The program, known as ‘Rural Welfare Program: Productive Neighborhoods’, is led to compensate and has benefited around 34,900 people.
In Colombia, the proportion of population living in rural regions is 42.1 %, a percentage slightly higher than the OECD average.
Recently in The framework of the 59th Annual Assembly of Affiliates of Camacol Bogotá and Cundinamarcathe “Social Responsibility award”To seven initiatives that promote a change through innovative practices in sustainability, community management and labor well -being of the region.
Among the award -winning projects, the initiative known as’ was highlightedRural Welfare Program: Productive neighborhoods’led by the family Compensation Box to compensate which, for 10 years, promotes rural development by improving the economic, social and housing conditions of peasant communities in Cundinamarca, which have been impacted by the armed conflict and that are at a high level of vulnerability.
-“The Rural Welfare Program is a commitment to build country in areas where we have had an important historical debt. In compensating, we are honored by this recognition and motivates us to continue working for the strengthening of our peasant communities. In the 10 years that the initiative has been activated, we have impacted 34,900 people in 15 municipalities in Cundinamarca and we hope to bring well -being to many more ”, Juan Pablo Mejía, Housing and Subsidy Manager to compensate.
The initiative is designed for families (affiliated or non -affiliated) that inhabit rural and scattered areas of Colombia, which are agricultural or livestock producers, and that have monthly income below the 2 minimum wages. Your field of action encompasses three axes:
- Social inclusion through which they create safe spaces for women in the field, as well as programs for older people on issues such as physical activity, mental health, productivity and leadership. In addition, capacities for public incidence are developed through representation in the Departmental Council of Women of two local leaders.
- Economic inclusion through which capacities in entrepreneurship are potentiated in producer and family associations; It is accompanied in the formulation of projects and the management of resources to producer associations; The formalization of rural work is promoted; and is accompanied in the consolidation of associative processes with producers. In fact, it is currently compensating directly to eight small -scale agricultural organizations in six municipalities, thus eliminated intermediaries.
- Housing and environmental inclusion which seeks to accompany the inhabitants interested in the application process for the Rural Housing Subsidy (both for construction on their own and for improvement); And architectural housing models are created under an approach that considers living conditions in the field as the weather.
“Agricultural activities continue to be the main source of work in rural regions, but face structural obstacles that make it difficult to increase their productivity and added value. Therefore, we have set ourselves as a purpose to contribute to the peasant of the region being consolidated as a source of well -being and growth. We want to promote productive vocations to improve their living conditions and foster roots to the field, instead of migratory processes to urban areas”, Concluded Juan Pablo Mejía, Housing Manager and compensation subsidy.
Finally, it is worth noting that the program began with an annual coverage of 546 people and, by 2024, it was in more than 7,200. Currently, the project is active in 15 municipalities, but the Compensation Fund projects to expand 21 in the next 5 years.
