Friends of Colombia for Social Aid (FOCSA) was founded in 1976 by the wife of the then Colombian Ambassador, Doña Lucía Holguín de Vázquez Carrizosa, and became a registered Charity in 1977. In 1998 Baroness Gloria Hooper kindly accepted to become the Patron of the charity. Doña Lucía was FOCSA’s first President, followed by Yolanda Connor, Mariela Ingram, Marina Tafur, Amanda Ardila, Martha Strange, Louise Russ, Andres Monsalve, Clemencia Corradine, Laura Laurence, Xihomara Zentner and currently Patricia Marulanda. In 2004 the work of the Charity was formally recognised by the Colombian Government by awarding the Knight's Cross "La Orden del Congreso de Colombia en grado de Caballero” (during Amanda Ardila´s presidency from 1998 to 2008). In 2007, a branch of FOCSA was established in Bogotá to help implement the UK charity´s activities in Colombia. Maria Cristina Silva de Kley is the current president of FOCSA Colombia.
FOCSA's secret of success is its people. They are a great group of volunteers that through their hard work and commitment to helping vulnerable children in Colombia, raise funds to buy and distribute medical and other essential equipment.
FOCSA has no paid staff, therefore the administrative costs are minimal.
