About

First Step Big Step (FSBS) was founded by Jaqueline Arroyo and German Fernandez in Florida in 2008 as a not for profit 501-c-3 to support the early childhood development of Colombias most vulnerable children.

In 2010 FSBS was the founding partner of El Caracolí in Yumbo, Valle del Cauca in alliance with The Smurfit Kappa Foundation. El Caracoli was the first early childhood development center in the region aligned with the national ECD policy “De Cero a Siempre”. El Caracoli was established with 30 children and has grown to become the regions most recognized quality early childhood program operator serving over 616 children at El Caracoli to date.

In 2016 FSBS joined the Primero Lo Primero alliance in Colombia and served as the U.S. fundraising and partnership arm of the alliance, supporting a network of organizations committed to raising the standard and quality of the early childhood ecosystem in Colombia.

Today FSBS continues as a voluntary based not-for-profit working to support quality early childhood development programs in Colombia of which have sustainable local private and public investment in place.

Our Board of Directors serves as the governing body of the organization. Former Board Members: Christian Murrle, Dr. Jairo Salcedo, DMD, Roberto Silva Salamanca, Gilberto Ordonez, Ma. Clara Osorio.