María lives in Bogotá, Colombia, with her five children. When the government placed Maria’s children in an institution, we worked with Maria to give her the support she needed to bring her family back home. We were pleased to see María’s family thriving, until coronavirus struck Colombia and created a new challenge for her.
With quarantine in place, Maria’s employer no longer needed her. Without an income, she couldn’t afford to feed her children or pay her rent. María worried that her children would be taken away again. That they might face a higher risk of catching the virus in an institution, without her to care for them if they got sick.
Thankfully, the Lumos team on the ground identified Maria’s as a family at risk of separation. Now Maria receives food packages to help feed her family, including baby food which is in short supply, and we’ve also provided her with a stipend to cover costs such as rent and essentials until she can get back to work.
For Maria, it’s a vital lifeline which helps her focus on caring for her children and keeping her family together.
“Lumos has been a real support to our family; it has been really difficult. It has helped me and my children. It’s so vital that Lumos can continue to help us and families like ours who need it.”
We’re continuing our work with the Colombian government to give families like Maria’s the support they need to get through the crisis. We’ll continue to fight for families, so that no child is left to face the pandemic alone without the love and support they deserve.
