Thirteen years after the launch of the Mendihuaca project, Mauricio and Gladys, representatives of the Tchendukua Foundation in Colombia, visited France to take stock of the impact of this painstaking work, carried out in cooperation with the Kogi, Wiwa and Arhuaco peoples on the steep slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

This project was made possible thanks to co-funding from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Maison du Monde Foundation, which supported its development, ongoing improvement and final evaluation.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, regarded as one of the world’s richest and most fragile ecosystems, is also the spiritual and cultural heart of these indigenous communities, the last remaining heirs to the great pre-Columbian civilisations of the South American continent. Since 1997, Tchendukua has been supporting a process of restitution of ancestral lands and restoration of territories, based on listening, trust and mutual respect.

Nearly 1,200 hectares have been returned in the Mendihuaca Valley. The forest is regrowing, biodiversity is returning, parrots are once again filling the skies, and water sources are replenishing. These visible transformations are accompanied by an improvement in the communities’ well-being.

In several areas formerly marked by conflict, the presence of the communities has fostered a lasting return to peace.

The project has also helped to strengthen the political and cultural autonomy of the peoples of the Sierra. Traditional authorities are supported in carrying out their spiritual work and passing on their knowledge to younger generations. Young people, both men and women, are being trained in mapping, management and legal techniques to better defend their territories. 

Alongside these initiatives in Colombia, this South-North dialogue between Colombia and Europe has had unexpected effects.

In France, it has inspired initiatives centred on a different way of thinking about our relationship with nature, based on regeneration rather than exploitation. Researchers, scientists, businesses and stakeholders from various regions are now drawing on this inspiration to rethink their practices.

 These are great successes, but they must not obscure the challenges we still face, including insecurity in Colombia and the heavy burden placed on local teams. Yet the bond of trust forged over the years between the peoples of the Sierra and Tchendukua remains strong. It continues to foster a shared commitment to the natural world and to future generations – a commitment that brings joy, hope and a shared sense of humanity.