Glasswing International
Think Human Fund
Mission & History
Glasswing International’s mission is to address the root causes and consequences of violence, inequality and poverty through education and health programs that empower youth and communities, and strengthen public systems. Glasswing believes everyone has the potential and the right to thrive, no matter their adversity. Through grassroots, evidence-based programming and cross-sector alliances, Glasswing creates opportunities for children and youth – local changemakers – to thrive. With its flexible and localized structure, Glasswing can respond to the needs of the communities it serves with varied and innovative initiatives. Glasswing engages all community actors and stakeholders to ensure sustainable change while fostering hope and community pride. With the support of thousands of volunteers, Glasswing provides children and youth with access to safe spaces, social and emotional skills development, and vocational opportunities to build resilience, foster civic participation, and rebuild social fabric from the ground up.
Since its inception as a local organization in El Salvador in 2007, Glasswing expanded to Colombia in 2021 and has sustainably extended its operations to 10 countries, directly impacting over 3 million lives over the past 16 years. Through constant innovation, learning, and partnerships, Glasswing aims to transform the most marginalized and stigmatized communities in Latin America. While others may see liabilities and risks, Glasswing recognizes incredible human potential and works to provide the opportunities and support, referred to as “social scaffolding,” that enable children and youth to avoid violence and thrive. In 2020, Glasswing was awarded the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and a short video was produced to illustrate its work, as well as the context and challenges faced in the region.
Country Information
Colombia’s education system faces significant challenges in expanding school coverage and enhancing quality. The school dropout rate is notably high, with only 44 out of every 100 primary school entrants completing high school and only 39 of those graduates pursuing higher education. Quality issues are also apparent, as Colombia ranked 58th out of 81 countries in the PISA assessments for language and mathematics. The SABER 2023 results further indicate that 50% of students are below the national average, underscoring the urgent need for innovative and interdisciplinary teaching methods to promote critical and creative thinking.
The Need
Bello, a suburb of Medellín in Colombia’s Antioquia Department, is home to the Institución Educativa Alberto Díaz Muñoz, which serves over 1,800 students. The school is situated amidst informal settlements that face economic and social challenges, including inadequate services and violence.
Since 2016, Glasswing has been working at Bertha Herrera de Ruano School in Mixco, an area affected by violence and drug trafficking. This school serves over 300 students and lacks playground facilities. Glasswing’s extracurricular programs offer constructive outlets for students and provide new learning opportunities.
The Project We Fund
The Alberto Díaz School library, established in 1994, is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of today’s students. This project aims to revitalize the library into an engaging space that promotes learning and social interaction. It will involve 42 volunteers and directly benefit 100 primary students while having a broader impact on 1,800 students.
With the support from the Think Human Foundation, Glasswing will undertake the following initiatives:
Library Renovation: Recruit 20-30 volunteers to update furniture, equipment, and murals, creating a more inviting and functional space.
Book Donation: Provide a selection of novels and literature to enrich the library’s collection.
Club Launch: Establish reading and storytelling clubs for groups of 20 students each. These clubs will meet weekly and be led by trained volunteers to enhance student engagement and well-being.
The Result
Glasswing’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation, and Learning (MEAL) Department ensures program quality by tracking activities, processes, and key indicators, allowing for real-time adjustments as needed. The M&E team utilizes the Glasswing Data System to monitor participant registration, volunteer hours, and service continuity, and they conduct random site visits to ensure data accuracy.
After each program, Glasswing administers surveys to students, parents, caregivers, and school staff to gather feedback on their perceptions. The impact of the program is assessed using the following metrics:
Number of participants in each club
Number of volunteers involved
Attendance of parents and caregivers at Community Cafés
