Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is working towards protecting and empowering thousands of vulnerable children caught in the midst of conflict in Colombia through a new Dhs 11 million ($2.994 million) program, titled ‘Protecting Conflict-Affected Children and Youth Through Education in Northeast Colombia’. 15,000 children and young people and 200 teachers will directly benefit from the three-year program that target vulnerable girls, boys, and youth affected by the armed conflict.
The program, launched by Dubai Cares in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), aims to address four major challenges: the increasing number of out-of-school children and youth, low transition rates from primary to secondary schools, highly-dispersed rural areas, and poor education quality. In addition, the program will engage out-of-school children and youth through non-formal education (through a bridging program and through Flexible Education Models) and will provide technical support to the Secretariat of Education and schools to ensure educational services for the out-of-school children and youth. The program also aims to strengthen and improve results in access to education, education quality, and education management in Northern Colombia.
The program will span over 10 municipalities: six in the Catatumbo Region in Norte de Santander department, and four in the Arauca department. Both departments have been riven by armed conflict for many years, due to their strategic position on the Venezuelan border and the presence of guerrilla and paramilitary organisations, who have fought for control over illicit crops, weapons, contraband, and land. Much of the two departments’ population lives in poverty, and children and young people attending school are exposed to risks including explosive devices, recruitment into armed groups, targeted killings, crossfire and kidnapping.