Fight plastic pollution in the bay of Cartagena

The Punta Arena Resiliente project demonstrated remarkable progress in 2024, embodying a comprehensive approach to community development, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation. This innovative initiative prioritized empowering local communities, with a particular focus on women's economic and social advancement. 

Economic empowerment stood at the forefront of the project's efforts. Throughout the year, 36 individuals, 32 women, received certifications in digital marketing and entrepreneurship through strategic partnerships with SENA and Cardique. These programs went beyond simple training, providing participants with tangible skills and opportunities for professional growth. Local women artisans and entrepreneurs were able to participate in the Cardique Green Business Fair and the Farex Cartagena Fair to better sell their products. Collaborations with UTADEO University further strengthened local enterprises by developing commercial strategies and helped the launch of a sustainable community eco-tourism route.

Cultural preservation emerged as another crucial dimension of the project. Recognizing the importance of local heritage, the team documented 10 oral histories from community elders, ensuring that intergenerational knowledge would not be lost. Six historical recovery workshops facilitated meaningful exchanges between different generations, creating a living archive of community memories. Innovative partnerships with local universities transformed cultural preservation into a creative endeavor, using art—particularly watercolor illustrations—to capture and transmit the rich local cultural landscape and biodiversity.

 Environmental conservation efforts yielded impressive results. The project conducted 16 comprehensive beach cleanup activities, removing a staggering 13,532.9 kg of waste, including 4,380.47 kg of recyclable materials. Biodiversity research became a cornerstone of their environmental strategy, with teams successfully identifying and cataloging 72 flora species and 77 bird species. By establishing a local biodiversity monitoring team and conducting environmental education workshops, the project ensured that conservation knowledge would be deeply rooted in the community, particularly school children of Punta Arena. The school was painted and intervened, with a beautiful mural depicting the mangrove ecosystem by local artist, while the rest of the school was adorned with biodiversity stencils with participation of the children.

 Community engagement reached unprecedented levels. The project mobilized 443 volunteers and conducted 40 educational sessions, creating a robust network of community participants. Strategic partnerships expanded significantly, with 29 new alliances formed across educational institutions, government entities, private companies, and NGOs. The innovative "CAMBIAZO" recycling exchange program exemplified this community-driven approach, directly benefiting 280 families in Punta Arena and promoting environmental consciousness.

 Unexpected positive outcomes further highlighted the project's transformative potential. Women participants developed enhanced self-confidence and organizational capabilities, creating direct relationships with corporate allies. Media recognition from prominent outlets like Telecaribe, RCN, and Revista Cambio amplified the project's regional visibility. The team's adaptive approach led to innovative cultural preservation methods, including possible podcasting and artistic collaborations that breathe new life into traditional storytelling.

 Financial sustainability remained a key consideration. The project is developing multiple revenue streams through tourism activities, corporate partnerships, and grant applications. Forward-looking plans include publishing a comprehensive book on Punta Arena's flora and the possible "Love and Resilience Stories" podcast, ensuring the project's long-term economic viability and visibilty.

 Ultimately, the Punta Arena Resiliente project achieved something extraordinary in 2024. By intertwining economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation, the initiative created a holistic model of community resilience. Its success lies not just in the numbers—though they are impressive—but in the empowered community it has nurtured, the cultural heritage it has preserved, and the environmental stewardship it has inspired.

 The year 2025 has begun with tremendous momentum for the Punta Arena Resiliente project. Building upon the remarkable achievements of 2024, the foundation is expanding its commitment to sustainable development, circular economy initiatives, and climate action through strategic partnerships across Cartagena.

 A highlight of the early 2025 calendar is the foundation's participation in EcoArtesanos, hosted by Tu Cultura at the Movich Hotel, to be continued on the first Saturday of each month. This event represents more than just a marketplace; it is a platform to showcase the incredible products and services developed by the Punta Arena Women Eco Guides and Artisans. The event underscores the project's ongoing mission to create economic opportunities for local women while promoting sustainable entrepreneurship.

 The foundation remains dedicated to its core objectives of community development, ecosystem protection, and environmental education. An exciting upcoming activity is the bird watching workshop scheduled for late February, which continues the project's commitment to biodiversity awareness and immersive learning experiences.

 As we move forward, the Punta Arena Resiliente project continues to demonstrate that sustainable development is not just a goal, but a collaborative journey of community empowerment, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation. We invite you to stay engaged and join us in this transformative work!

In the second period of 2024, we continued to advance the activities and goals established in our "Resilient Punta Arena" project. Our focus remained on strengthening the circular economy, community ecotourism, environmental education, and conservation actions in the territory. We identified the need to intervene in a community space and selected the local school as the most urgent and impactful target.

Educational Institution Renovation 

With support from the Travelling Paint Brush organization, the Sunshine Coast Rotary Club of Canada, and volunteer students from COJOWA, we renovated the entire facade and several classrooms of the Tierra Boma Educational Institution in Punta Arena. Volunteers, teachers, and students collaborated in these efforts, achieving significant beautification of the school.

Women's Empowerment and Entrepreneurship 

We continued to support 30 women Eco-Guides and entrepreneurs from Punta Arena through:

- Training workshops

- Digital marketing courses

- Entrepreneurship certification programs

 These courses, provided by the National Learning Service (SENA), offered participants opportunities to learn about new technological trends, social media, and strategies for transforming entrepreneurial ideas into profitable businesses. We extend our gratitude to the SENA instructors for their time and to all the women of Punta Arena who attended for their commitment and dedication.

 University Collaboration and Business Development

Through our alliance with UTADEO, we received support from their students and faculty, who developed economic strategies for the women entrepreneurs. These strategies will help promote their businesses to both local and international communities. Additionally, two women participated in green business fairs organized by the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Canal del Dique (CARDIQUE) and Fundación Fénix Beach, where they sold products, interacted with the public, and networked with other green businesses.

Cultural Preservation and Education

To support island culture, we encouraged reading and creativity by:

- Recovering stories from grandmothers

- Valuing local history and culture

The team behind the "Super Heroica" comic book co-conducted an interactive and artistic activity with students at the Tierra Boma Educational Institution. This experience was greatly enjoyed by the students. We also listened to Mrs. Delia's stories about Punta Arena's past and traditional fishing practices.

Environmental Education and Film Festival

In collaboration with Spanish cooperation, we organized four days of environmental cinema in September. Each wednesday of the month, we screened documentaries and short films from the official selection of the Trees and Seas Film Festival (TSFF) 2024, curated by Plastic Ocean. The event was attended by students and both local and foreign visitors, who expressed appreciation for this highly educational initiative callingb attention to plastic pollution and climate change.

Clean Seas: Guardians of the Ocean Project

As part of our "Clean Seas: Guardians of the Ocean" project, we have conducted 16 cleanup events thus far on beaches, mangrove islets, and pedestrian walkways. With the help of our dedicated volunteers and allies, we prevented 12 tons of solid waste, primarily plastics, from entering the sea.

Fundación Bahía remains committed to combating plastic pollution in the sea. We are grateful for the continued support as we work towards creating a more resilient and environmentally conscious community.