Wildlife Conservation Colombia Project #43861

Art & Education to Save a Bird from Extinction

by Fundacion Montecito

Art & Education to Save a Bird from Extinction

Project Report | Nov 25, 2025
SueTy: Art, Science, and Conservation Progress

By Felipe Velasco | Project Leader

Art workshop with local kids-bird illustration

Dear Donors and Supporters,

We are writing to provide a brief update on the progress aligned with our project "SueTy" (whisper of the bird, in Muisca language), focused on using Art & Education to Save a Bird from Extinction—specifically the endangered, endemic Apolinar's Wren in Colombia. Our goal remains to revert the decreasing population trend of this bird by providing innovative environmental education to children in rural schools at Lake Tota.

We are pleased to report that Fundación Montecito recently co-executed the Hidro-Aves Tota (HAT) Science Week (SdC HAT)—see our blog post here—, a marvelous opportunity to re-engage with local school communities and strengthen affective and conservation ties with the Lake Tota territory.

These activities directly reinforce SueTy's methodology, which uses various art formats and transmedia storytelling to increase awareness and participation. During the Science Week, we delivered combined art and science sessions to rural primary school children.

Key highlights of the sessions, supporting the education and art components of SueTy, included:

The Art Session: Children participated in a relationship and awareness task, alongside a bird illustration workshop held at the Xieti Natural Reserve. This session, led by an illustrator and artisan, took place at the Taller Xieti, a permanent space for art and nature learning.
The Science Session: Children received basic training in observation equipment and sighting techniques. They used specialized equipment, such as a spotting scope, to learn about avifauna monitoring in the Lake Tota area.

Fundación Montecito facilitated these spaces, in coordination with partners, offering necessary equipment, facilities, and logistics. By strengthening early capacities for these children (including those from schools like Guáquira, Donsiquira, and Llano de Alarcón), we are working towards the ultimate objective of knowing, appreciating, and conserving the Lake Tota basin.

Your support for SueTy is helping to foster collaborative environmental learning that inspires young people to bring change to the region and preserve the habitat of the Apolinar's Wren.

Gratefully yours,

Felipe Velasco
Director at Fundación Montecito

Field observation workshop, using a spotting scope

Links:

Monthly donation to SueTy: Art & Education to Save a Bird

Permalink

Jul 31, 2025
Each School, A Bird to Care For

By Felipe Velasco | Project Leader

Felipe, during a visit to one of the rural schools

Project Update: Each School, A Bird to Care For

Dear donors and supporters,

We’re thrilled to share how our SueTy project is taking flight in new and exciting ways!

Between July and December 2025, Fundación Montecito is bringing the “Each School, A Bird to Care For” initiative to life in five rural schools around Lake Tota – Colombia’s largest high Andean wetland. In partnership with Asociación Ixobrychus and local allies, this new chapter is all about connecting children with nature through art, storytelling, and hands-on learning.

Who's Involved?

Children ages 7–12 from:
- Escuela de Guáquira
- Escuela de Donsiquira
- Escuela de Tota (cabecera)
- Escuela de Macías
- Escuela de Llano de Alarcón

Each school chooses one native bird species to explore and protect — including the Apolinar’s Wren, a beautiful and endangered bird found only in Colombia.

What Will They Do?

Over five fun and creative sessions, each group will:
1. Hear their bird’s story through Kamishibai (Japanese-style storytelling).
2. Explore its habitat with binoculars and cameras.
3. Illustrate the bird in a special workshop with artist Juanita Arango at the Xieti Nature Reserve.
4. Design a mural together at their school.
5. Paint the final mural as a community artwork.

The experience ends with a mural contest – the Premio Múcura 2025 – with the top schools celebrated at the El Muyso Festival, a joyful celebration of art and conservation.

Why This Matters

Lake Tota is a vital but fragile ecosystem, home to over 170 bird species. Sadly, pollution and unsustainable practices threaten many of them. By working with children, we’re planting seeds of awareness, creativity, and stewardship that ripple out into families and communities.

One teacher told us:
“This project awakens curiosity. The children take the message home — they become little ambassadors for nature.”

Let’s Keep SueTy Flying

Thanks to your support, SueTy continues to grow — sparking imagination and love for nature in the hearts of young learners. With your continued help, we can inspire more children, protect more birds, and build stronger, more caring communities.

Stay connected with us at:
www.suety.abctota.org
suety@abctota.org
#SueTy #FundaciónMontecito #ABCtota #PremioMúcura #ElMuyso2025

Thank you for being part of this beautiful journey!

With gratitude,

Felipe Velasco
The Fundación Montecito Team

Links:

Monthly donation to SueTy: Art & Education to Save a Bird

Permalink

Mar 31, 2025
Capturing Nature: A Photography Workshop for Kids

By Felipe Velasco | Project Leader

Teacher and kids from Guaquira enjoy their present

Capturing Nature: A Photography Workshop for Guáquira's Children

Dear donors and supporters,

We are excited to share the wonderful experience of our latest activity at Guáquira rural school, where our conservation project "SueTy" continues to thrive. This time, we explored the world of photography with the help of an incredible guest: Giulia Verdinelli, a talented photographer from Italy who joined us as a volunteer with Fundación Montecito.

Taking advantage of Giulia’s expertise, we organized a photography workshop tailored to the children, designed to help them engage with nature through the art of photography. The workshop covered essential topics such as framing, lighting, and digiscoping—a technique that allows capturing distant subjects using a camera and a spotting scope. The most exciting part? The kids got the chance to use a professional camera and take real photos, bringing their creative vision to life.

This hands-on experience was invaluable, offering children a new way to appreciate their environment, especially the birds they aim to protect—such as our beloved Apolinar’s Wren. Through the lens, they discovered details and beauty in their surroundings that they had never noticed before.

To make the moment even more special, Giulia prepared a final surprise: a printed photograph of the entire school group, also one for their dedicated teacher, Ms. Mercedes Castro. They received a copy of this wonderful memory, a keepsake of their participation in this unique activity.

We believe that empowering children with creative tools like photography will strengthen their bond with nature and their role as guardians of biodiversity. Thank you for your continued support in making these activities possible!

With gratitude,
Felipe Velasco
Fundación Montecito

Links:

Monthly Support to Help Saving Apolinar's Wren from Extinction

Permalink

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.