ASSOCIATION
DIENTE DE LEÃ’N
Non-profit organization
About the Organization
Diente de León Association is an organization committed to the well-being of young people. Our focus is on providing comprehensive support to young people so they can reach their full potential. Here, we invite you to learn more about our work, our team, and the services we offer to make a difference in the lives of young people.
Discover how the idea for our organization was born, what distinguishes us from other organizations, and how you can be part of our positive impact on society.
How Diente de León was born
The Association Diente de León was founded during the pandemic on April 20, 2020, with the support of the international cooperation organization MADRE, located in New York City, United States. This social initiative is led by Luna Guevara Guevara, who was part of the psychosocial development and consulting center Taller de Vida and was also recognized as a social leader and human rights defender by MADRE, which provided a grant that enabled the organization to be created with the aim of addressing the social problems that arose during lockdown due to the increase in cases of different types of violence within homes. For this reason, a strategy for the prevention of sexual violence in early childhood is being implemented through art, using technology as a method of reciprocal teaching and learning, reaching approximately 30 children aged 5 to 9 in the municipality of Belén de UmbrÃa, Risaralda. During the course of the work, two new approaches are being implemented to provide comprehensive support to the communities. (Environmental protection, prevention of forced recruitment)
Why are we called Diente de León?
The dandelion (spanish: Diente de león) is an ancient plant that, when it first sprouts, is yellow and shiny. As time passes, its leaves mature and turn white, falling off due to the wind or drastic temperature changes. Sometimes, they fall because locals or travelers blow on them, allowing the wind to carry them away. We are like the dandelion; at some point, we will all experience storms and calm. Some never want to let go of their roots, while others remain, terrified of detaching themselves, clinging to the pain, the joy of a fond memory, the sadness of a painful past, or the pain that no one has blown away and that has become a part of their lives. It is then that our organization, family, and community blow on our leaves and help us take flight, transforming us, reinventing ourselves, reminding us that we were born and reinvented thanks to a pandemic. For this reason, we are DANDELION (spanish: Diente de León).
Our Objectives
Promoting equality through education, taking into account their abilities and skills.
To generate an environmental impact from the collective consciousness and ancestral recovery of our indigenous communities and civil society.
To capture dreams through our social and community management from prevention and promotion for the most vulnerable rural communities in our country.
Expand our presence to reach more young people in underserved communities.
