremely grateful for the extra support. The children’s engagement and interest in English has steadily grown throughout the term. We look forward to reporting on the end of year exam results in the upcoming Winter Newsletter.
El Rio Games:
Through the El Rio Games, we aim to offer every child in our local area an activity they love that they can play regularly. We now have six multi-sports clubs in different communities with an average of 28 participants at each.
We have two Ultimate Frisbee (14 participants), two rugby (14), two cricket (14 – outside of rainy season) and a Basketball club (10).
‘I love seeing the children’s joy when they know we are about to play Basketball.’ – Oswaldo – Foundation Basketball coach
‘I’m so grateful for the opportunity to bring rugby to communities that have embraced it enthusiastically. Although it’s a new sport for many, everyone finds an inclusive space to play, regardless of size, age, or experience. I’m motivated to see the growing interest in this beautiful sport that prioritizes values and teamwork, while we have fun, run, and score tries.’ – Alejo, Foundation Rugby coach.
Thank you especially to Matt Hakes for sponsoring our growing Rugby programme and GivetoColombia for supporting Ultimate, Basketball, Dance and Multi-sports activities in the community of Los Linderos.
Masterminded by our El Rio Games lead Daniel Maldonado, we also hugely enjoyed running the yearly El Rio Hostel Staff Games across two days for over 100 hostel and foundation staff. And they enjoyed it too, ‘The games were spectacular. We had puzzles that made us think a lot. There was a really cool part about caring for the environment, where we competed in a game that required running and thinking very quickly. There was Karaoke in English and even games in the river. Everyone was very happy.’ – Eli Lozano, El Rio Hostel Manager.
Dance:
Our four community dance clubs are also going from strength to strength. In Linderos and Buritaca, they are combining dance with theatre as they build towards the end of term shows:
Lily Millien, our theatre lead, shared ‘I’ve been so impressed by the groups’ commitment to the project and to each other, the support within the group and their punctuality, the enthusiasm for activities and the effort to stay focused throughout the class. I feel proud of the trust the children show in me, in the project, and in themselves. The children feel free to ask questions, make mistakes, express themselves, and show emotions, knowing that there will be no judgment in class.
And ahead of the upcoming December performances, Keyla, who has really thrived in the classes, shared: “We are going to give everything so that people can see that yes, Linderos can do it!’’.
Environmental, Art and Indigenous Community programmes:
As hoped, our ‘Protecting the Heart of the World’ project, in partnership with Common Goal and adidas, has worked in partnership with every other programme to teach key environmental themes to all our participants across all communities.
Working alongside Indigenous Community teachers, Andres Zuniga, our environmental lead, has delivered a wide range of activities to challenge and inspire. From dedicated sessions each month at Tutoring and at every El Rio Games and football club session, to trips for the Art and Dance participants, community film nights, bird watching trips, to weekly talks by Indigenous Kogui leaders and Mamos and regular environmental workshops at Little Kids’ Activities, it has been non-stop action since the programme started in May.
Andres Z and our lead engineer Andres Novoa did a fantastic job in presenting the project to the Common Goal partners meeting and to the UN learning group as a best practice case study for charities working in the sport-for-good sector. We are also very happy to share that we have been shortlisted for an award by ‘El Espectador y a la campaña BIBO’ and are currently in the semi-final stage. The campaign is a Colombian media-led initiative that recognises the best environmental projects in the country. To see the presentation of the project to date, please click HERE.
To watch highlights from the programme’s Q3 large community events, please click the links below:
- Las Cabanas permaculture playground launch – July – monthly theme: Climate Change.
- Las Cabanas environmental infrastructure launch event – August – monthly theme: Sustainable consumption.
- Releasing Turtles day – September – monthly theme: Energy.
- Representative Art Hikes video – every month May – September.
Also in July, we were delighted to partner with and welcome volunteers from Galavanta, a travel company that champion sustainable tourism, to help deliver the ‘Guandolo Art, Recycling and Football festival day’.
Here is Andres’s feedback for the last three months:
‘As coordinator, I feel deeply committed to the communities involved. We have witnessed how, with passion, determination, and teamwork, children, families, and leaders are building an impact that goes beyond individual activities. Personally, one of the most meaningful experiences has been seeing children spontaneously collect waste before a scheduled activity. Their smiles and motivation to care for their territory fill me with joy and confirm that we are planting a genuine sense of environmental responsibility and belonging that will remain as a legacy for the future.’
Art:
In Q3, as well as our four weekly art clubs and close partnership working with the Environmental programme, including monthly art hikes, we embarked on the very exciting new audio project in partnership with MinCultura: ‘Paths of Knowledge’.
Our objective is to promote intercultural dialogue between indigenous, rural, and urban communities by transmitting the ancestral wisdom of the Sierra Nevada, especially the Kogi worldview, to children and adolescents, along the Troncal del Caribe, through a multiplatform podcast. This podcast will enable their stories and life experiences to become bridges for understanding, learning, and respect, enriching their cultural heritage and strengthening their identity.
‘Paths of Knowledge has given me the opportunity to listen with my heart to the knowledge, cosmogonies, and traditions of the children and families who live in the Sierra Nevada. It is the possibility of listening to each other…that allow us to understand one another and weave a friendship that lasts over time.’ – Jete, Foundation Art teacher.
We hugely look forward to sharing more details of the project as it develops in Q4.
Football and Indigenous Community Programme:
Come rain or shine, we are guaranteed large numbers at our community football programme sponsored by the FIFA Foundation. In Q3, we had 116 football sessions across seven communities, with an average of 100 girls and 124 boys attending each week.
The highlights of the term have been the league season kicking off with regular matches between all communities and the ‘United by the Mountains and the Ball’ Tournament which took place in the Indigenous town of Quebrada del Sol bringing different communities of the Troncal del Caribe together. Thank you very much to Luciana Antunes from Conmebol Libertadores, Danna Santana and Jacky Fonseca, current professional footballers and our long term partner and former professional footballer, Paula Villariga who came to to support us on the day and at the community sessions leading up to it.
‘One of the most significant moments of the tournament was the closing ceremony, when all the teams—youth and coaches—gathered around the field, sharing laughter, hugs, and applause, regardless of the results. In that moment, the true essence of the event was felt: the unity of communities through sport and respect for the land that connects us. Seeing the young people celebrating together, mixing the colours of their jerseys and raising the ball as a symbol of friendship, was a powerful image. It wasn’t just about winning a match, but about understanding that soccer can spread joy, hope, and unity in every corner of the Sierra.’ – Keiner, El Rio Foundation Football programme lead.
To read more detailed feedback about our community football programme in partnership with the FIFA Foundation, please click HERE.
Huge thanks to the FIFA Foundation for also providing scholarship opportunities for three of our coaching staff through the FIFA Becas programme. We look forward to sharing detailed feedback in our next newsletter.
Little Kids’ Activities:
Thanks to the amazing support of Daniela Bonilla, LKA now runs five days a week. Jessica Suarez, our LKA lead shares her highlights from the last quarter below:
‘I have seen many positive changes in the children. At first, several children struggled to separate themselves from their parents and adapt to the space, but now they enjoy coming to class. They also went from having difficulty following instructions to participating enthusiastically and being very proactive during activities. I am very proud to see how they now strive to do well, are more independent, and have more self-confidence.
My favourite moments have been pool day, the magic show, and the compost worm activity. Pool day was very special because the children were happy and enthusiastic, enjoying free play in the water with contagious joy. The magic show was also an unforgettable moment: they managed to maintain their attention throughout the entire presentation, something they normally struggle with, and it was beautiful to see their amazed faces, their curiosity, and the excitement with which they experienced each trick. Finally, the compost worm activity always fills them with fascination. They love looking for the worms, carrying them carefully, and actively participating in the process, understanding that they are helping to care for the earth. These moments reflect the magic of learning when it connects with children’s excitement, nature, and curiosity.’
To watch the LKA highlights video from Q3, please click HERE.
Child Safeguarding and Wellbeing:
Paola Perez, our Foundation psychologist, has a very full timetable. From July to September, 90 children have attended her dedicated Wellbeing clubs across five communities and she has run tailored sessions for 500+ children at our Tutoring, El Rio Games, LKA and Community Football programmes.
‘In the third trimester, in all communities, I have noticed an overall improvement in participation, interest in learning, and more assertive expression of emotions. I am especially proud of the commitment and development the children and adolescents have shown throughout this process; I see them more confident, patient, and empathetic, reflecting the fact that the skills they’ve developed are having a real impact on how they relate to others and face everyday challenges.
In Linderos, for instance, the change has been very visible in conflict resolution and frustration management. There have been noticeable improvements in patience, leadership, and personal confidence, especially in those children who previously reacted impulsively to differences. Today, they express themselves more calmly and are willing to reach agreements.’
Paola has also continued to provide one-on-one support to the children and adults in the community who are facing the most challenging daily circumstances.
‘One of the moments that most moved me was when S told me: ‘‘Teacher, when I feel this way, I always think about you, about the things you say to me, and about the breathing exercises.’’ Hearing that made me feel that the coaching has truly left its mark and that she has genuinely integrated emotional tools into her daily life.
Partner visits:
We love it when our partners come to visit us, so we were delighted to host Charlotte and Heloise, volunteers from the LATA Foundation, and Amy and Charley from Hostelworld, who all went to huge numbers of Foundation activities in a whirlwind tour. Amy very kindly put a video together titled ‘Want to travel and make an impact?’ – YES and YES!
Huge thanks to our longest serving volunteers of the year, Harry and Majo, who feature in the video and brought incredible positive energy throughout their five months with us!
And thanks very much to Cathy and Connie Casey who visited us in August from the Climbers Shop. They are our founding funding partner and have been supporting us year-in year-out ever since, so it was brilliant to be able to show them our work and how much we have grown since 2019.
Conclusion:
The environmental education programme took centre stage in Q3, with the Water House, Community gardens, grey water treatment, irrigation systems and Calisthenics parks built in the community of Las Cabanas. In tandem with the 70+ hours of monthly educational sessions and the large community festival days, the key message of the programme that ‘we live in the heart of the world and it is our responsibility to care for it’ has been championed in all communities and by all participants.
Our Director of Operations, Ximena Caro, sums up the term by sharing, ‘Q3 has been quite a challenge operationally with so much going on, and so I want to especially say a thank you to all our teachers for your team-work, dedication, and the care and love you put into every session. You are what makes El Rio Foundation so special!’
Thank you very much to our funding partners for making all the above possible. There have been some incredible personal success stories coming out of each programme and we will be even more excited to celebrate our participants, when we reflect back on the whole of 2025 in Q4.
If you would like to find out more about any programme in particular, or feel inspired to donate or volunteer, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – foundation@elriohostel.com.
And for the latest updates and video reports, please visit www.instagram.com/elriofoundation.
Thank you very much for supporting our local community.
Kind regards,
Felix and the El Rio Foundation Team
