Back in September we wrote about the potential downside the pandemic could have in volatile areas such as Columbia if the issue of lack of schooling wasn’t addressed.

This article in UK newspaper The Guardian is unfortunately demonstrating our fears.

Schools – usually a safe place – have remained closed for months leaving children on the streets and more exposed to recruitment. Due to poor internet access, phone signals and electricity, at least 13,000 students had given up on their studies by August.

For families in the north of Cauca, time is running out. Luis and his family fled the area, but other children have not been able to run away. In the rural hillsides of Corinto, Gonzalo Cuetia, a local patrol chief, said 20% of young people had been recruited into armed gangs this year in a blow for his community and the wider peace process.

“In our families and in our communities, we dream that our youth can replace us as defenders of life, we want them to support the community, not destroy it.”

- Gonzalo Cuetia

theunconnected.org are not suggesting we can solve the crisis in Columbia but we can not sit back and watch this beautiful country revert back to the chaos of yesteryear.

Every child who is enabled to attend school, even remotely, is given the hope of a better life!