After training, which included ten modules covering topics such as project management, resource management and leadership, among others, the ten final initiatives strengthened key aspects of organizational sustainability. In this edition of the Civic Prize, five outstanding initiatives were awarded a total of fifty million pesos seed capital in kind. The five prize winners also received a special additional award: two million pesos seed capital in kind provided by Buenventura’s Regional Port Authority and Continental de Aduanas customs agency, as an acknowledgement of their commitment to strengthening the city’s social fabric. The additional prize was a special recognition of their efforts and commitment, and further reaffirmed the value of their work in the region.
The winning initiatives include Mangrove Swamp Guardians (Guardianes del Manglar), which seeks to mitigate and reduce the effects of pollution in estuaries and mangrove swamps; Butterflies of Love Book Club (Club de lectura Mariposas de Amor), which promotes the love of reading, writing, spoken language, Afro-Colombian culture and peace; A Goal for Education (Golazo por la Educación), which seeks to diminish school dropout rates through sports; “Recovering What’s Ours” Cultural Group (Agrupación Cultural Recuperando lo Nuestro), which promotes traditional dance among children and adolescents, providing a protective space for a community victimized by armed conflict; and the Festival of Colors and Sounds: Dancing for Life (Festival de Colores y Sonidos Danzando por la Vida), which seeks to create a safe setting through theater, dance, music, sports and visual arts.
The awards provide not only financial resources, but the supplemental training required by these organizations to consolidate their social impact and to continue their work in community development, improving the quality of life in vulnerable areas.