Mis Corazones Alegres
​Medellin, Colombia

Helping the Elderly Thrive
Mis Corazones Alegres Foundation in Medellin, Colombia, is a member of the Susila Dharma network. It cares for vulnerable older adults with socioeconomic and health problems, and whose families do not have the time, knowledge or financial resources to care for them. It runs a “thriving centre” with five full-time employees and a happy atmosphere, but it sometimes struggles to pay its bills since residents cannot afford the full cost of the services.

The project provides accommodation, palliative care, nutrition and other services as well as psycho-social and leisure activities. It offers a protected environment with personal care to help preserve and improve health, and a space to strengthen older people’s functional and social abilities.
The centre is equipped to house 22 older people, but currently only 16 residents are able to contribute something towards their care. To cover the operating costs, the person in charge, Isabel Cristina, needs to find a few more residents that are able to pay, which may take up to three months. She is currently working with different hospitals in the city that can refer people to her centre. The cost overrun per month is US$2,000.

In 2019, SD Canada committed to send $2000.