Missions

The Nuevo Latir educational institution, located in the city of Cali, in one of the areas of greatest investment need and little State presence, has been carrying out projects generating positive impacts on the community. Some of the approaches that the principal, Hugo Alberto Lozano, has given to these activities are: “Harmonic Relations” and “Education for Work.”

Since 2019, COAMED, in association with a private company, began a project to sponsor technical training activities at Nuevo Latir. The first mission, coordinated by COAMED, was to equip the school with a commercial-style kitchen as a means of providing nutritious food to the student population and, in parallel, move forward with culinary courses supported by local chefs. Student and mothers participate in the daily preparation of healthy lunches. This project changed the entire dynamic of school activities by retaining a large part of the student population after their regular day.

In 2020, progress is being made with the implementation of a clothing production workshop. The Institution will be given a gift of sewing machines, cutting machines, and other materials to start training courses, which initially focuses on ‘head of household’ mothers and students from higher grades.

The primary objective of this activity is the development of micro-businesses, given that most of that sector of the population does not have formal employment. The school will become an incubator for this type of initiative, with which there are high expectations, such as being able to make uniforms in the short term for its students, just like those of other official schools in the area. Additionally, as new opportunities arise due to the current health situation, the manufacture of masks, toiletries, uniforms of health aides, and other items will take precedence.

COAMED expects to be able to deliver the clothing workshop equipment toward the end of August, and start the workshops in the last quarter of the year.

COAMED appreciates the collaboration of the sponsors (private companies and groups of families) that, with their donations, have helped to bring about changes in life and generate new opportunities in Nuevo Latir and its community.