Having studied sociology and education in Latin America and the United States, Vicky returned to Colombia in the mid-1970s to introduce Escuela Nueva, or New School, a model that blended elements she had studied. Using this educational approach, she converted dysfunctional rural schools into those that connected with students, taught relevant skills, linked schools to community life, and offered participatory and self-paced learning to students. Then, recognizing a new pressing need in Colombian education, Vicky is now turning her attention and strategy toward Colombia's new most vulnerable population: displaced people. She is choosing the most appropriate materials of the New School and developing a kit that will be used to teach displaced children basic life skills, primarily related to health, the environment, culture, conflict resolution, sex education, and essential reading, writing, and math skills.