September 28, 2006
Cartagena is the second oldest town in Colombia. Founded by the colonizing Spanish military, it is enclosed by 11km of old fort walls that were built to keep out invading pirates. Its streets are lined with the painted walls of beautiful Spanish architecture dotted by quaint balconies overflowing with flowering ivy.
20km from downtown Cartagena, along a highway that passes fields being sectioned off for development and mangrove forests is the impoverished community of Arroyo de Piedra. There are 1600 people in the community of 385 families. Largely of African descent, it is like many of the minority communities in Colombia in its social and economic underdevelopment. They do not receive basic social services like running water from Cartagena. Electricity is also unreliable.
Most members in the community depend on fishing and agriculture for their income, but the development of hotels and resorts along the coast has virtually destroyed coastal eco-systems. The highway that Peace Boat participants traveled along has also created an obstacle; with a tollbooth that coasts $6 round trip, it is difficult for community members to go to the city to sell their produce.
Working with the organization Kontiki (based in Cartagena) and Peace Boat, the community has been developing its local resources to become more self-sustainable and independent through the building of an organic pond for growing and harvesting fish, the creation of a plant nursery for the community, the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in home gardens, ecological restoration projects, as well as social development in its schools and community.
These projects have been funded mainly by an institutional donation from Peace Boat, an individual donation from Peace Boat participants to Arroyo de Piedra Sports, cultural and study programs, and a donation from the travel agent working with Peace Boat during its visits to Cartagena.
On this visit, participants had the opportunity to talk with members of Kontiki and the community, and visiting some of the homes that have been involved in the project to look at their successful gardens.
For more information, please contact: Corporacion Ambiental Kontiki (Kontiki environmental group) at corpokontiki@hotmail.com
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