Tiempo de Juego, which means “game time” in Spanish, came into being in the disadvantaged district of Cazuca, Bogota, where it has its head office. Originally started as a football school in 2006, Tiempo de Juego now uses a range of sport, cultural and recreational activities in order to protect and support children in the most vulnerable areas of Colombia.

Through football training sessions, art workshops, cultural and educational courses, the organisation educates children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18 about the effective use of their free time away from drugs and gangs. Since its inception, the organisation has been helping boys and girls from Cazucá, Timbiquí and Santa Marta put into practice the values learned on the pitch to create a safer, more peaceful community. Tiempo de Juego is expert in developing children’s life skills through play and promoting youth leadership within some of the most disadvantaged and violent communities in Colombia. Their work has a clear gender focus, centred around their youth-led ‘gender school’, which ensures that the unique experiences and risks faced by girls are recognised within all Tiempo de Juego’s activities.