Our approach

The problem of poverty

While working in the barrios of Cali, we discovered the complexity of the problem of poverty. The relationship between poverty and the associated cultural decay is tangled and symbiotic. We realized we couldn’t effectively address one without addressing the other.

The physical lacks that disadvantaged children face, while serious, are only the immediate symptoms of a problem that goes much deeper. What is perpetuating poverty in the barrios is a combination of 1) poor education, both academic and ethical, 2) poor habits, such as violence and a lack of hygiene, 3) a shortage of positive role models and 4) a shortage of opportunities to break the cycle of poverty.

We finally understood that food and formal education alone would not be enough to rid these children of poverty and its accompanying evils.

Addressing the problem from both sides

Arriba las Manos seeks holistic solutions to social problems in impoverished areas. We try to design programs that simultaneously treat the immediate symptoms of poverty and invest in longer-lasting cures. People caught in the cycle of poverty need a space to work with, which relief provides, so that they can work towards building brighter futures.

Find out how we’re implementing this approach in Ararca.

Arriba las Manos welcomes partnerships and associations that can help us effectively address the problem of poverty and enable people to realize their potential.