Colombia

Our work is based on improving the lives of two groups with different ways of earning a living; We are referring to the COLLECTIVE OF STREET RECYCLERS, whose scope of action is the cities, and the COLLECTIVE OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN FARMERS PASTOS in rural areas.

LINE OF ACTION RECYCLERS: Recyclers are one of the most excluded labor groups in Latin American society. Collecting what is discarded and on many occasions searching through the garbage is considered one of the lowest strata. At the same time, their action is necessary for more sustainable human development. The project aims to strengthen its capacities and accompany its local and regional alliance process as part of its strategy.
LINE OF ACTION OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN FARMERS PASTO: We contribute to improving the lives of women farmers together with local entities and associations, strengthening food sovereignty, the family economy and resilience to external events of indigenous women Pasto de Nariño.

"Mundukide helps us to improve our peasant farmers with native seeds to increase the capital of the fund, increase savings and invest it in our peasant farmers and crops."

Aura Chalapud, (Resguardo San Juan de Ipiales):

"Through Mundukide, we have gained the technical and trade knowledge of the world of recycling, although we still need support to continue our process and strengthen ourselves as a collective"

Maribel Tutistar, (Pasto Recyclers’ Alliance):

"We would like to consolidate with the Pasto Recyclers’ Alliance (ARP) and their participation in the provision of the recycling service. Because that, we could increase the number of recyclers participating as members of this alliance. Therefore, consolidate ARSOC (south-western recyclers’ association) and through it create alliances similar to the ARP in the capitals of the southwest."

Asier Elorza Ugarte, Cooperative in Colombia

Economic strengthening of the “Pastos” women of Colombia

25 September 2023

Offer your LK points for Mundukide

17 May 2021

655

655 beneficiaries
6

6 cooperatives assisted, 211 members, 77% women
74%

715 people trained, 74% women
2nd

2nd level cooperative created by uniting 4 associations

2023 Report Mundukide

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Data from 2024. If you need more information, you can access reports and publications

Areas of activity

The department of Nariño is in south-western Colombia on the border with Ecuador. Our work is centred in the capital, although specific activities take place in other cities in Nariño such as Ipiales and Tumaco. According to 2017 data, 40.2% of the population was living in poverty, and 14% in extreme poverty.

At Mundukide we decided to work in this area for several reasons. It is one of the departments in Colombia most affected by the internal armed conflict; it has low levels of human development; it is geographically close to other departments with potential such as Cauca and Putumayo; and because of possibilities in the future of a bi-national project between Colombia and Ecuador.

In Colombia we are working with two different beneficiary profiles: members of the COEMPRENDER cooperative and members of the Indigenous Women Farmers Association (Asociación de Mujeres Agricultoras Indígenas, AGROMINDALAE).

Presentation of the program in Colombia by Asier Elorza. The project accompanies in its process of political-organizational and socio-economic strengthening the group of recyclers, 655 (119 men and 456 women), and their respective associations and cooperatives that work in the city of Pasto (Department of Nariño, Colombia) .

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COLLECTIVE OF RECYCLERS

Throughout 2022, the recycling line has expanded from Pasto, covering the entire South West. Mundukide directly assists 6 associations in Cali and Pasto in administration and planning. The Girasoles de Pasto Association (Nariño) has been strengthened with assistance to improve its operational and social functioning. The processing of the Association of Recyclers of the South Western Colombia (ARSOC) as a service provider company will facilitate both its development and the development of its partner associations. Through ARSOC, which is a second-level association, intercooperation between associations of waste pickers has progressed very favorably. In addition, at the national level, a path of organizational strengthening has begun with the Association
National Recyclers (ANR) which is still in the initial phase having completed company training
social and associated work.

Improving the lives of recyclers is achieved through strengthening the individual and collective capacities of recyclers and their organizations. This allows them to be more participants in access to their rights, to have greater income to reduce poverty and improve their living conditions. In addition, the population's awareness of waste separation is promoted, it seeks to guarantee access to the cleaning fee and work is being done on the inclusion of recyclers in the public waste management system.

Interest Group: It is 5,219 people, of which 2,092 are women and 3,127 are men. In addition, the recyclers who belong to ANR in Colombia and RENAREC in Ecuador are considered, adding up to a total of 4,500 people, of which 4,050 are women and 2,450 are men.
Objective: The general objective of the program is to dignify and promote respect for professional recyclers as subjects of rights, strengthening the recycling union in southwestern Colombia through actions that promote self-management, learning, intercooperation and socioeconomic development.
Area of Action: The area of action of the program is southwestern Colombia, covering the cities of Pasto, Cali, Ibagué and Popayán.

COLLECTIVE OF FEMALE FARMERS

The main purpose of the strengthening process that the project proposes is to create both individual and community capacities, both formal - council, savings groups, associations... - and informal - women's groups. The process in which this project is inserted is a development process that will create lasting solutions by strengthening indigenous women in their access to economic resources and solidifying that position in indigenous organizations under construction where they participate centrally as leaders. The Colombian context of violence has among its main causes unequal access to economic resources -mainly land-. The alternative for peace - also included in the Havana agreements between the Government of Colombia and the FARC - is to facilitate access to economic resources for disadvantaged groups (indigenous people, family farmers, quilombo las, women, guerrillas 14 of 49 Code of file: 2022/PRYC/000547 demobilized, …). Thus, the project to strengthen women's groups contributes directly to the construction of peace as its objective is to reduce the incidence of one of the main causes of violence, which is access to economic resources.

Interest Group: The main interest group are indigenous women, specifically 417 producers belonging to organized associations of indigenous reservations of the town of Los Pastos.
Objective: The general objective of the program is "Contribute to the good living of the peasant women of the Pasto people in the southern Andean region of Nariño", with a focus on improving the quality of life of rural women and strengthening their access to the market and their productive capacities. .
Area of Action: The program is developed mainly in the Andean sector of Nariño, based in the cities of Pasto and Ipiales, considered safe areas. The municipalities where the project will be carried out are Pasto, Ipiales, Cumbal, Puerres and Córdoba.