Week 5

​Long-term Partnership

​To ensure the sustainability of our work, I created a Partnership Database. It includes usage instructions, a categorised list of existing and potential partners with contact details, links to funding opportunities, volunteer tracking, and templates for future communication.

​I wrote a tailored email template focused on recruiting a dedicated Media Lab volunteer. Taking Colombian cultural context into account, where WhatsApp is often preferred over email, I adapted my approach and incorporated feedback from Sam at Makesense (¡Mucho Gracias!). After getting approval from Fundación Sora’s director, I reached out to 8 key contacts. While response rates can be slow, I also used local student networks and successfully connected Sora with an interested volunteer to schedule an interview!

​Celebrities are here

​Our Laidlaw team arrived at Sora with three volunteers, ready to deliver a multi-activity "Carousel" as a special goodbye for the kids. However, when we arrived, only five children showed up instead of the expected 15+.

​We soon discovered the reason: a surprise free concert by Ryan Castro, their favorite local singer, had just been announced! Competing with a local superstar was impossible, so we adapted quickly. We shifted to a single origami workshop, led by Risha. I helped two young boys follow the steps, and we shared a wonderful moment of success when we made a paper frog that could actually jump! I checked in with our new volunteers afterward, they enjoyed seeing the organisation, making it a great first step for their involvement.

La parte más divertida fue que fuimos al concierto después de la actividad, ¡y fue muy divertido! Para nuestra sorpresa, Lamine Yamal, el campeón del Mundo con España, ¡también estaba en la fiesta! Vi a dos famosos al mismo tiempo y bailamos juntos un jueves cualquiera en la cancha de baloncesto habitual. No me lo podía creer.

​If someone had told me at the start of my LiA that I'd be partying on a neighborhood basketball court on a random Thursday with Ryan Castro and Lamine Yamal, I never would have believed them!

​Inclusion through Art

​We also joined a community graffiti workshop organised by a local artist. During the session, I noticed a little girl sitting on the side, excluded while the older boys painted.

​With the help of our volunteer bridging the language gap, I began interacting with her drawings. Her initial sadness quickly turned to smiles. When it came time to paint the main lettering, I held her hand with the paintbrush to guide the first strokes until she felt confident to continue on her own. Seeing her proudly complete her part of the mural and posing with her teddy bear afterward was one of my favorite moments of the week.

(Our result and the little girl's Teddy bear)

​Week 6: 

​Shaking Earth, An Unforgettable Morning

​During my usual morning routine, my phone alarm sounded with an unfamiliar, piercing tone: an earthquake warning. Within seconds, the entire 7th floor of our building began to shake.

​Following safety protocols, I immediately stood in the doorway away from glass. It was a magnitude 7.4 earthquake. Though terrifying, I stayed calm and focused on safety actions. Once the shaking stopped after a few long minutes, I messaged my family to let them know I was safe. Later news revealed the tragic impact in affected areas (mis pensamientos están con las víctimas y sus familias). 

The experience was a reminder of how fragile life is, reminding me of my desire to live intentionally and without regrets.

(Screenshot of the Earthquake alert)

​¡Mucho Gracias!

​We finished our LiA by presenting our final outcomes and handovers to Fundación Sora in Spanish. It was deeply rewarding to see their positive reactions and know that all our guides, databases, and contact links were successfully passed on. They gifted me a beautiful handmade candle as a thank-you.

​Saying goodbye to the kids was emotional. They gave us warm hugs, leaving me wondering if we would ever cross paths again in the future.

(Final presentation to Sora)

​Final Farewell to Medellín

One of the songs of the trip, referenced by many Scholars in my goodbye postcard: Maria Maria by Santana 

​Our final days were filled with farewell presentations, me sharing UK souvenirs and heartfelt cards, evenings full of laughter with other Laidlaw Scholars and enjoying one last menú del día. Medellín, I miss you already!

(Good bye Laidlaw Scholars evening <3 )

(The last menu del dia with 2 of our Colombian friends)