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Country Focus

In Colombia, 25% of teenagers experience family dysfunction including parental absence, communication breakdowns, financial stress, conflict, insecurity, and trauma. The majority of stakeholders consulted in Colombia’s landscape analysis highlighted family functioning as a critical area for intervention and a significant driver of youth mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, suicide, self-harm, and substance use.

National policies currently prioritize strong family connections and supportive school environments, positioning communities and educational systems as vital spaces to develop innovative solutions that strengthen family dynamics and support young people and their caregivers.

What we’re funding in Colombia

Proof-of-concept funding:

Proof-of-concept (POC) funding up to $250,000 CAD will be awarded to early-stage projects that can implement, test and refine solutions to country-specific personal, social, and/or environmental factors impacting young people’s mental health and wellbeing in one of the 12 countries.

In Colombia, we’re funding POC ideas that strengthen family functioning among young people aged 10-24 and their parents/caregivers. These innovative solutions will address family conflict and violence by promoting healthy communication styles and increasing family cohesion with the goal of improving parent-youth relationships.

Transition-to-scale funding:

Transition-to-scale (TTS) funding between $300,000 CAD and $1,500,000 CAD will be awarded to support tested mental health promotion and prevention approaches that align with country-specific priorities along their scaling journey to help catalyze their sustainability and impact.

In Colombia, we’re funding TTS approaches that strengthen family functioning among young people aged 10-24 and their parents/caregivers. These innovative solutions will address family conflict and violence by promoting healthy communication styles and increasing family cohesion with the goal of improving parent-youth relationships.

Ecosystem catalyst funding:

Ecosystem catalyst (EC) funding between $200,000 CAD and $300,000 CAD will be awarded to organizations that can address priority barriers to scale, such as legislation, evidence, coordination, and mobilize demand to help mental health initiatives succeed and grow in one of 12 priority countries.

In Colombia, we’re funding EC proposals that support implementation and accountability mechanisms for national youth mental health policies that are related to environments where youth spend time, such as schools and community settings. 

Funded Innovations

Flori — connecting social and emotional learning between classrooms and homes in Latin America

Implementing Organization: Coschool

Type: Proof-of-Concept

Location: Colombia

Thematic Area(s): Digital

Status: Funded

KAMALEÓN: My True Story

Implementing Organization: La Mixera Fund

Type: Proof-of-Concept

Location: Cauca, Magdalena, Guajira, Antioquia, Chocó, and Boyacá, Colombia

Thematic Area(s): Arts, Storytelling

Status: Funded