Problem Statement:

Magdalena region, a Caribbean coastal zone in Colombia, has different river basins that flow into the Caribbean Sea. Manzanares River, one of them, is adjacent to more than 19 neighborhoods in Santa Marta city and its contamination due to incorrect waste disposal negatively impacts at least 1610 Samarian families every year.

 

Target Group:

The riverside community of La Tenería (adjacent to the Manzanares River), and The Association of Resilient Women of Tasajera.

 

Proposed Solution:

To combat waste dumping in the Manzanares river, the Santa Marta hub will implement a community education and action plan. The community will receive training on how to collect river residues, clean up the river basin, and plant mangroves. The mangrove planting will be in two geographic locations in the target neighborhood. Our strategy will be distributed in three aims that start and finish with environmental education and empowerment to and for the community.

 

Hub Activities:

1. Waving The Community by collaborating with La Tenería community leader, and conducting surveys, interviews to understand their perception of the ecosystem.


2. Cleaning sessions in the river basin, involving both Shapers and the community and Mangrove Acquisition. Highlighting steps for ecosystem maintenance before, during, and after cleaning sessions.


3. Carry out Environmental Education Workshops on waste management and mangrove planting and conservation in collaboration with the community. Presentations and fieldwork to train the community in advantages and disadvantages of mangroves.

 

Short and Long-term Goals:

Our short-term objectives with the community are 1) to learn about their perception of the ecosystem, 2) to characterize the type of trash, 3) to assess the possible causes of mangrove loss, and 4) to implement a mangrove sowing and environmental education plan. Education efforts will be conducted through presentations and fieldwork involving the community.

Our vision/long-term goal is the progressive rehabilitation of the river basin, while the community -guided by the shapers and volunteers- commit to maintain the health of its ecosystem as The Guardians of Mangroves.

 

Deliverables:

• 1 Environmental SWOT by the community.


• 5 workshops on environmental education.


• 1 Report on the current state of the Manzanares River ecosystem.


• 1 Perception map by the community after the cleanup.


• 1 Community agreement to conserve the Manzanares River.


• 1 Final Report.

 

Available Metrics/Results:

• % Community involvement: # La Tenería residents reached / Total La Tenería residents [Result: At least 30% of the residents of La Tenería neighborhood. Assuming that 1 resident would replicate the information to 2 other residents]


• % Community involvement: Average # attendees per workshop who are La Tenería residents/ # La Tenería residents reached in Phase I [Result: At least 60% of the residents of Barrio de La Tenería reached in Phase I]


• %Community involvement: # participants in mangrove planting activities that are La Tenería residents/Total La Tenería residents reached in Phase I [Result: At least 60% participation of La Tenería residents during the cleanup and construction of the perception map in phase I]


• % Area to be cleaned: Area cleaned/Area predicted to be cleaned [Result: At least 95% of the predicted area to be cleaned]


• % magroves to be seeded: # mangroves seeded/1000 mangroves to be seeded [Result: 100% of mangroves planned for seeding]


• % Project schedule compliance: # activities executed on time/Total activities programmed [Result: 100% of activities executed]

 

Collaborators:

• Pro Santa Marta Vital (fiscal sponsor/ally).


• Asociación de Mujeres Resilientes de Tasajera (Cultivando Vida) (mangroves supplier).


• INVEMAR (scientific advisor).


• Fundacion Desarrollo Social de Colombia and Global Dignity Colombia (advisors).


• La Teneria Neighborhood (target community).


• The Climate Reality Project (Sponsor).