“We are managing to eradicate the mentality of poverty inherited by predecessor generations, sowing in children and adolescents dreams and hope to arise in the last and sustainable future, where they can achieve their dreams with discipline and effort and not confirming to repeat the lacesof poverty for their socioeconomic status, but using their skills and talents to break these generational cords.We currently work with 3 age groups: Semillitas from 3 to 7 years, roots from 8 to one2 years and Sicomoro Teens from one2 to one5 years, later one6 -year -olds become volunteer seedbeds ”, this is telling DianaOviedo Ibarra while collecting the steps that led her to create this non -profit organization.
En 23 preguntas para emprendedores y sus emprendimientos Oviedo cuenta cómo a través de su emprendimiento ha logrado ayudar a madres cabeza de hogar, el impacto del acompañamiento psicosocial en los miembros de la fundación y el aporte que le hacen al medio ambiente a través de la ayuda de las familias, con elementos reciclados para el sostenimiento de esta idea de negocio.
one.How old am I? That I studied?
Diana Oviedo Ibarra, 34 years old, Social Work with a Master in Social Business Management and Development at Simón Bolívar University of B/Quilla.
2.What was my idea and when was born?What did I think?
My idea was to create an organization for social purposes, where new generations can be oriented and guided to choose a future for themselves and not live with what they have, for having a certain socio -economic stratum.We are a team that drives dreams and looks for the few opportunities offered by our country with the company of volunteer professionals who have already gone through that challenge.
He was born as he volunteered with the bodies of peace in Norway with a friend of this nationality with whom we serve in social projects.We thought that despite being of two different worlds we could join efforts to do something for society through education, guiding more young people like us to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life.
3.How did I come true and take it to the facts?
When we finished volunteering in twenty09 with my Norwegian friend, Mars Grøtvik, we continue in contact and decided to do something for our countries.(In Colombia there is necessity and lacks opportunities and in Norway there were people with economic resources, but with difficulties in the issue of mental health because they have everything that can sometimes make life lose meaning; that is why we decided that if we encouragedYoung people out of their comfort in Europe and people willing to serve traveling as volunteers to Colombia and thus start our project.I coordinated the creation in Sicomoro in Colombia, looking for young people who wanted to unite part of their free time to our foundation sharing from different areas of knowledge, most were culminating their baccalaureate at that time and Mars she created Vår Verden in Norway in NorwayHe gathered families to make a monthly economic contribution and keep it in exchange for social reports where evidence of work in Colombia was shown and we begin to work in international cooperation).We have been doing it for 8 years by impacting the life not only of children and families but of the young people of the communities we visit, raising themselves as leaders in their neighborhoods and sectors being the living example of social mobility, breaking paradigms that force us to complyThe social stratification of Colombia.
Si está buscando más historias de emprendimientos, sus creadores y creadoras están aquí, en Emprendimiento y liderazgo de El Espectador.
4.Where did I take the money to put it to walk and how did I pay it?
At the beginning we had no money, but we began to make garage sales with used clothes that brought from Norway and that we collected between friends and family in Colombia in Colombia.With these resources we started our library at our main headquarters in the city of Barranquilla, where we obtained income to rent a house and start.We also train children's families and ask families to bring recycling and with this resources we could support the support of the house.
5.What am I achieving with my entrepreneurship?What am I changing with my idea?
We are currently making young people who are part of our team form as leaders in their communities, which are empowered from the problems of their community to seek solution and they themselves who participate in the construction of this social proposal. Además de esto, la oportunidad de acceso a una casa - biblioteca de la Fundación Sicomoro a one00 niños, niñas y adolescentes de sectores vulnerables en la ciudad de Barranquilla, en la localidad suroccidente de estratos del 0 y one , lo niños , niñas y adolescentes.
They visit the place from Monday to Saturday to do their homework or receive training in the areas of art, music, sport and school reinforcements, all this with psychosocial accompaniment for the formation of committed and functional citizens for society where they can project a newfuture, where love and education are pillars.In our house - Library can access computer and internet equipment, as well as the orientation of our team of professionals to discover talents and take advantage of them for their own progress.
We are managedsocioeconomic, but rather use their skills and talents to break these generational cords.We are also achieving an environmental awareness, because families do not pay for the services they receive, they must carry recycling one day a week for the Foundation to finance some support expenses.
6.I'm happy?
I am happy more than I thought, I come from a simple family and as a child I had many dreams of which many people made fun of me, but today I can not only support and inspire others to fight for their dreams but I feel completeFor what was enough to see I could train through scholarships and the dedicated effort has its fruits because today God allows me to be a channel for others like me to have opportunities to progress.I am happy to see my little daughter sharing in each activity because I always carry it to absorb everything about social work as a company that benefits all its actors, I teach you to share your toys, your clothes and think about those who need us and of coursethat if she understands it because in her prayers before sleeping always remember how lucky she is and gives thanks to God.
7.Would my entrepreneurship sell my company?
No, I would not sell it because today is my reason for life, my work as the founder of this social organization with my husband is to take the work team to continue growing and work until they can generate employment opportunities for the current 32 volunteer leadersfrom Atlantic and Nariño. En twenty2one viajamos a Ipiales-Nariño para abrir otra sede con mi esposo y mi hija de 3 añitos estamos dedicados a expandir nuestra labor como empresa social, generando bienestar común y esto es lo más valioso para nosotros.
8.How hard was it for me to undertake?
It is difficult in our country, especially because if you dedicate yourself to social work, what could you hold? But then you realize that social enterprises provide services for which companies and allies can pay, and with these resources you cancover fees from professionals who work with you.In addition, more and more companies and ventures come together when they see an honest and transparent job, which means that the Sycomorous Foundation is increasingly going on the way to be sustainable.
So far we generate support and alliances, so that young people who work with us can have employment opportunities with allies and even scholarships to be able to leave the country and continue training.
9.Did I fulfill my dream?What I'm I missing of?
I fulfilled my dream because we currently have both headquarters in Colombia and Norway working in a joint way for social welfare and in this year we are opening the new headquarters in Ipiales- Nariño which is a new challenge in Colombia, on the other hand, theBarranquilla headquarters is being administered by young people from the community who have formed over these 8 years with us and who are operating today as exemplary leaders in their own environment.This is a dream of having been able to empower these new generations for working passionately for their own communities.
I need to see the headquarters of our Foundation, where the resources they enter can reinvest in a physical plant, with more space to serve the beneficiaries.We are thinking about the School of Science for Populations that cannot access research courses, programming, robotics and a guided nurse for mothers household heads.We already have a lot that donated us, now we are working to build the physical plant and we will fight for that this twenty22.
Puede interesarle este emprendimiento: Ellos convierten residuos en recursos que favorecen al medio ambiente
one0.And now that? Whats Next?
Our dream is now to open the science club to guide children and adolescents who feel love for science, with research courses, programming, robotics and a nursery to generate employment to mothers heads of household and work for having the headquartersOwn in Barranquilla, taking into account that the house is rented and in Ipiales we have a lot that donated the Christian church to be reborn and we soon hope to start building, to have the resources to make our classrooms and libraries next to some stage to do sports.This next year is our challenge: work to have our own headquarters, open quotas so that more women are formed in terms of entrepreneurship and be able to have capital to continue elaborating the artisanal products that we have been doing.
oneone.Is my venture scalable?
Jamaican food I know how to cook but havent cooked yet: - Saturday soup - Salfish - Saltfish Fritters - Fried Fis… https://t.CO/MUGO7JWB4D
— Tiah X Sat Jan 09 one2:0one:33 +0000 twenty2one
Of course, these 8 years have been the beginning of the challenge of undertaking with few opportunities, but we have been able to make the most.Now we want to work to expand the headquarters in vulnerable sectors of the country where we can replicate this school strengthening models with psychosocial accompaniment.Open other headquarters in poverty areas to be able to inspire more children to emerge, encouraging volunteers from the same areas to serve and improve the quality of life of these communities.
one2.To grow, would you receive investment from a stranger?Would you give it part of my company?
No, we care that the image of our foundation is transparent so that the companies and people that support us have the full certainty of what we do, and how we use the resources that are collected in specific campaigns or with the purchase of products that areThey do during the year.The Foundation belongs to the founders and collaborators who have dedicated these years to lift it step by step, with effort and dedication as far as we have arrived.
one3.What would you not do again?
I would not accept people as volunteers for emotion, without doing any process, since then this will bring problems.Now we design a selection process where we can learn more about the volunteer before entering the foundation and knowing if the person is suitable or not to cooperate with it, if our mission and vision are aligned.
one4.Who inspired me?Who would I like to follow?
Jesus inspires me who came to earth to serve and has served us and my grandfather Francisco Oviedo who was a self -taught next to my grandmother, left the countryside and served as a social leader founding some neighborhoods in my hometown Ipiales.I knew of general culture, I loved reading and sharing with others what they had.
I would like to follow the work as my parents who are Christian shepherds do and since I was a child I could see how they worked for the community.My mother worked with women's communities and my father in social and spiritual service in prisons, the two have offered their lives for service to the community in the city of Ipiales and northern Ecuador.
one5.Did I fail at any time?I thought about throwing in the towel?
If I failed when when we started the Foundation we shared with a church.There was a time where there was no room for us and when we were growing we had to look for our own place for us and we didn't have the resources to open our own headquarters.In addition, known and relatives asked me what it was for and what I could achieve, because we live in a selfish world where if you do not show obvious economic progress you have not achieved success.
I thought to throw in the towel but less bad I found my husband Javier Fuentes, a Barranquilla who studied just like me with a lot of effort, graduated from the Atlantic University as a mechanical engineer.He is my ground pole and who by my side does not stop encouraging me and supporting me in everything, so I did not do it.Now I see that all the effort and dedication that I have put at work by the Sicomoro Foundation and its impact on society make everything worthwhile.
Visite la sección de Emprendimiento y Liderazgo de El Espectador
one6.Do I be part of some kind of community that helps me in this path of undertaking?
I am part of the free book network for all in Colombia, here social entrepreneurs and leaders share the contacts of sponsors and not only that, but the donations we always receive work in alliance and thus can arrive resources and raw materials such as books,Notebooks, toys costumes we use in our reading clubs to the most remote corners of Colombia.
I take part in recon where they train and guide us to know how to capitalize on our social ventures showing social and transformation impact on communities.
We belong to the Food Bank of Barranquilla of the Social Pastoral, who provide us with all the support in refreshments and food rescued from chain stores with short expiration dates.
We belong to AIESEC International Volunteer Organization, supported by the University of Norte de Barranquilla.
one7.What am I doing it?Can you impact new generations?
If you totally transcend because they are lives that we are impacting, generations that are uprooting the thought of "I am poor and I deserve to receive" to say I am able to fight for my dreams using my talent and skills, thanks to an organization that guides us and believes in us, this is how we work in sicomoro not with charity but demonstrating how capable we are Colombians to seek opportunities and take advantage of the resources for children that are for our own progress and the common good.
Transciende lo que hacemos porque cuando llegamos el 90% de los jóvenes que participaban con nosotros apenas culminaban su bachillerato y no tenía metas claras para su futuro hoy por hoy tenemos al one00% culminando sus carreras técnicas y profesionales, otros viviendo por fuera y ejerciendo sus profesión, así como algunos preparándose para salir del país y veo que pudieron romper ese ciclo de sus familias siendo en su gran mayoría los primeros profesionales de su familia.
one8. ¿Cómo me veo en one0 años y cómo veo a futuro mi emprendimiento, mi empresa?
I see myself with the 2 headquarters of the Sicomoro Foundation strengthened, provided employment opportunity for leaders who are now volunteers, with their own headquarters in the two Barranquilla and Ipiales cities, with all the comforts to provide the best service to families in sectorsvulnerable and managing those opportunities for scholarships and studies for our leading children and adolescents.As well as traveling to share our experiences with organizations of our same type of the world, to replicate our successful model of eradication of mental poverty and inclusion for vulnerable communities.
No deje de leer: Una empresa de apliques de pedrería que exalta la industria textil de Colombia
one9.What role have my family and friends played?
My family has played a transcendental role since they have supported me from the beginning, my husband, my parents, my brothers and my grandparents always motivated me to continue, are part of the work teams that have even traveled to serve in communities with us.
My friends are the wonderful gift that Sicomoro holds, the engine with his voluntary work in both Barranquilla and Ipiales are always there to provide their support in time, with resources and even linking with contacts that can benefit and support our work.My friends from Norway have joined this cause, and the companies and natural people who have appropriate to work together always make me feel grateful for sponsoring our projects.Thank you all.
twenty.I did it.Would you help other entrepreneurs to achieve it?
Yes, totally.We have already started doing it with the socialization of experiences in social entrepreneurship forums and advising other allied foundations, sharing our experiences so that they can be inspired and see that it is possible to dream, but not only that but to work with discipline, effort and organizationso that the doors continue to open.
2one.What role did my team play?Who is it?
El equipo juega un papel fundamental pues son el motor de la Fundación Sicomoro, realizan trabajo voluntario por las comunidades donde impactamos, por ellos podemos dar apertura a la casa sicomoro y recibir a más de one00 niños y niñas durante el año, son jóvenes de estratos one y 2 que con esfuerzo estudian con créditos, becas o Icetex, algunos al mismo tiempo laboran y apoyan en sus sostenimiento en casa.They are sensitive and empowered human beings to see their community progress by taking a special time on their agenda to serve their Sicomoro Foundation.I have been able to show the professional growth they have had and the high degree of commitment to the social cause that moves us.
22.What is my personal seal?What differentiates me from the rest?
After having lived outside the country I feel that with what I give back to society for what has been learned in the university and in life, carrying as a flag social mobility, education and sociocritical thinking to make communities that work for the construction of the construction of thecountry we want.I am persevering and the love that I dedicate to my social entrepreneurship in a tireless way.I am a resilient I do not give myself easy that is my personal seal insist and persist until I reach it and if I fall try again!
23.What have I learned from all this?
I have learned that it can be happy if you propose it, in my case I have learned that the knowledge that is acquired in the university is to put it at the service of the community and that great things can be done when we join for the same cause, theChristmas campaigns in which we go to sections and difficult places in Colombia teach me that we are privileged when we only have drinking water and a good bed, to value every day the value of everything absolutely everything we have because there are people who would yearn for halfWhat we have.I have learned that we must work in alliance and share, we do so with other foundations and allies with whom we always work hand in hand, leaving selfishness aside and joining for the same purpose, the construction of a better world.
Si conoce historias de emprendedores y sus emprendimientos, escríbanos al correo de Edwin Bohórquez Aya (ebohorquez@elespectador.com) o al de Tatiana Gómez Fuentes (tgomez@elespectador.com).
