This award recognizes the efforts of schools offering comprehensive, quality services for vulnerable children between 0 and 7 years old. This year’s winner was The Golondrinas Foundation, a pre-k school based in the city of Medellin in Colombia, which seeks to restore the social fabric of this conflict region by bringing together children from different backgrounds and teaching them to cooperate at an early age. The institution operates on the belief that when children play together, no matter how different they are, they can learn to resolve their conflicts peacefully by appreciating their mutual differences.

This award recognizes preschool teaching practitioners who show dedication and commitment to those in need. This year, the Mexican teacher Elisa Guerra, was the winner. Elisa's achievements, including numerous published textbooks and the six schools she has established, testify to her impact in children's education. Elisa has been recognized repeatedly for her innovative and impactful work and is preparing to launch two new schools in Costa Rica and Brazil.

This category recognizes people or institutions that provide innovative, quality early childhood services and education. This year the award went to Kangaroo Foundation from Bogota, Colombia. This method is focused in reversing the negative effects of premature births, many of which impact how children learn and later develop. Based on the method of how kangaroo mothers take care of their children, this innovation has now 30 years of successful results with rigorous evaluations attesting to its effectiveness.

This category recognizes children's stories or fables written for children between 3 and 7 years old. This year the award went to “The Black Book of Colors” by Venezuelan author, Menena Cottin. This story has been translated into more than 14 languages, providing children in many parts of the world descriptions of what colors feel and taste like. Written in braille and text, "The Black Book of Colors" is a beautiful depiction of how we see colors. The texture of the artwork done by Rosana Farias reminds readers the beauty we see when we close our eyes and feel.

April 2015

We are pleased to announce the winners for the ALAS-BID Awards! This year, more than 1,200 nominations were considered for recognition in the categories for Best Publication, Best Educator, Best Center, and Best Innovation.

April 2012

The ALAS-IDB Awards arise from the need to recognize the dedication, innovation, and excellence of so many people who work in early childhood development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Presented jointly by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the ALAS Foundation of the international artist Shakira, awards are given in four categories, highlighting leading educators, centers, publications, and innovations in the region.