About This Project

OLSA International and the OLSA Foundation are dedicated to arming people with opportunities to help themselves build a future.  We are firm believers in the old adage:  

Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.

Medellín, known as the City of Eternal Spring, is a common destination point for much of the tourism in Colombia.  With its temperate climate and friendly people, on the surface, the city seems to be teaming with life.  However, throughout the city exist severe problems with opportunity, especially in the vast low-income areas.  Without opportunity, the worst elements of society become evident: crime, drugs, prostitution, instability, hopelessness.

Medellin is separated into socio-economic neighborhoods, called “estratos“.  These estratos are numbered from one to six.  The higher the estrato, the more well-off you are financially.  The lower the estrato, the less well-off you are; possibly living in shanties in the hills of Medellin with little to no electricity or formal plumbing.

Many people in Colombia live in multi-generational housing due to the limited opportunities for making a sustainable wage.  This practice is much more extreme in the lower income estratos.  For most in this situation, there is no hope of escaping this extreme poverty.  However, we, at The OLSA Foundation, believe a person, with hard work and dedication, really can “change their stars.”  

If we can reach just one person in each household and equip them with additional educational skills, especially through conversational English classes, camps and workshops (practical English, not just theoretical) that person can acquire a much higher paying job and support his/her immediate and extended family; taking them out of poverty and the perils that often accompany it (as mentioned in the principle paragraph).  We are not looking to improve just one life, but entire households; entire families. 

MONTHLY ADMINISTRATIVE NEED
As mentioned above, here in Colombia, a small donation goes a long ways.  Our basic monthly administrative needs including rent, utilities, supplies, equipment and salaries for our six person team (plus volunteers) is approximately $8,000 USD.  Financial support in excess of this amount is used in support of our programs, below.

OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH ENGLISH
The OLSA Foundation has a strategic partnership with OLSA International academy to use their native English teachers from the USA and Canada to teach conversational English to OLSA Foundation participants.  In this partnership the school will receive a maximum of 150 Foundation participants at a 10% discount for a six month conversational English course (typically average 10-15 participants per month).  Foundation participants must be self-motivated, driven, demonstrate ambition to learn English and must adhere to a strict attendance policy.  This program is for children (8 years and above), teens and adults.

CAMPS & WORKSHOPS
The OLSA Foundation works with governmental and non-governmental agencies, and other local foundations to provide direct and indirect support for camps and workshops.  The end-game for these camps and workshops is to interact with the community, provide English instruction and an understanding of North American culture, history and ethics.  It also provides us the opportunity for evaluate possible participants for the Opportunities for English program.  This program is for children (8 years and above), teens and adults.

ORPHAN ADOPTION & EDUCATION
There are many suffering population groups in Colombia.  Approximately 47% of people in Colombia live on minimum wage (less than $400 USD per month).  There is an estimated 8.9% of Colombia’s population that are homeless.  However, there are an estimated 577,000 orphans in Colombia (2024 estimate).  It is the opinion of the OLSA Foundation that, of all populations, the orphaned population has the least control over their lives and their possible future.  

James 1:27 says, “Pure and undifiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

For these reasons, The OLSA Foundation would like to work with Christian families to adopt and educate orphans.  To help facilitate adoption, the OLSA Foundation would help the adopted family with one minimum salary per month and education at a local Christian school until the orphaned child turns 18 years of age – at which time the funds from this program would be diverted to help another family adopt and educate and orphaned child.  To maintain consistency in the orphaned child’s life, this program will only begin once the perpetual funding goal (below) is achieved (perpedual funding means that the interest from the below principle will provide for the perpetual funding of x orphans.  The principle will not be spent, but will generate interest annually).

Perpetual funding goals – fund an orphan until the age of 18, then another, then another; perpetually:
1 orphan = $300,000 USD
5 orphans = $1,500.000 USD
10 orphans = $3,000,000 USD

How Can I Donate?
We are so glad you asked that question!  Your donation is very important to the OLSA Foundation and all the people it provides for.  Keep in mind that your donation is tax deductible in Colombia and also in the United States.  We have a partner foundation in the United States which is registered as 501(c)(3) organizations and is linked with the IRS.  Be sure to consult your accountant for your individual tax parameters.

RECEIVE SPANISH LESSONS FOR YOUR DONATION!

Donate to The OLSA Foundation and receive tax deductible private Spanish classes, certified Spanish courses, and a number of Colombia-based excursions!  See about your tax deductible education by clicking on our link below!

Spanish Course Catalog  (link:  https://www.olsafoundation.org/course-catalog)

Excursions Catalog  (link:  https://www.olsafoundation.org/excursions-catalog)

We are always adding new experiences, so check back often!!

 Be a brick in the foundation of another’s life.