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2010: Foundation & First Efforts
The Red Drop association started when Caroline and Alejandra embarked on an internship at the oncology institute in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, where the challenging plight of children with cancer motivated the desire to help. The urgent need for blood procurement led to organizing a charity event, which brought together 20 young adults on October 29, 2010, at Archbar, Winterthur (Switzerland). The event raised CHF 2'015, marking the association's first major financial success. Officially founded on October 8, 2010, the association established its full board by spring 2011. In the same year, donations gathered by Red Drop were able to cover 86% of the costs related to blood transfusions for the children in treatment at the institute.
Fun fact: the project for raising funds for blood transfusions was initially called "gotita roja", which means "red drop" in Spanish - that is what inspired the name for our charity.
2011-2013: Full Speed Ahead
Bolivia
In addition to financing blood transfusions and medication for the oncological institute, in 2012 Red Drop launched a work project for mothers of children with cancer after learning about a mother's struggle to afford a small treat for her child post-chemotherapy. The initiative allowed mothers to earn a small income by knitting scarves, taught through a course by our project leader Veronica Medina. This became what today is our project Construyendo Sueños - it started with 5 women and has grown to a community of over 150 women as of 2023!
In 2012 we also we launched our Super Químio project. In collaboration with the oncology institute's social services, the project helps prevent patients from discontinuing chemotherapy. In 2013, it financed treatment for around seven people. 10 years later, over 1'500 patients have seeked financial aid from Red Drop.
Colombia
We supported two key projects in Colombia to address poverty and malnutrition. In Cartagena, we collaborated with young leaders to establish a center offering meals and activities for children, mothers, and adolescents in the impoverished Colombiaton district (project Colombiaton). A house was rented in 2012, and a lunch table for 50 children was launched with locally funded equipment. In Barranquilla, the association partnered with the "Espiritu de Amor" foundation to set up a lunch table in the La Playa district, where severe malnutrition affected 98 out of 103 children (project Cangrejera) With local support and donations, a house was renovated and equipped with an industrial kitchen, providing meals to combat hunger and improve living conditions. Project Colombiaton was later handed over to a local Catholic Church in Cartagena, while unfortunately, project Cangrejera ended in 2018 due to the dissolution of the partner organization in Cartagena as a result of financial difficulties.
2014: A Major Milestone
Bolivia
The Gotita Roja project, which inspired the founding of the Red Drop association, motivated many families of children with cancer to advocate for state-funded blood transfusions for children aged 5 to 15 in Bolivia. Their efforts succeeded when, in December 2014, the Bolivian government committed to providing this funding. This marked the successful completion of Roter Tropfen's first project in Bolivia—a significant milestone for both the association and the families of children with cancer.
2016: Tu Gotita Cuenta
In 2015, Red Drop continued to support numerous cancer patients at the Oncology Institute of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Thanks to the dedication of Bolivian volunteers, the association formally established its local counterpart, Gotita Roja Bolívia, which was legalized in early 2016. This milestone created a strong foundation for growth, with a team of nine women on the board and 12 active volunteers. In its founding year, Gotita Roja Bolivia proved to be a highly motivated and independent organization, providing valuable financial and personal support to disadvantaged individuals while paving the way for future development. By 2018, Gotita Roja Bolivia achieved significant growth, was honored with an award from the “Juventud Empresa” foundation in Santa Cruz, recognizing its dedication and impactful work.
2018: New Beginnings
Colombia
In June 2018, project Cangrejera came to an end due to financial difficulties with our partner organization. We did not, however, lose hope - with the continuously pressing issue of malnutrition in Cartagena, we immediately searched for another association who could support us in this project. That's when we came across Remanso de Amor, an organinzation which runs a daycare where children can receive 3 meals a day as well as play and learn in a safe environment. We started our collaboration which today continues through our project Lunch Table Comedor Remanso. In 2023 we helped almost 100 children take part in this program. Read more about this project here.
2020-21: Navigating Covid
In 2020, Bolivia faced severe challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including curfews, school closures, job losses, and critical shortages. Despite these hardships, Red Drop and Gotita Roja Bolivia continued to support patients at the Oncology Institute in Santa Cruz. In 2021, while the pandemic's impact remained, there was a gradual return to "normalcy". Gotita Roja Bolivia reopened its office and resumed the “Construyendo Sueño” project. In Colombia, the “Remanso de Amor” foundation initially operated remotely, providing food parcels and educational support to families. By September 2021, the foundation reopened with 52 children attending in person, while 39 continued receiving remote support, allowing around 91 children to benefit from the nutrition program each month without disruption.
2023 - Today: All Hands on Deck
In 2023, Caroline, her husband Galo, and their family spent several months in Bolivia and Colombia, facing difficult ethical decisions daily that directly impacted the well-being and survival of the people they were helping. During this time, they could not turn away anyone in need and used their personal resources, as well as their skills as doctors and social workers, to provide support. In Santa Cruz, 152 mothers participated in the “Construyendo Sueños” social workshop, a significant increase from 70 mothers the previous year. The oncology hospital in Santa Cruz treats around 200 new pediatric patients annually, and the number of participants in the project is expected to continue growing. The workshop teaches mothers to create and sell various products, fostering community and support. Recently, young people like Yasmani, who started making macramé bracelets to help his mother raise funds, and Juan José, have become involved in the project, further strengthening its reach and impact (read the full story here.)