Internal Action Foundation (IAF)

Promoter of second chances, defender of the rights of the prison population of Colombia. Actress, entrepreneur, founder and Executive Director of the Internal Action Foundation, appointed by the Ministry of Justice and law as Goodwill Ambassador to promote the rehabilitation and humanization of the rehabilitation and humanization of the penitentiary system (2014).

In 2000, she began her acting career, after participating in 15 TV productions and being her last starring role in the TV Show “Tres Milagros”, she quit acting to dedicate her time to the prison population.

In 2012 she created a theater group at the women’s penitentiary “El Buen Pastor” in Bogotá boosting her connection to the prison sector.

In 2013, she founded “Fundación Acción Interna” and has worked in 29 prisons with more tan 30.000 inmates and Co-founder of Casa Libertad, a place for second opportunities for ex convicted population. (2015)

IAF is a non-profit organization created to dignify and improve the quality of life of the prison and post-prison population in Colombia; it aims to transform, reclaim and reconcile the prison population with civil society. This purpose is fulfilled through three programs: Internal Art, Internal Growth and Internal Work, each with its own projects and productive activities.

The MISSION of the IAF is to improve the quality of life of the prison and post-prison population in the country, generating opportunities for reconciliation and re-socialization, through the development of their capacities and the generation of socially and economically sustainable productive projects.

IAF's VISION is to achieve the destigmatization of the prison population and reconciliation with the civil population through its intervention model, as well as to be a self-sufficient organization, positioned and recognized nationally and internationally within the public and private sectors.

At the Internal Action Foundation, we seek to contribute to and reinforce the processes of resocialization and reinsertion of the prison population in Colombia, with the Foundation being an auxiliary agent of the state.

From the Internal Action Foundation we believe in the transforming power of including instead of excluding and reconciling the positions that distance the prison and post-prison community from the rest of society, through second chances, this being our mission objective.

METHODOLOGY LINES OF ACTION

• INTERNAL GROWTH: Psychosocial support, Study grants, Addictions support, Spiritual retreats, Yoga, Motivational workshops, Training in direct sales, TEDx at “El Buen Pastor”, Leadership and conflict resolution.
  
• INTERNAL ART: Theater, National Prison Theatre Festival, Music, Reconciliation concert, Visual Arts, Art exhibitions, Literature.

• INTERNAL WORK: Agencia Interna - Internal Agency  - Advertisement, Financial education, Productive projects, Inclusive business, "Libres" Brand made in colombian prisons, Restaurante Interno - Internal Restaurant

At Acción Interna Foundation we empower people deprived of their liberty in the country's prisons through training in various topics for productivity, such as gastronomy, customer service, hospitality, bakery, productive gardening, clothing, marketing and advertising, finance and business creation, among others; and thus strengthen the skills and generate the necessary tools to reintegrate themselves in a dignified manner into society once they regain their freedom; and we generate opportunities for the human and productive development of people who have regained their freedom through our intervention model in Art, Growth and Productivity, according to the routes of attention in education, employability and entrepreneurship.

The Acción Interna Foundation has worked with 30,000 persons deprived of their liberty in 29 prisons in Colombia to promote reintegration, social inclusion and dignity; the Internal Action Foundation has also sought to raise awareness among the civilian population of the new opportunities that persons deprived of their liberty deserve and can obtain by recovering their freedom and which civil society can and must support. 

The work of the Internal Action Foundation, as an auxiliary agent of the State, inside and outside prisons inspires civil society to provide second opportunities to those who have perhaps not had a first opportunity, thus helping in the process of re-socializing people. who are deprived of liberty and oprotundiades so that they do not re-offend

For 15 years Johana Bahamón worked as an actress in important national productions, and through acting she discovered her purpose: to work with women deprived of their liberty to help them heal and grow through theatre, but after a year of work and after getting to know the state and conditions of the prisons in our country, such as overcrowding and seeing that the process of re-socialization is carried out in very few prisons in Colombia, Johana made the decision to work with people deprived of their liberty through her Acción Interna Foundation, and together with her team created an intervention model that can be replicated today in the prisons of Colombia.     

Working together with the prison population, post-sentence and their families, a population so invisible to civil society and lacking opportunities, to be able to turn mistakes into opportunities for re-socialization and reintegration so as not to commit crimes again

The Internal Action Foundation and Johana's works invites civil society to be a part of believing, creating and supporting second opportunities for those who have not had perhaps a first opportunity, to dignify and improve the quality of life of each person and their family, and also to raise awareness and break down the prejudices that exist about the prison population and the importance of being all part of the solution that afflicts our society about inequalities and insecurity. 

When the initiative of the Internal Restaurant in the city of Cartagena arose, for society and the authorities it was crazy to create a restaurant inside a prison where the affected people enter and were attended by women deprived of liberty. It was months of talking to the authorities and convincing, requesting permits and having financing from those who believe in the Second Opportunities to be able to start with this productive project, finally and after 5 months of hard work, the Internal Restaurant is born.

Internal is the first restaurant in the world inside a women's prison. This productive workshop opened in 2016 and was attended by all the inmates of the San Diego prison in Cartagena. Their menu was advised by the best chefs in the country, thus achieving gastronomy and service of the highest quality.

This space allows a reconciliation between the inmates and civilian population. It was recently selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 best places to visit in the world in 2018

Johana Bahamón is promoter of second opportunities, defender of the rights of the prison population of Colombia. Actress, entrepreneur, founder and Executive Director of the Acción Interna Foundation, appointed by the Ministry of Justice and law as Goodwill Ambassador to promote the rehabilitation and humanization of the rehabilitation and humanization of the penitentiary system (2014).

In 2015, Johana was highlighted in “Mujeres que le aportan a Colombia” (“Women who give to Colombia”) Revista Semana.

Winner of the Social Entrepreneur of the year EY Colombia 2017.

Portafolio Award for “Aporte a la Comunidad” (“Community Support”) 2017

Best Entrepreneur – Politika awards 2018

Winner of the “International Women’s Award 2019” created by the International Leadership Forum, National Chamber of Women of Mexico and World Leaders Organization.

Distinction “Young outstanding 2019” Junior Chamber of Colombia. Ten outstanding young persons TOYP

“Inclusive Leader 2019” Prize awarded by the ANDI Foundation and USAID, for the development of inclusive competitiveness strategies for the vulnerable population.

“Woman Cafam 2020” Prize where recognizes the life and work of woman, which benefits Colombians in vulnerable situations, this being the most important award on the social scene.

The productive social projects developed in the San Diego prisons in Cartagena: "Restaurante Interno", and in the Modelo prison in Bogotá "Agencia Interna", are a unique model of resocialization and social reinsertion promoted by the Fundación Acción Interna, betting on the generation of innovative spaces of reconciliation between the prison population and the civil population. 

In order to generate opportunities for people who have already recovered their freedom, in alliance with the Ministry of Justice and Law, INPEC, the Mayor's Office of Bogotá (Undersecretary of Security) Colsubsidio and the Fundación Acción Interna, Casa Libertad was inaugurated in July 2015, an exclusive place for all those who have been deprived of their freedom. The Foundation contributes to the process of re-socialization and reintegration into society of these people through the programs of Art, Growth and Productivity, which allows them to generate a life project from the educational opportunities that are connected to the opportunities for employability and entrepreneurship. 
These initiatives are given with the aim of strengthening and promoting social and economic inclusion, guaranteeing equal opportunities and reducing inequalities for people who have been in prison and have already regained their freedom, regardless of their age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic status or other condition.
With its productive social projects and methodology, the Internal Action Foundation is having an impact on public policy that affects all persons deprived of liberty and post-prisoners, and their process of resocialization, restoration and reintegration.

If we carry out activities that are alienated from social transformation and destigmatization (new narrative) of those deprived of their liberty based on personal growth, art, education and productivity (X), then we will see a decrease in violence and inequality gaps among the prison population in civil society, thus facilitating the restorative and re-socialization process and the development of people as agents of change for reconciliation in their daily lives (Y), due to the recognition of themselves as human beings among their environment by promoting education and productivity as a form of equality and fundamental rights of the prison population in civil society(Z).

The Acción Interna Foundation has worked with 30,000 persons deprived of their liberty in 32 prisons in Colombia to promote reintegration, social inclusion and dignity; the Internal Action Foundation has also sought to raise awareness among the civilian population of the new opportunities that persons deprived of their liberty deserve and can obtain by recovering their freedom and which civil society can and must support. 

To reach with our model of intervention more than two countries in Latin America and to cover all the prisons of Colombia (132 prisons)

• COVID - 19 
• Funding
• Stricter and clearer policies on reconciliation and reintegration 

Through a sensitization approach with the public and private sector, breaking the stigmatization that exists before the prison population 

In the generation of opportunities for the prison population, in alliance with the Ministry of Justice and Law, INPEC, the Mayor's Office of Bogotá (Subsecretary of Security) Colsubsidio and the Internal Action Foundation, Casa Libertad will be inaugurated in July 2015, an exclusive place for all those who have been deprived of their liberty. The Foundation contributes to the process of re-socialization and reintegration into society of these people through the programs of Art, Growth and Productivity, which allows them to generate a life project from the educational opportunities that are connected to the opportunities for employability and entrepreneurship.

This is a non-profit entity founded in 2013 to dignify and improve the quality of life of the inmates and those have already been released in Colombia. It is intended to transform, vindicate and reconcile the prison population with civil society. We have three very specific programs to help us reach our purpose: Arte “Interno,” Crecimiento Interno and Trabajo Interno; each with their own projects and activities. The Fundación Acción Interna has joined forces with the private sector, public sector and national and international organizations since its inception, enabling it to reach its objectives.

Our funds come mostly from individual and corporate donations which go to our three programs: internal growth, internal work and internal art, accompanied in most cases by volunteer actions. Similarly, the intervention model of Fundación Acción Interna is given for a cooperative work between private and public organizations, NGOs and the support of some international organizations. 

Nombre de donante u otra fuente de financiamiento,  p.ej., contrato de servicios, etc.

Nombre de proyecto o área financiada

Monto (en US $)     

Fecha de inicio (dd/MES/aaaa)

Fecha de cierre (dd/MES/aaaa)

Estatus:

• comprometido
• solicitado,
• aún no solicitado

BID

Casa Solución

US$ 50.000

Comprometido

BID

Segundas Oportunidades

US$ 60.000

01/06/2020

01/12/2020

Comprometido

Gobernación de Riohacha

Taller Productivo Restaurante Interno

US$ 122.763

01/09/2020

31/12/2021

Comprometido

IPES

Taller Productivo Externo Plaza la Concordia

US$ 12.364

01/09/2020

31/12/2021

Solicitado

Rappi SAS

Taller Productivo Externo pospendos

US$ 66.971

01/10/2020

31/12/2021

Aun no solicitado

Buro

Participación en ferias

US$ 10.000

31/12/2020

31/12/2020

Aun no solicitado

Comunidad personas externas

Ventas: camisetas, sombreros, vino,

US$ 22.696

01/03/2020

31/12/2020

Solicitado

Comunidad Donantes

Donaciones

US$ 7.068

01/01/ 2020

31/12/2020

Aun no solicitado

Total de gastos incurridos en el último año fiscal (US $)

Presupuesto en el año fiscal actual (US $)

Presupuesto en el año fiscal entrante (US $)

Monto:

Año:

Monto:

Año:

Monto:

Año:

US $ 319.611

2019

US $ 332.137

2020

US $350.000

2021

In the foundation Acción Intern we believe in the importance of social innovation as part of the reengineering of the world we have today and the diverse situations we go through, and given the Colombian context, we know the inequality and vulnerability that the prison population has inside and outside the prisons. That is why our activities and productive workshops are based on making possible what civil society believes is impossible through actions that have never been done before in a prison and changing the perspective of those who are or have been deprived of their freedom.