Our History
CE CAMILO is part of a group of social projects founded by Dutch Camillians in the neighbourhood La Paz in Barranquilla. We surged from a programme for malnourished children and community development, founded in 1985, which from 1987 onwards included help for children and adolescents with disabilities.
In 1998 we built the first stage of the current headquarters of CE CAMILO with the support of donors from Holland and Germany.
Between 1998 and 2006, the Centre was called Recovery Centre la Paz and was part of the Corporation Health Centre Saint Camillus. In 2006, we established us as an independent foundation with its own Board of Directors. The main objective is to promote and protect the rights of poor people with disabilities in and to improve their quality of life, offering them education, rehabilitation, support- and counselling services
Saint Camillus
CE CAMILO is named after Camillus de Lellis, founder of the order of the Ministers of the Sick, better known as Camillians.
Camillus lived from 1550 to 1614 in Italy. He was a mercenary, but because of an injury to his leg he was unable to continue his military career. He sought healing in the hospital for the poor in Rome. His wound never healed but when he saw the misery of the other sick, he decided to stay and care for them.
In the last year of his life, he summarised for his religious brothers his experience of 35 years of service to the sick in 10 commandments.
CE CAMILO adapted the commandments as follows:
I have a disability and therefore I am your Lord and the Master of CE CAMILO:
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Honour the dignity and holiness of my person, the image of Christ, above my frailty and limitations.
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Serve me with respectful and solicitous love: with all your heart, with all your intelligence, with all your strength and with all your time.
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Care for me as you would want to be cared for, as an affectionate and tender mother would care for her only sick child.
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Be the voice of the voiceless: be the defender of my rights, so that they may be recognised and respected.
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Avoid all distractions that could endanger my health or aggravate my distress.
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Do not frustrate my hope with your rush and impatience, with your lack of gentleness and competence.
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I am a "whole", an integral being: serve me thus. Do not reduce me to a number or a medical history and do not limit yourself to a purely functional relationship.
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Keep your heart and profession clean; do not allow ambition and thirst for money to tarnish them.
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Be concerned about my prompt and good care; do not forget that I have come to CE CAMILO in the hope of leaving rehabilitated.
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Share my anguish and suffering: even if you cannot take away my pain, be with me. I need your human and gratuitous gesture that makes me feel like someone and not something, or an interesting case.
Saint Camillus de Lellis
And when you've done all, you've got to do...
When you have been all, that you ought to be...
When you have not stopped at any annoying or disgusting task...
Don't forget to thank me...
For allowing you to work helping others.
Our Logo
The CE CAMILO logo is inspired by the words of our patron Saint Camillus: "more heart in these hands, brother"
Red is the colour of love, the hands are transparent because their function is honest work, the other colours symbolise diversity and the joy we find when we join all our efforts to put more heart into our work.
Mission
We are a foundation where we work with love and professionalism to provide integral care of excellent quality to people with a disability, so they improve their quality of life and achieve social inclusion.
Vision
In 2030 CE CAMILO is a sustainable foundation, recognised regionally and nationally for the quality and ethical and innovative nature of its services and its contributions to public policy on disability.
We provide accredited services and distribute for national and international companies wheelchairs, technical aids and communication aids.
We lead in the Caribbean region projects of Alternative and Augmentative Communication, Community Based Rehabilitation, Integral Care for children with moderate, severe or multiple disabilities, Education for Work and productive projects for young people with disabilities and Training for caregivers.
Our Orthopaedic Workshop stands out for the degree of satisfaction of its users and the combination of high technology with service and excellent prices.
We have an impact on the training of professionals who care for people with disabilities through internships, research projects and continuing education in alliance with universities, Colciencias, and international cooperation.
We achieve sustainable development through agreements with state entities and non-governmental organisations, the sale of products and services to individuals and companies, and an optimal use of resources, including renewable energy.
Values
Integral Vision
Willingness to Change and Grow
Commitment
Creativity
Vocation to serve / Read more
Meet our team
OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Interdisciplinary Team
We have an interdisciplinary team of 90 people in the areas of education, rehabilitation and orthopedic workshop, social work, psychology, nutrition, administration, general services and kitchen.
Board of Directors
Composed of the president Maria Poulisse, the treasurer Maribel Romero Pérez, the secretary Brenda Borge Carrillo and the members Gustavo Bell Lemus, Luís Camilo Palacios Zarate, Carmen Martín Bacci and Luís Posso Benítez. All are volunteers.
Our Volunteering
CE CAMILO has a volunteer group, led by Beatriz Toro and Brenda Borge, who organise pro-fund activities and establish contacts with donors.
Our Headquarters
Between 1998 and 2013 we built and expanded our headquarters with donations from international cooperation and the private sector. In 21 stages, we built therapy rooms, consulting rooms, classrooms, vocational workshops, service and recreation areas and an orthotics and prosthetics workshop to meet the growing demand for our services.
We now have a space of 4,404 m2, divided into a 3,795 m2 building, a 360 m2 parking area with a garage of 90 m2 and a 249 m2 plot for future expansion. The entire building is wheelchair accessible except for the third floor which does not have a ramp.
Financing of the Services
The main sources of income to finance the running costs of our services are contracts with the Child Welfare, the Government of Atlántico, the Mayor's Office of Barranquilla, health entities, contributions from some users and the donations.
CE CAMILO is currently able to generate a large part of the resources it needs for its operation, but we still need donations. The graphs show the development in the financing.
Development Goals
Sustainable - SDG
All CE CAMILO activities contribute in one way or another to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
Our Allies
True to our motto "Together we are capable" we have sought and found many valuable allies:
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Our donors
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State entities such as Child Welfare, and the offices of the Mayor and Governor.
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National and international entities and organisations working with people with disabilities.
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Community organisations and the sister projects of the Camillians in la Paz.
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Non-governmental organisations and companies
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Universities: More than 1,000 students have done their internship at CE CAMILO.
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The media
