De Cero a Siempre (From Birth to Forever)

The Communication Plan for the National From Birth to Forever Strategy seeks to make politicians aware of the guidelines, quality standards, and the route to integral early childhood services, as well as to turn From Birth to Forever into the brand image under which all the Colombian private and public sector actions in favour of children from birth to five years old are seen.

The words From Birth to Forever show the importance of investment in early childhood and in improving the conditions for services during the early years, which in turn reduces expenses required to guarantee rights later in life. The logotype design links the numbers zero (0) and five (5), the ages of Early Childhood. The period between birth and the transition to school is the time in which the building blocks for physical and mental health, emotional security, personal, and cultural identity are built.

Early Childhood, Rights.

Part of the Birth to Forever Strategy is being implemented through the Plan Padrino (Godparent Plan), a support programme whose objective is to formulate, design, and accompany the building of infrastructure that improves living conditions and access to education by children between the ages of birth to five years old, particularly in the parts of Colombia that are most vulnerable due to unsatisfied basic needs and the greatest gap in access to integral services.

At the same time, public-private alliances are being organised in order to achieve the objectives. For example, in 2012, an agreement was made to implement the early childhood policy with a differential focus in the territories that join efforts with the National Ministry of Healthcare, Social Protection, and Culture, the Colombian Institute of Family Well-being, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Saldarriaga Concha Foundtion, the Bancolombia Foundation, the Éxito (Success) Foundation, and the Génesis (Genesis) Foundation. More than 9 million pesos have been contributed to date.

The Presidential High Commission for Special Programmes and Discovery Latin America signed an agreement within the National Strategy for Integral Early Childhood Care From Birth to Forever with the purpose of united efforts that are promoting child rearing guidelines and healthy habits through messages that are made public by the "Kids en Acción" (Kids in Action) Campaign.

Another agreement with the Pacific Rubiales Foundation is aimed at building infrastructure for providing integral care for early childhood. Centres for early childhood development will be built in the Puerto Gaitán, Meta municipality.

Click here to see documents [PDF format] from the national launching of the programme.