Fundación Arcángeles was created in early 2005 in Colombia as a model of social responsibility and family from the experience of disability by Juan Pablo Salazar who was in an accident and fractured his fifth vertebra, leading to quadriplegia. The mission of Arcángeles at its establishment was to provide medical rehabilitation processes of care for people with spinal trauma and became the only organization doing stem cell research in the country. Arcángeles has been dedicated to improving the rehabilitation process and making technological advances toward this end.

Due to the serious issue of social inclusion of people with disabilities in the country, the foundation extended its services to social programs and in 2006 formed an office to start income-generating programs to develop the accessibility of jobs for people with disabilities in Bogota and Cali. It also implements small business- and micro-credit projects in various departments in Colombia.

Today, Fundación Arcángeles is an entity comprised of many organizations which provide:

• -a sports club with a presence in three major cities of the country and to develop sports as a way of life and with an emphasis on the development of the 21 Paralympic disciplines in Colombia. This element of Arcángeles also adds to the Peer Support model of rehabilitation that is essential in the Survivor Corps model
• -accessible architecture, and act as a consultant in the process of changing the culture of exclusion
• -a communications arm which intends to foster positive images of people with disabilities through the use of technological tools of communication such as documentaries, short campaigns, forums, events, etc…
• -development of inclusive jobs
• -much more

I will be going to Fundación Arcángeles in a few hours and will be able to provide a visual eye into their work and the people making it happen.