Our Mission
Empowering underprivileged people in Colombia to exit poverty.
The Problem
4 in 10 live in poverty with less than US$3.10 / day
1 in 8 live in extreme poverty with less than US$1.40 / day
2 in 3 minors ages 0 – 14 live in poverty
More than 7 million people have been driven from their homes as a result of the conflict between the government and the armed illegal groups. Entire families have been forced to start over with limited opportunities and resources. After the Peace Accord in 2016 between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the people of Colombia saw hope towards peace and building a better tomorrow for their children. But violence hasn’t ended, and in fact, the country has seen a significant increase in violence and crime the last few years.
Informal employment, without a legal contract or any type of benefits, covers 45% of the working population. Which means that almost half of the people of Colombia does not have a formal plan for retirement, increasing poverty, crime, and violence.
Self-sufficiency happens when the individual is able to provide for his or her basic needs (food, home, clothing, education). Sustainability occurs when this process is maintained and passed down to the individual’s next generations. The result of these two processes is the ending of the cycle of poverty for those families and their next generations.
Our Approach
Education for employability
Students are sponsored with financial aid and mentorship to advance their dreams of achieving post-secondary education. Kambio mentors students with the process of application to a trade school that offers high quality education and internship opportunities through local companies.
Food self-production
Families are equipped to grow their own food through aquaponics (fish + vegetables). These systems provide a way of creating sustainability for these families. Kambio partners with local churches and leaders to mentor families throughout the process.
Start-ups business
People with a passion and vision receive mentorship and financial aid to bring their dreams and ideas to fruition. This includes guiding the process for developing a business plan and the how-tos. A percentage of the revenues are reinvested in the community.
Stories of Change: Artisan Soap
After months of hard work, Kambio recently (August 2023) helped launch Eureka. This artisan soap is a “product from heaven” because of its story. Vilma, a woman of prayer from Arjona, a small town near Cartagena, Colombia, received wisdom from God in a dream about making a soap. Vilma and her daughter Maria Raquel were hurting and desperate because of Esmeralda’s (Maria’s daughter) health issues that were affecting her skin with a bacteria. In faith, Vilma bought several products and made a natural soap that proved to be the solution to Esmeralda’s skin issues. The healing was so tangible, and Esmeralda who was 8 years old, recovered quickly. The soap continued to helped others with skin issues including acne. In November 2022, Johan was in Cartagena connecting with the Kambio team and got to know Maria Raquel who was already dreaming about developing Eureka. Kambio came alongside the process to help launch this beautiful story and business. Eureka now has a brand and government certification to be sold as a cosmetic soap and is being produced at a laboratory.
