November 20 is celebrated Universal Children's DayThis date is presented as an opportunity to reflect on the current situation of early childhood in the country. Considering the projections of the last population census conducted in 2022, it is estimated that of the 4,700,000 Colombians between the ages of 0 and 5, at least 1,000,000 of them face multidimensional poverty. This child population demands an education with high quality standards, which lays the fundamental foundations for their learning.

According to UnicefIn addition, children who do not receive education, stimulation and positive interactions are often not on par with their peers, perpetuating a cycle of underachievement and high dropout rates, especially among vulnerable populations.

In a firm commitment to the development of early childhood, the social enterprise aeioTUhas demonstrated the crucial impact of the first years of life on human development. Its approach has focused on prioritizing the well-being of children under 5 through social initiatives, intentional pedagogical strategies, the creation of safe learning spaces and training for educators, caregivers and families.

With a trajectory of 15 years, aeioTU has positively impacted the lives of almost 1 million children, strengthening the skills of more than 58,000 educators, influencing parenting practices and adapting more than 4,800 pedagogical spaces to promote learning through play.

This organization has generated great impact through its own pedagogical program for Early Childhood Education, called aeioTU Educational Experiencewhich is inspired by the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. Through this pedagogical program and its curriculum, children learn through play, art and research, taking the lead in learning based on their own interests. This educational experience is recognized by HundrED and the IDB as one of the top 15 educational innovations to foster 21st century skills in Latin America and the Caribbean. With this curriculum, children become the protagonists of their own learning, experimenting, investigating and developing skills in an environment that values their interests and individuality.

María Adelaida López, executive director of aeioTU, mentions that "different studies around the world reflect that early childhood development is one of the most cost-effective investments that society can make to guarantee children's rights, build human capital and promote sustainable development. Our commitment at aeioTU is to work tirelessly to ensure the full potential of children to become free, responsible, empathetic, empathetic, responsible and happy adults".

Some of the most important skills for human development are acquired in the first years of life, such as the ability to socialize, critical thinking and autonomy. The five years at the beginning of childhood are determined to a large extent by biological development and the family, social, political and educational contexts in which children grow up. These scenarios are essential for the construction of learning.

aeioTU's proposal is not restricted to face-to-face experiences in kindergartens; over the years it has also developed a range of digital services that have allowed it to expand its scope and address new challenges. For example, it has the aeioTU Network, an online learning community with more than 45,000 active members and 3,500 free contents, 41 paid courses and 2 diploma courses, ranging from videos and games for children, to documents for educators, families and caregivers. This organization also promotes participation and advocacy in the National Early Childhood agenda, working in collaboration with governmental, local and regional authorities, the private sector, academia and NGOs.

"Our experience has allowed us to recognize the importance of working with all the actors involved in the early childhood ecosystem. Our invitation is to continue working to achieve a world that conceives children as capable, free, happy, full of rights and agents of change in their communities," concluded María Adelaida López.

This project, which began 15 years ago, has received great national and international recognition. An example of this is that its executive director, María Adelaida López, was the first Colombian to receive the Lego Award in 2022, for "promoting learning through play in early childhood development in Colombia and Latin America".