OUR MISSION
Young Hearts is a 501 (c) (3) public charity dedicated to empowering education in rural Colombia. We provide essential resources such as books, school supplies, educational tools, and English language instruction to children in underprivileged communities. Through our programs, we aim to make a lasting impact on the lives of these young hearts, nurturing young minds and shaping a brighter future. We believe education today is empowerment for life.
Our Story
Young Hearts was founded in 2024 by Alexa Karen, then a ninth grader, after a transformative summer trip to Colombia to teach English. Accompanied by her mother and maternal grandparents, who are native Colombians, Alexa witnessed firsthand the challenges children face in rural schools.
She was struck by the reality that 19 children, ages 4 to 11 (Pre -K to 5th grade), shared a single classroom all day, without air conditioning and with only one teacher. There was no library, and while some resources, they were far from the tools she was used to. She also noticed that some children needed glasses. Despite these challenges, the students welcomed her enthusiastically and eagerly participated in her English lessons.
Inspired by this experience, Alexa founded Young Hearts to help bridge the resource gap and provide these children with the opportunities they deserve.
Young Hearts is committed to fostering brighter futures through education, equipping students with the tools they need to unlock their potential and create lasting, positive change in their communities.
What We Are Working ON
Alexa returned to rural Colombia this summer to continue supporting these Young Hearts by delivering supplies, donating books, and teaching English. As a result of her fundraising efforts, 24 children ages 5–12 received on-site eye exams, with three of
them receiving eyeglasses. She plans to use the funds she has raised to date to provide swimming lessons for all 24 children, none of whom can swim. Another short -term goal, is to provide age-appropriate books, in both Spanish and English, and help establish a library for
the children. In the longer term, she is exploring ways to continue her English instruction virtually, alongside other classmates, through a pilot program at her school.
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