Socially disadvantaged

In poor countries such as Colombia childhood often ends early, and with it the time of carefree play. This has serious consequences, since childhood play provides people with key physical and social skills for later life. This issue galvanized Bayer Colombia into action. In September 2005 the company, in conjunction with the children's charity “Día del Niño” (children's day), started to send a mobile ludoteca (play bus) into Colombian towns and villages. Since then the brightly painted play bus has been doing its daily rounds. It mainly visits children who have been subjected to violence, have run away from home, or are growing up without a formal education.

The aim of the initiative is to use playful means to stimulate children physically and mentally. Topics dealt with include the health of children and animals, human values, cultivation and protection of plants, and even scientific issues.

Bayer Colombia reaches 2,000 children per month with the initiative, which operates under the patronage of the wife of the Colombian president. The experiences will be included in an academically supported study. This is intended to provide information on playing habits across the regions of Colombia – and draw attention to the fact that children have a right to spend time playing with their parents. The first results show to what extent action is required. In some areas parents only play with their children for three hours per week. Children in rural areas hardly play at all because they are needed to help with work in the fields.

“We believe that our business goes hand-in-hand with a responsibility for the communities we work in, and that we should be committed to ensuring a better life for these,” says Dominique Dorison, Senior Bayer Representative in Colombia. “The Bayer ludoteca is a long-term program that will provide us with interesting information about childhood in our communities. This will help us to support people's general development – and in doing so help improve the quality of life.”