Demographics in implementation area
La Boquilla is a corregimiento located in the northern zone of Cartagena, characterized by its Afro-descendant population, including the Villa Gloria community. Villa Gloria is an Afro-descendant community with around 350 families, a large percentage of whom rely on fishing, agriculture, and informal work. In this setting, the king of the "Green Gold," the coral mangrove—an endangered species in the seas, decimated by so-called development and invaders—has a chance at survival and offers the community an important means of sustainable livelihood. This area is deeply connected to the nearby mangroves and the Caribbean Sea, which provide both a natural resource base and cultural significance. The population has grown due to migration, largely driven by the search for affordable housing and better living conditions. ref 4, 5. The settlement process began with informal housing, and Villa Gloria was officially established in the 1990s when fishermen and their families expanded into the area, which was previously used as a temporary fishing ground. The community has faced challenges related to informal housing, displacement, and environmental degradation, yet they maintain a strong connection to the land and the mangroves. Economically, many residents engage in informal jobs, agriculture, and particularly fishing ref 5.
Socio-economic profile of the area
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Unknown
Non-government actors
Citizens or community groups
Specify primary beneficiaries
The inhabitants of the Villa Gloria village plant mangroves in their community to reforest the Ciénaga de La Virgen and the Ciénaga de Juan Polo. This effort is the result of months of work by her and 25 others who have worked on planting different types of mangrove to reforest both Ciénagas, which have been harmed by human activity. They also aspire for more people to join the project and contribute to the common goal of reforesting the Ciénagas and teaching the importance of protecting the mangrove, the water, and the species within them. (ref 1)
"We have destroyed the environment for so long. The first step is to be aware of the damage caused by humans. Then, understand that with this project, the first beneficiaries are the community itself," adds Doña Gloria. "The goal of this project is to implement good practices in the community so that they can continue independently. They receive support from Caribe Compensa Caribe to establish the necessary capacities in the communities," explains biologist Daniela Roja Ulloa, who accompanies the community. For her, the project has also empowered the women in the neighborhood, who are used to a patriarchal environment (ref 2)
In their backyards, the association of rural black women from the Villa Gloria community council, made up of 16 women, cultivates mangroves, which are considered the source of life. Since 2018, as compensation to the communities in northern Cartagena, many of whom rely on fishing, the Concesión Costera, with the support of Sena and Cardique, trained these women to cultivate mangroves and repopulate the lagoon (ref 3).
Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups
They receive support from Caribe Compensa Caribe to establish the necessary capacities in the communities," explains biologist Daniela Roja Ulloa, who accompanies the community. For her, the project has also empowered the women in the neighborhood, who are used to a patriarchal environment (ref 2)
In their backyards, the association of rural black women from the Villa Gloria community council, made up of 16 women, cultivates mangroves, which are considered the source of life. Since 2018, as compensation to the communities in northern Cartagena, many of whom rely on fishing, the Concesión Costera, with the support of Sena and Cardique, trained these women to cultivate mangroves and repopulate the lagoon (ref 3).
