Colombia - El Magdalena: Biodiversity, strengthening communities and sustainable development

The Wayuu - the largest indigenous group in La Guajira - are famous for their colorful woven bags, resilience and agricultural skills, which they use to withstand periods of drought and adverse environmental conditions. In El Magdalena, on the other hand, the Wiwa are the largest population group.

Unlike the Wayuu, who struggle with their harsh environment daily, the Wiwa can rely on lush vegetation and have a deep belief that the earth is a living being that must be protected at all costs. Happy children laugh and splash in the river, thowing stones that create gentle ripples in the crystal clear water. Their mothers' beaming smiles give them a sense of security, and the sparkling water gives them peace under the searing Caribbean sun. The soft flow of the river and the white peak of Sierra Nevada glistening in the distance. While nature is benevolent to man in this region, man-made developments such as hydroelectric projects, mining, and urban development have failed to take into account the land and the needs of indigenous communities, alienating them from the land they revere.

Santa Marta, a bustling port city with rich history, is the oldest city of Colombia and was founded by Spanish colonizers in 1525. Next to the colonial architecture and lively town center, the sleepy and arid neighboring department of La Guajira becomes a distant memory.  However, this perception of wealth and opulence is fleeting - if you look just a little closer you'll see crowds of people clustered around a single water tank, desperately trying to gain access to a source of clean drinking water. The department of El Magdalena is struggling with its own problems: lack of access to basic services, violence and displacement. Human rights and environmental activists in the region face persecution, and some disappear forever.

Since 2014, Malteser International Americas has been working in northern Colombia with the aim to restore vital ecosystems and protect these vulnerable populations. Developmental projects are inherently protracted and their effects are less immediate; however, small changes have a big impact over time and progress can be measured in various ways. 

At the center of our project is forest restoration while raising environmental awareness and empowering local communities at the same time. We are working in three different locations with three different target groups to build mangrove nurseries, teach and build environmental expertise while simultaneously restoring mangrove ecosystems.  In the city of Tasajera we are working alongside 22 single mothers and empower them to take action in the protection of their ecosystem and to offer a source of income and training. The training of mothers is in many ways important, as they pass on the knowledge to their children and other community members, and serve as an inspiring example to others.  In the developmental aid sector, this is known as the "gender-multiplier-effect" for the community. 

Mangrove restoration requires the formation of water canals in order to ease the flow of water, monitor the water level and foster growth. Our goal is to plant 33,000 seedlings from three tree nurseries and thereby restoring 30 hectar of mangrove forests.

In Isla del Rosario, the ingenuity of the local population is of great importance. Our work in environmental awareness includes testing an innovative solution to recycle all the waste brought by the currents of the lagoon. CRIAPEZ has worked with the University of Magdalena and the Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR), a research institute that studies the marine and coastal ecosystem, to develop a "water bike" that picks up and cleans all waste from the Cienaga. The organization also makes bricks that are 50% plastic, 25% sand and 25% cement. The bricks are extremely light, weighing only 900 grams.

Local entrepreneurs like to dream big. "We have already developed other ideas, including a floating restaurant," says Manuel Francisco Lopez Orga, vice president of CRIAPEZ. "We will take visitors and visitors on a tour of the mangroves and then offer them refreshments in the floating restaurant. Eventually, we might even serve food here. Alvaro - a friend of mine - is a chef and can prepare typical dishes from the region. That's our dream, but we need more support to realize these ideas."

Entrepreneurship, innovation and courage are the words that come to mind when you meet the founding members of CRIAPEZ. Despite their limited resources, their commitment to preserving the environment is unwavering, as is their will to find innovative solutions to their problems. Just as the plants of the Cienaga bend and adapt easily to sudden changes in the ecosystem, so too are the residents willing to change and innovate. They are wary of being labeled project "beneficiaries," a term often used in humanitarian aid and development cooperation to describe a person who benefits from an organization's projects.

"We bring ancestral and empirical knowledge, and we are leaders and representatives of the fishing community. Don't call us beneficiaries, call us allies. We bring knowledge and our best to the table!"

Our relief projects at Malteser International take a participatory approach, always involving local communities in testing solutions to ensure that our efforts are as sustainable as possible. Relief projects that do not take the local population into account would only be half as effective.

Malteser International will continue to be an ally of local communities, ensuring that people in need can lead a life in health and dignity.