Project Mundo Nuevo

Plant a tree and help Belgian Scouts realize their socio-environmental project in Colombia!

Project visual Project Mundo Nuevo
Successful
31
Contributions
18/06/2016
End date
€1.625
Out of €1.500
108 %

Project Mundo Nuevo

<p> <strong><u>Who are we?</u></strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> We are a group of <strong>15</strong> Belgian <strong>scouts</strong>. Along with our staff of 4 and our 11 scouts we decided last October to organize our camp in <strong>Colombia</strong>. Unfortunately the country was an <strong>unauthorised</strong> destination for Belgian scouts mainly due to its violent history. However, Colombia is a fast changing country and is much more secure than before. Eventually we managed to obtain all necessary authorizations and insurance coverage in order to realize our project there! Our destination would be <a href="http://www.mundonuevo.com.co/" target="_blank">Mundo Nuevo, </a> a <strong>farm hostel</strong> that aims for self-sustainability for food, water, economics and energy located at one hour of the Colombian coast.</p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> Mundo Nuevo works to <strong>protect</strong> the unique territory Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta from further <strong>deforestation</strong> and to preserve - and where needed recuperate - its natural ecosystems.</p> <p> All these projects need <strong>manpower</strong> to be realized. The <strong>farm-hostal</strong> employs locals but also an international cowd of "woofing" <strong>voluntaries</strong> (work in exchange for shelter and food). That's where we come in!</p> <p>  </p> <p> When we will arrive in July, Mundo Nuevo will start working on project "Manguera". <u><strong>Project Manguera</strong></u></p> <p>  </p> <p> The Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, a true natural treasure where lives a unique biodiversity, has always been the water reserve of the Santa Region. However, we observe that for the last decades, the level of its water sources have significantly decreased. Semi-intensive agricultural practices (eg. coffee) and poor upstream management have added to this, leading to significant overuse and waste, resulting in water shortages downstream.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <em>Our focus, the case of <a href="https://www.google.be/maps/place/Via+a+Minca,+Santa+Marta,+Magdalena,+Colombie/@10.5735627,-74.5117646,347878m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x8ef4f436302f6f73:0x705119191704b6cb?hl=fr" target="_blank">Minca </a></em></p> <p>  </p> <p> Located close to the water sources in the Sierra Nevada, the town of Minca has seen its water supply progressively decrease, leading to first cases of shortages. The main causes are the poor management and inadequacy of the equipment used. There are losses due to the numerous leaks in the pipes connecting the water to the houses/farms. Another reason is the lack of water-related regulation and the absence of institutions capable of enforcing one.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The current installations consist of pipes connecting the source to neighboring farms or houses. There is no proper equipment to prevent the water from flowing when it is not needed. No tanks, floats, connections, taps. The result is that a  significant part of the diverted water ends up wasted. While downstream farms and inhabitants suffer from water shortage.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Having an impact upstream will result in increasing the water quantity available downstream. Practically speaking, concrete water management actions will have direct positive impact in Minca and other towns situated downstream such as Tigrera, Rodadero and Santa Marta.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The goal of the project is to offer a local, cost-effective and sustainable solution to the problematic accessibilty and availability of water in Minca. It consist in the installation, on a volontary basis, of tanks equipped with floats, with the adapted connections and pipes in order to allow houses and farms of the region to manage their water use in a responsible way. This system reduces the quantitity of diverted water and has a direct effect on the quantity of water available downstream.</p> <p>  </p> <p> After having raised awareness around the problematic, the team of Mundo Nuevo will install a water management system in Finca La Candelaria and within the village of Montecristo, both located around Mundo Nuevo.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <u><strong>How will our trip look like</strong></u>?</p> <p>  </p> <p> Our trip starts the 29th of June when we leave Brussels for Colombia. From Bogota there we will fly to Santa-Marta, the capital of the Guajira department. We will then take a bus to Minca. On the 30th of June we'll arrive in Mundo Nuevo and get on with our project. On the 19th of July we will leave Bogota to return to Belgium.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <u><strong>More accurately: </strong></u></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>01/07 -&gt; 10/07: </strong>We will be working on project "Manguera". A <strong>canalization</strong> system with valves to be constructed in order to<strong> prevent water wastes</strong> by neighboring farms. This project came to life when Mundo Nuevo realized how much water was being diverted from the main stream by the farms and by observing the devastating impact it is having.</p> <p>  </p> <p> In the meanwhile we will be introduced to <strong>permaculture</strong> and the benefits of this local growing system.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The second dimension of this project is <strong>reforestation</strong>. The cattle industry and the coca-plantation have had disastrous effects on the environment throughout the last decades. Instead of dense forest there now are <strong>many open clearings</strong> contributing to the water issue and the biodiversity problem. With the help of the local community, youth associations, and it's engineers we will plant trees to recreate forests.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>10/07 -&gt; 15/07 </strong>A 5 day trekk in the Sierra Nevada to discover the region, local indigenous communities and the local flora and fauna.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>15/07-&gt;19/07 </strong>we will visit Palomino and it's beautiful beaches. We will also visit Carthagena, a well preserved colonial port city located on the Colombian coast.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>19/07 -&gt; 20/07</strong> we travel back to Belgium</p> <p>  </p> <p> <u><strong>To cut a long story short we will:</strong></u></p> <p>  </p> <p> 1) Bring our <strong>manpower</strong> to project Manguera</p> <p> 2) <strong>Plant trees</strong> to restore forests</p> <p> 3) Learn about the Colombian <strong>culture</strong> and <strong>history</strong></p> <p> 4) Meet and <strong>share moments</strong> with the indigenous communities</p> <p> 5) Have a <strong>limited carbon-footprint</strong> by eating locally grown vegetarian food and by using eco-friendly shower and toilet facilities</p> <p> 6) <strong>Explore</strong> the region, it's nature and it's biodiverstiy</p> <p> 7) Get out of our comfort zone and <strong>experience</strong> a simpler way of life</p> <p> 8) Learn what it is to be a <strong>world citizen</strong></p> <p> 9) Learn concrete solutions about how to <strong>tackle the 21st century's</strong> <strong>challenges</strong></p> <p>  </p>

Allocation of funds

<p> The total price of our camp is 20250€ (plane, food, shelter, transport, cultural activities included).</p> <p>  </p> <p> With the vision that scouting should be accessible to everybody, the price parents pay is 400€pp. Help is provided to parents with financial difficulties.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The scouts and the staff must bring 300€pp by realizing jobs various jobs throughout the school year.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Total: 10500</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> Which leaves us with 9750€ to complete with the whole group.</p> <p>  </p> <p> In order to find this money we have organized different activities throughout the year to raise funds. We organized a comic book fair, a dancing party, a conference on the subject of "The youth and alcohol", we sold cookies, etc. etc. which brought has brought us approximately 5500€ so far. Which leaves us with a 4250€ gap. </p> <p>  </p> <p> The academic year is not over yet and we have other fundraising activities planned. The costs of organizing such a project are high but we are convinced that raising awareness to world issues through traveling and experiencing is the best way to educate our youth. Your donation would have an immense value to us and would contribute to the realization of our project!</p> <p>  </p> <p> Thank you for taking the time to read about our project!</p> <p>  </p>

Rewards

€5

A gratitude e-mail with a nice picture of our team in Mundo Nuevo!

Estimated delivery: July 2016

€15

  • 1 contribution
1) A Nice Colombian craft piece such as a bracelet or a key ring 2) A gratitude e-mail with a nice picture of our team in Mundo Nuevo!

Estimated delivery: August 2016

€25

  • 18 contributions
- We plant a tree for you!! - A grattitude e-mail with a nice picture of our team next to your freshly planted tree!

Estimated delivery: July 2016

€50

  • 3 contributions
1) We plant a tree for you! 2) A 250gr bag of organic Colombian coffee of the neighboring farm 3) A gratitude e-mail with a nice picture of our team next to your freshly planted tree!

Estimated delivery: August 2016

€75

1) We plant a tree for you! 2) A 250gr bag of organic Colombian coffee of the neighboring farm 3) A CD of Colombian Salsa Music 4) A gratitude e-mail with a nice picture of our team next to your freshly planted tree

Estimated delivery: August 2016

€100

  • 5 contributions
1) We plant a tree for you! 2) A 250gr bag of organic Colombian coffee of the neighboring farm 3) A CD of Colombian Salsa music 4) A Skype-call with our team in Mundo Nuevo 5) A gratitude e-mail with a nice picture of our team next to your freshly planted tree

Estimated delivery: August 2016

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