Dear Friends of El Rio Foundation,
We start our winter round up with a letter from the mother of one of our participants who has made amazing progress over the last few years:
‘Good evening. I am writing with deep gratitude for the incredible impact you have had on my daughter’s life and on the lives of several communities. Your work has been fundamental to the development and wellbeing of many children. Since my daughter began attending the foundation, she has experienced amazing growth thanks to the valuable lessons you, as teachers and mentors, have provided. They have learned to solve problems through dialogue, to be inclusive, to become leaders.
My daughter has a natural vocation for leadership, but you have helped her in an incredible way. Each of the teachers has been a guide and a support, and their dedication has not gone unnoticed. The opportunities you have created for the children not only enrich their lives but also provide them with a future full of opportunities and a different perspective on life. My daughter feels very happy and fulfilled, and that is a testament to the love and dedication you put into your work and give your all every time you arrive in a community.
And despite the different challenges that have arisen over these years, because we must always keep in mind that every human being is different, and my daughter sometimes has her own opinions. She has quite clear ideas despite her age, and sometimes it’s difficult to understand her, but I continue to believe in the value of inclusive education that you have always fostered.
It gives me great joy that all the teachers and staff of the El Río Foundation are so dedicated, are professional and love our children so much that you dedicate time to them and respect their space. That’s very important for a parent because sometimes it’s difficult to trust with your children, but with you, our children are very well cared for, and I also thank you for the support you’ve given my daughter.
A sincere thank you to the El Río Foundation for everything you do, and may you continue for many more years transforming lives as you have done with my daughter’s. I am very grateful from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and God willing, we’ll see each other again next year. I think all the communities agree with me in saying thank you. Have a wonderful Christmas and may the coming year be full of love, peace, new opportunities, and much success. God bless all the teachers in general and the El Río Foundation as a whole.
Thank you very much. Thank you, thank you, thank you’
– Paula Cáceres, mother
Congratulations to the Dance, Theatre, Wellbeing and Tutoring teams in particular for supporting K and Paula. And Thank you to GivetoColombia for supporting our activities in the community of Los Linderos. This heart-felt letter has been written after many years of ups and downs and K coming through very challenging circumstances to now consistently thrive in our programmes. We are very proud of her progress – inspiring evidence that the Foundation’s fun, inclusive, impactful and reliable approach is working.
DANCE and THEATRE:
The highlights of this term’s programme in which K has thrived so much include, the Del Mar a la Cima celebration of the Madre Vieja at Playa Bonita (Please click the link to see the photos and videos) and our End of year close. Both dance performances were imbued with environmental themes, thanks to adidas and Common Goal’s support for our art and dance programmes through the Move for the Planet initiative.
ART:
The Art programme continues to go from strength to strength, creating safe spaces where children and adolescents can explore, learn, share, and communicate through art. This year, thanks to the ‘Paths of Knowledge project’ with MinCultura, a special focus was placed on reflection around different aspects of children’s lives, self-knowledge, oral expression, and dialogue, which led to greater empathy among the workshop participants.
‘There are many happy moments; I especially enjoyed it when James and Jencao went to interview a grandmother from the community. They looked happy and proud.
Learning with the group every day, seeing how the children transform through art, begin to believe in themselves, and learn by doing. When speaking with the teachers at the Quebrada Valencia school, they commented that the children have experienced an improvement in their relationships with each other. There is more respect and better mutual treatment, and they feel this is related to the art and music workshops.’ – Ami, Foundation Art teacher
FOOTBALL:
‘I want to thank the Foundation and the FIFA Foundation for believing in communities like Buritaca. These spaces generate hope, joy, and real opportunities for children. This programme has provided children with learning, recreation, and personal growth opportunities that didn’t exist before. It has strengthened values, united the community, and generated a positive impact on both the participants and their families. Thank you for believing in Buritaca and for investing in the well-being and future of its children.’ – Keiner, Community Football Programme lead.
The final quarter of the Football programme with the end of year tournaments is always incredible fun!
‘My son couldn’t sleep through the night, he was so excited about the tournament!’ – Anais, Parent
The Families day, the schools finals and the Smiles and Joy football Festival were all voted 10/10 for enjoyment by participants:
‘In these programs, you hear many positive things from both the children and their parents, but it’s especially wonderful when a parent expresses gratitude and pride in the work and the opportunity for their child to be part of the program! That’s what parents are doing every day!’ – Anuar, Las Cabanas
‘Arnold, a 12-year-old boy, arrived at the program with low self-confidence, difficulty relating to others, and a low level of physical activity. Initially, he struggled to communicate with his peers. Over the months, thanks to consistent weekly sessions and the program’s positive environment, Arnold began to integrate better. He significantly improved his coordination, stamina, and technique, and today he actively participates in games and has become the team’s leader and captain. He supports his teammates and is consistently one of the standout players each week.’ – Keiner, El Rio Football Programme lead.
FIFA BECA PROGRAMME:
Three of our football coaches have graduated the FIFA BECA scholarship programme and immediately put their learning into practice across five communities:
‘The FIFA CIES Sports Management Scholarship, thanks to the FIFA Foundation, has been a transformative experience that has allowed me to develop valuable skills and knowledge in sports management. Through the program, I have been able to apply my skills to real-world projects, connect with industry professionals, and contribute to the development of sport in my community. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this program and am committed to continuing to work to make a positive impact in the world of sport.’ – Lina Camano, P.Nuevo Football coach
Thank you to the FIFA Foundation for also supporting an average of 118 girls and 140 boys to enjoy playing football every week.
‘Thanks to Football, I can learn new things, I can be a better person, I can have new friends and it’s all thanks to the Foundation.’ – Catalina, participant, Guandolo community
Academic Tutoring and Community English:
After five amazing years as their funding cycle comes to close, we say goodbye to the LATA Foundation, for now ;), who have supported our Community English and Academic Tutoring project almost from the very beginning.
Since they first started providing teaching materials back in 2021, the programme has grown by 567%. From one community to five and from 12 children to 80+ weekly participants, not to mention 440+ children and adults who access regular English lessons at Tutoring, in schools and in the community. Their year-in, year-out support (alongside our founding funding partner La Vida) has also provided the strong base, to give us the confidence to grow our Foundation to where we are today! K, the participant featured at the outset of this letter, is a strong example of the long-term impact the LATA Foundation has had and will continue to have on the Troncal del Caribe.
Thank you very much for everything. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Jill and Kerry-Ann as our project co-ordinators and to connect regularly with Rachel and the rest of the LATA Foundation team. And thanks to all our LATA visitors who brought such joyful energy when they have come over the years. We look forward to welcoming LATA colleagues and friends to the coast again soon. And a final thank you to the Journey Latin America team for their fundraising activities specifically targeted at supporting El Rio into 2026. At the time of writing, they are £40 away from their £1,000 goal and you can still support HERE.
The highlights of this term’s programme have been the monthly workshops for the teaching team, and the one-month training course for leaders of family reading which was held in partnership with the Picnic de Palabras Foundation. Please click HERE for photos and HERE for a short video about the project. This experience aligns with one of next year’s key objectives to strengthen the Foundation’s bond with families from five different communities. The Tutoring end of year celebration was also a fitting end to a fun and impactful year.
‘James is a child who struggled a lot with frustration and impatience last year, repeating phrases like “I can’t.” Today, thanks to the combined efforts of the school, tutoring, his mother, soccer, and chess, he has undergone a profound transformation.
Now he is more patient, confident, and independent; he gets up at 5 a.m. to study and walks 30 minutes to soccer practice. He has developed a love of reading, and participating in Picnic of Palabras with his family has further strengthened his confidence and motivation.’ – Lina, Academic Tutoring lead
El Rio Games:
At the end of 2025, we also said goodbye to a star of the El Rio Foundation of the last five years, our El Rio Games lead Daniel Maldonado who is moving to Rio de Janeiro to lead Community sports activities for not one but two charities.
Daniel has helped to build El Rio Foundation from the ground up. He may be leaving us now for his Brazilian adventure, but his impact on a generation of young people along the Troncal del Caribe will live on forever. This will be most clearly seen in the unbelievable standard of our junior frisbee players. Daniel’s send-off of course included a regional frisbee tournament that you can see highlights from HERE.
The transformation of our Halloween celebrations year-on year also symbolises Dani’s overall impact at the Foundation. From a Horror House, two years in the Horror Maze and then this year, in collaboration with the MFTP Environmental education programme, an Environmental Monsters Horror Street. Big dreams, big activities, big impact! Thank you Daniel for going BIG!
Environmental Education and Indigenous Community programme:
In collaboration with adidas and Common Goal and the Indigenous community of Q.del Sol, our environmental programme has been a hub of activity with 80+ hours of educational activities each month. This term’s highlights included the Mangrove planting day, the Ceramic workshops (video HERE) and of course the Daniel Maldonado-inspired Halloween Environmental Monsters Horror Street.
The community response to the project has been extremely inspiring with 645 participants taking part so far.
‘I feel very happy with the project. Now I care more about taking care of the environment. I teach my friends about the importance of the environment, and I would like to learn more about how we can use clean energy. The future of our planet is in our hands, and we can do better.’ – Danna, 15 years old.
Little Kids Activities:
Thanks to the support of Daniela Duran and the Frere-Cook Family, Little Kids Activities ran from Monday – Friday for the final quarter of 2025. There were many highlights of a packed schedule but the moment that stands out for the programme co-ordinator Jessica was the end-of-year presentation.
‘The day before the final performance, we held a general rehearsal with the parents present. Seeing their families there made the children feel shy and a little overwhelmed, and they became more attached and distracted, so the rehearsal did not go as expected.
However, on the day itself, the children sang with all their hearts, performed beautifully, and shone in front of a large audience. They were confident, joyful, and fully present. The applause they received was well deserved.
Seeing how wonderfully everything turned out, especially after such a difficult rehearsal the day before, was truly moving. It was a powerful reminder of their growth, effort, and resilience, and a moment of deep pride for everyone involved.’
Child Safeguarding and Wellbeing:
Ninety children attended our Wellbeing clubs in the final quarter of the year, developing three key socio-emotional skills: managing envy and jealousy, anger management and gratitude. Our Foundation psychologist also ran group sessions involving over 500 different students from across our other Foundation programmes, and personalised support for 15 children and 5 adults.
Rather than focus on a single case, Paola fed back her ‘most meaningful achievement has been observing how many children from the same group shifted from impulsive reactivity to more stable self-regulation, showing continuous improvement in emotional management and positive interaction. I felt especially proud witnessing the group apply these tools during real conflict situations, demonstrating learning transfer and autonomy.’
Other:
We were delighted to take part in SOFA in Bogotá in partnership with Fundación Pech. The event gave us the opportunity to connect with people from the interior of the country, raise awareness about our work, and reflect on how, despite geographical closeness, the realities of citizens within the same nation can feel very distant. It also allowed us to begin building relationships with other sports and academic initiatives, opening the door to reciprocal alliances to keep growing and building the country together.
Please read the Impact report about our participation in the event HERE.
Conclusion:
We wanted to share Paula’s parent letter in full because it beautifully captures the impact of many years of the Foundation’s work providing tailored support to K through multiple community programmes. It is also a fitting participant success story to showcase the impact that organisations like the LATA Foundation have had in our communities.
We are so grateful to our funding partners, hostel guests, El Rio itself and everyone who supports us for believing in our values-based approach. We see, hear and feel every day that it is working and we are more motivated than ever to provide tailored support to children along the Troncal del Caribe.
We are open to all ideas for collaboration in 2026 and beyond. So, if you feel inspired by any of our programmes in particular or want to support our Foundation as a whole, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at foundation@elriohostel.com
A short thank you video from 2025 is HERE.
Kind regards and Best wishes,
Felix and the El Rio Foundation team
