8/9/2004 - A Piggy Bank Grows into a Foundation
Matthias Buckner, an AFS exchange student from Germany who studied in the San Pedro Claver High School in the city of Bucaramanga in 1983, came up with a great idea that has changed many kids’ lives and continued to provide relief to many others.
During a field trip to one of the poorest regions in northern Bucaramanga, Matthias was deeply effected by the poor living conditions of the local villagers. As he stood among the people, spoke with them about their lives, and witnessed how the simplest of necessities could be so scarce in this poor community, he was inspired to help.
Matthias bought a little piggy bank in Cartagena which he named Romelio and immediately started to collect money to help the children of Bucaramanga. After he returned to Germany and put little Romelio in his parent’s living room, he asked family and friends to donate their pocket change to help the people in Colombia. The first year, his initial collection supported 20 children from Bucaramanga.
Today, Romelio has grown from a little piggy bank into a Foundation that helps 180 children per year. The Romelio Foundation supports their elementary education and recreational activities and provides them with food. The Foundation is operating in 250 square meters of a 5000 square meter property and they expect to develop and grow into their own space soon.
The Romelio Foundation slogan, “A society that doesn’t think of their children has lost their future” was inspired to help people in Colombia and in Germany understand how such a small amount of pocket change can effect such a big change in the lives of people in need.
Matthias is now back in Germany where he continues to develop new ways to fulfill his vision while his host father, Hernando Jiménez, and his family oversee the Foundation in Colombia.
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