The residents of Medellín frequently speak of how the
quality of life in their city has improved drastically over the past decade. After
Medellín-native Alberto Uribe became Colombia’s president in 2002, the Paisas, or residents of Medellín, began
to see a striking change in their city, as the federal government focused more
attention on Colombia’s second city. Infrastructure was improved, public
transport was upgraded, and safety concerns were tackled head on. Most
strikingly, many of the social problems that had plagued the city began to be
addressed through a citywide cultural revolution.
One of the most notable initiatives was the creation of a
Sports and Recreation Institute, INDER, an organization that encourages young
people to engage in physical activity and play sports. Across the city you can
see numerous public soccer fields, basketball courts, swimming pools,
playgrounds and youth recreation centres. Medellín hosts over seventy such
facilities, completely free and open to everyone, from foreign tourists to children
from poor neighborhoods.
Recently the children from one of Globalteer Volunteer Colombia Children’s projects
were treated to an afternoon excursion to a nearby pool by new volunteer Alex
and visiting ex-volunteer Michael. Equally thrilled to be welcoming Michael
back to the project after several months away from Medellín, as well as from
the excitement of showing Alex their neighborhood, the children eagerly took
turns grabbing the hands of the two foreigners and leading them along as the
group of twenty-five paraded through the bustling hillside community.
The INDER swimming pool is only a ten minute walk from
the project, but for many of the children it was their first visit. As it is
a public pool and the Paisas take
personal hygiene very seriously, everyone was obliged to come prepared to swim
with tight-fitting swimming suits and caps. While the other adults changed into
their Speedos, a few of the children chose a bright lime green swimming cap
for Michael from the vendor outside the pool.
The complex is small but state-of-the-art, boasting a
small children’s pool and a much larger one for adults. Several INDER employees
stood watch, clad in the organization’s easily recognizable yellow and green
outfits, and led the twenty small children (and the foreign volunteers) in
various aquatic activities.
Unfortunately, two of the young boys had forgotten to
bring a tight-fitting swim suit, so were not allowed to enter the pool. Forced
to remain in the small plaza between the two pools in their baggy shorts, they
looked longingly through the chain-linked fence at the other kids playing in
the pool. All of a sudden powerful jets of water erupted from hidden spouts in
the plaza, soaking the two surprised boys. The other children quickly abandoned
the pool to join them, running around the plaza enjoying the impromptu shower,
and often sitting directly on top of the jets. Various children placed their
swimming caps on top of the strong jets of water and squealed with joy as their
caps shot high up into the air.
After several hours playing in the water the children were
worn out, and several were even able to trick the volunteers into carrying them
part of the way back to the project. The group collectively decided to stop
at a corner restaurant on the way back and the twenty children, two staff
members, two volunteers, and volunteer coordinator all shared a large meal of
chicken and Coca-Cola. The irony of the food choice was not lost on the
children, as they had all taken to affectionately calling Michael “chicken”
during his six-month stint as a volunteer. Obviously thinking it hilarious to
be eating chicken with the man who had so successfully taught them the word in
English that they had decided that it should be his nickname, many of the
children insisted on having their picture taken with both Michael and a
drumstick or chicken breast.
During what was to be the first of numerous future visits
to the neighborhood pool, the children were reminded by their adult chaperones
of how lucky they were to have such impressive recreational facilities so
easily accessible for everyone to use. The city’s initiative stemmed from the
belief that by providing the city’s youth with unrestricted and plentiful
access to recreational opportunities and by promoting sports and wholesome
activities for them to become engaged in, the young people would be far less
likely to fall victim to many of the temptations, vices, and dangers that have
been known to plague the city’s marginalized hillside barrios. By all accounts
the INDER initiative seems to be a huge success.
