By: Jesús Benito Díaz Gómez
Cruzada por los Niños is an NGO founded in 1995 by CIS University President, Dr. María Díaz de la Cebosa. The main objectives of this organization are the help, protection and education of children and young people in the world, without distinction, as well as the fight for women’s rights in disadvantaged areas. According to its president and founder, Dr. Díaz de la Cebosa, “The founding of this NGO was a very important project to carry the vision, mission, and values of the university.”
Its name is inspired by the poem “The Children’s Crusade” written by the famous German playwright Bertolt Brecht in 1942. The poem is based on the Second World War and is about a group of children from different nationalities who came together to find peace somewhere in Poland. “It inspired all of us who formed the NGO at that time as something that should never happen,” Dr. Díaz de la Cebosa said.
“A strange tale runs,
In the countries of the East.
Snow fell as the story was told,
In an Eastern city.
It spoke of a Children’s Crusade,
Which began in Poland.”
The first project that “Cruzada por los Niños” carried out involved organizing a health network for children affected by the Balkan War. In that mission, the NGO collaborated with Agrupación de Aragón, who transferred children who needed surgical interventions to the Niño Jesús Hospital, Madrid. This event occurred a few days after “Cruzada por los Niños” was established. Dr. Díaz de la Cebosa also highlighted the level of commitment that the organizations and the CIS University students themselves had, making it a project that she will never forget.
The president shared a comment that a Bosnian woman made in an Instagram post thanking her for her help 25 years later: — “If I’m not mistaken, this is Mrs. María. They helped me have surgery 25 years ago. Big greetings from Bosnia.”
“Cruzada por los Niños” also works in Mozambique, specifically in the Gorongosa National Park, together with the Real Madrid Foundation. In this project they work with more than 800 women, focusing on their empowerment and leadership to reflect it in the education of children. In addition, the NGO is preparing a new project in Gorongosa, which will consist of the creation of farming areas to provide work for families with few resources in the area.
The NGO also has an agreement with CIS University, where they offer a subject called “Mozambique Service Project” in which students are actively involved in the projects that the NGO carries out. When the project requires it, it includes trips to visit the place where it takes place. Dr. Díaz de la Cebosa shared an anecdote about a student who had to do the same routine and activities as a resident of the area of Gorongosa, Mozambique, from the moment he got up until he went to sleep. — “It is a very nice way to understand their culture, their habits and to appreciate what we have at home.”
Its most recent project, “Cruzada por los Niños” brought 21 refugees from the war in Ukraine to Spain in 2020, most of whom were minors. The NGO offers them a home and teaches them Spanish classes so that they can adapt easily and quickly.
Their tireless dedication to helping children and women in need, from providing healthcare in war zones to empowering women in Mozambique, and offering refuge and education to young Ukrainian refugees, exemplifies their commitment to making a positive impact in the world. Dr. Díaz de la Cebosa’s vision and the organization’s collaborative efforts have created lasting change and hope for countless lives, echoing the poem’s spirit that such tales of hardship must never be repeated.
