Nuestras Raíces | Fundación Rionegro

Where do we come from?

The Rionegro Foundation was created in 1995 thanks to the legacy of Carlos Uribe Echeverri , with the aim of providing protection to girls without support. Thanks to his contributions, we have developed projects that have allowed us to become what we are today.

Biography

Carlos Uribe Echeverri (1888–1958) was a Colombian lawyer, politician, and diplomat, renowned for his defense of civil liberties and his service as Minister, Ambassador, and author of key works on politics and democracy. His commitment to the country and to liberal thought left a profound mark. He bequeathed part of his estate to the service of vulnerable women.

Lawyer, liberal politician, diplomat, parliamentarian and writer.

Inspired by that legacy, his grandson Carlos Uribe Escalante legally established the Rionegro Foundation in 1995, with a special focus on rural women. In 2010, he launched his first social project, supporting low-income families so their children could enter protective shelters.

However, upon identifying that the lack of resources for housing, food, and transportation was one of the main causes of university dropout, he created the Loyola Residence, a different space that combines shelter and food with human support and comprehensive training.

Based on the experience with the young women arriving at the residence, the need to strengthen their life skills was identified. This led to the creation of this second initiative, which supports their holistic development in five dimensions: emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, and professional. Today, “University for Life” benefits not only the residents of Loyola, but also 10th and 11th grade students from various municipalities in eastern Antioquia.