Our Plan for the New School
Seven classrooms and a bigger kitchen in Cartagena, so more of the 238 kids on our waiting list get a spot. Looking ahead to next year, we're raising $25,000.
During our visit in August, the teachers told me to go talk to the kids, because, in their words, the kids "see us as their father figures." The kids had helped plan the whole welcome, and by the end of that morning they were calling me Padrino. I've thought about that a lot since we got home, and it's a big part of why we're sharing this plan with you today.
Food, a lot of love, and we teach them about God
Every weekday afternoon, 32 kids, ages 5 to 8, come to our little school in Cartagena. We give them three things: food, a lot of love, and we teach them about God, and then their classes. Our kitchen feeds about 100 neighbors a day on top of that. And right now 238 kids are on the waiting list for a spot with us, because we've already outgrown the space we have.
Seven classrooms and a bigger kitchen
Our team in Cartagena now has an architect's plan for the new school. It has seven classrooms, two on the first floor with an office and five on the second, and on the third floor a bigger kitchen and a rooftop terrace. The plans are dated October 2026, and the final design may change as we go. This is the next step toward 100 kids by 2027. Long term, we want a permanent school for about 390 kids and a kitchen that serves 500 lunches a day.
$25,000 for next year's new school
Looking ahead to next year, we're raising $25,000 for the New School Fund. Gifts to the fund are held by Una Luz Foundation in the US and used only for the new school. If for some reason the new school can't go ahead, the board will use the money for the closest possible purpose: a safe, permanent space for the kids and the kitchen in Cartagena.
Our goal is that these kids grow up knowing there are people who love them, that God loves them, and that we're there for them.
Monthly giving still keeps the doors open and the kitchen cooking, so if you already give each month, thank you, that's what carries us the rest of the year. And if you ever want to visit, it'll change your life. Write to us at admin@unaluz.org and we'll help you plan the trip.
Alejandro
Help us care for more children.
A monthly gift helps our team provide meals, learning and care for children in Cartagena. We’d love for you to join us.
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