Ever since my first trip to Ciudadela Sucre in 2013, I've been inspired by the incredible community spirit present in these neighborhoods perched on steep hills just south of Bogota! Two years ago this month, the same week that news of George Floyd’s murder by the police in my hometown of Minneapolis was reigniting a social movement here in the US, I heard a heartrending story about the COVID lockdown in Colombia. NPR reported that residents in the very neighborhoods where Building Trust Americas (BTA) works were hanging red rags from their doors, windows, and balconies as a distress signal to neighbors that they needed food. The situation was dire. I wanted to do what we could to help.
At the time BTA had funds in the bank to build a community park. With COVID creating an immediate emergency there was no time to waste. With unanimous support, we re-directed the funds to provide the community with emergency food and hygiene supplies. I am so proud of our donors and local partners for the swift decision making it took to provide relief where it was most needed.
Now, in 2022, I am filled with hope once again. BTA is excited to announce that we are returning to Ciudadela Sucre in person this October. We'll partner with a local action oriented non-profit Techo Colombia to fund and build a large stairway to connect two parts of the very steep neighborhood of San Rafael. The San Rafael community chose this project because the dirt “street” that currently connects the two areas is steep, prone to erosion, and dangerous for travel. Infrastructure projects like these not only improve safety, but allow neighbors to connect and network more easily. The neighborhoods become even more interconnected and resilient. A conceptual drawing of the colorful stairway is shown below.
Local volunteers from the community of Ciudadela Sucre will lead the build. Although we will provide some of the labor, we know from experience that as volunteers we add more value by directing funding and creating excitement in the community. Of course we are looking forward to renewing friendships with Colombians we've met in the past and making new friends in October. If you feel called to join our volunteer effort in Colombia, reach out to see if this is a good fit.
In addition to the stairwell, we are partnering with the local community center of San Benito Menni to provide six scholarships to adults to improve their employment skills. And, in partnership with the Ciudadela Sucre Community Action Board (think neighborhood association) we are providing funds for the renovation of a very important community center. This community center is right next to the sports/community space which we funded and built as volunteers in years past.
Thank you so much for reading and for your support. Here is a link to our fundraising page: 2022 Support Building Trust Americas (givebutter.com) All donations are tax deductible.
We hope that some of you will consider joining us on a future trip.
Sincerely,
Chris Davis
President of the Board, BTA
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