Being a non-profit organization without political affiliation, governed by private law, concerned about human development at the social and individual levels, and that holds no discrimination as to race, sex, nationality, religious or political belief, the Foundation focuses its activities on the improvement of living conditions of the disadvantaged, in order to help develop a more equitable society.
Contact Information
Our Focus
We mainly work with people in rural areas with low incomes and high vulnerability. For several years, we carried out projects to provide support to kids and youngsters in rural ares in the form of educational subsidies. Now we are developing a project to stimulate the creation of family farms to secure the food supply at the family level. This project is in an early stage, so we are still defining objectives and targets. We expect to develop a "kit" for the families in rural areas, that will include seeds, tools, and basic guidelines for organic farming and a stove.
The Foundation has a special emphasis on the preservation of local (traditional) knowledge. With this in view, we expect to develop a low cost, high efficiency stove that will use to a great extent locally available supplies, and will be built by locals using traditional construction techniques. We foresee that this element will be constructed in situ, and we expect to train locals in the process of building it, so they can apply these techniques in other farms. We will supply comprehensive and illustrative guidelines as well, so this knowledge can be replicated by others.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
The area were we work (Guacamayas, province of Boyaca) has a long lasting poverty problem that, in addition to other problems related to the (insurgence) violence, has put many of the inhabitants in a position of high vulnerability. We work with the local people in finding solutions, but always using their knowledge and having a high respect for traditional ways. In our work we try to highlight the validity of traditional ways (handicrafts, fuels, construction techniques, etc.) trying to break the paradigm of modernity is equal to prosperity, wellbeing and wealth.
We still don't have experience in this area, but we carried out a project and successfully obtained the "Denomination of Origin" certificate for the handicrafts of the region where the Foundation develops its projects. Being a non-profit organization we don't aim to produce a market product, rather we prefer to produce a product that is available for all the people of the region that with knowledge, and with the use of materials from their "backyard," everyone can have an efficient stove and cleaner air inside their houses.
We do not have experience in this area, but we are looking for partnerships with the major universities in Colombia.
We have no experience in this area.
Relevant Publications or Studies
- Traditional Medicine, a compedium of recipes from the Region of Gutierrez in Northern Boyaca. - Preserving Oral Traditions, Tales about violence years. - Preserving Oral Traditions, Myths and Legends of the Northen Boyaca region. - Preserving Oral Traditions, Traditional names and uses of the region's plants.
Our Contribution to the Partnership
We expect to develop a design adapted to local conditions in the region, and expect to carry out the testing process and to report our findings in a scientific way.
