Rebuilding Classrooms and Communities in Colombia

On Aug. 10 at 7:34 a.m., millions of Colombians had to leave their homes after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake. 

In the hours that followed, people across social media searched for loved ones. More than 400 communities across 15 states, representing 40% of the country, lost homes, schools, and essential spaces for children. As the full scale of the disaster came into focus, officials estimated that more than 400,000 people had been impacted.

For Cristina Gutiérrez de Piñeres Scarpetta, CEO of United Way Colombia, the experience was both shocking and unsettling. 

“We are close to these communities," she said.  “Some of our own staff have lost their homes, and we know how complex it is for children to access nutrition, quality education and emotional stability."

As the days passed, Cristina and her colleagues saw the devastating effect the earthquake had on the lives of friends and neighbors. While processing the emotional weight of the catastrophe, United Way Colombia began receiving updates from its early childhood learning centers for children ages 3 to 6, many of which operate within the public school system.

“We have seen children build new skills and teachers create better learning opportunities in the schools where we work," Cristina says. “Now, with infrastructure destroyed, those opportunities feel at risk. Children cannot return to those spaces. We are seeing the cities where we were born deeply damaged. It is heartbreaking and shocking. But we know the challenge ahead is to bring those opportunities back.”

In Cali, one of the two Cuna de Campeones (Cradle of Champions) centers was completely destroyed. It had opened less than a year earlier. In Manizales, where United Way supports 17 centers, Cristina and her team are still assessing the damage, but so far nine have reported severe structural damage.

Recovering a community means more than rebuilding infrastructure. It also means restoring safety, nutrition, health security, emotional well-being, education, and community connections in the places hit hardest."

Cristina Gutiérrez de Piñeres Scarpetta, CEO of United Way Colombia

Recovery Is Just Beginning

As the immediate response continues, the work of United Way Colombia is just beginning. The organization's focus is rebuilding the social ecosystem that makes education possible for children. That recovery will take months and, in many places, years.

“Recovering a community means more than rebuilding infrastructure,” Cristina says. “It also means restoring safety, nutrition, health security, emotional well-being, education, and community connections in the places hit hardest.”

Every year, United Way Colombia reaches more than 15,000 teachers and 275,000 children in 30 municipalities. Through the United for Colombia Fund, the organization will focus on keeping children learning, helping families recover, rebuilding community spaces and ensuring communities are better prepared for future disasters.

Rebuilding will take time. But with the support of companies, organizations and individual donors, United Way Colombia is working to help communities restore educational opportunities for young people and renew hope for a brighter future.