Colombia Part of Experience Sharing Program Completed

Volunteer students from different cities in Türkiye got together and went to Colombia to participate in TİKA’s activities within the scope of Experience Sharing Program (EEP) 2022.

Volunteer students participated in the Psychomotor Training Centre project carried out in Ciudad Bolívar, one of the least developed parts of the capital city Bogota, where nearly half a million people live. The students helped to make the centre ready for use. They also painted a mural ornamented with plants with the locals to symbolize the friendship between Türkiye and Colombia. Also, TİKA provided the new training centre with equipment and materials for children who need to improve their psychomotor skills.  

The Psychomotor Training Centre was established within the recreational area called Altos de la Estancia, where open air activities take place in Ciudad Bolivar. District Institute of Recreation and Sports of Bogota Municipality (IDRD) supported the project, too. The centre was opened with a ceremony. Türkiye’s ambassador to Bogota, Beste Sun Pehlivan, General Director of IDRD, Blanca Inés Durán, District Director of International Relations of Bogota Municipality, Luz Amparo Medina Gerena and employees from TİKA’s Program Coordination Office in Bogota and Türkiye’s Embassy in Bogota participated in the opening ceremony.  

Speaking on behalf of the Bogota Municipality, Luz Amparo Medina Gerena referred to the strong cooperation between the municipality and TİKA and said, “TİKA has always been one of the strongest allies of Bogota Municipality and helped us in our most difficult times. Like in this project, we will carry on new projects in line with the new global development approach on agenda, new urbanism approach and sustainable development goals.”

Ciudad Bolivar

Ciudad Bolivar, where the project was carried out, is a region marked by illegal reconstruction works and landslides. Therefore, Altos de la Estancia Park was turned into a recreational area by the municipality to prevent landslides and illegal reconstruction. The locals, including both children and adults, can do sports and have fun in the park.  

The centre established by TİKA is planned to become a rehabilitation centre to families and children who suffer from problems like unemployment, substance addiction, violence, insufficient education for children and physiological problems in the region where low-income groups and young parents are located. The psychotherapy centre is to serve around 450 families and their children between the age of 1 and 7.

Our voluntary ambassadors getting to know more about Colombia

The program was hosted by TİKA’s Program Coordination Office in Bogota. As part of the program, 11 volunteer students visited Türkiye’s Bogota Embassy, Maarif Foundation Representative Office in Colombia and Anadolu Agency’s Regional Representative Office.

In order to observe the projects carried out by TİKA in the region, the volunteers also visited the Empowered Women’s Shelter in Envigado in Medellin and Aromatic Herbs Production Facility in Marinilla.

TİKA has already established an IT class, where the women attending the Empowered Women’s Shelter in Envigado can improve their computer literacy skills and do search. The Empowered Women’s Shelter in Envigado aims to help women develop themselves in social, professional and cultural fields. During their visit to the Shelter, our volunteers learned about the services rendered at the centre to support women’s employment.  

Colombian team in the coffee production process

On another visit, the volunteers saw the aromatic herbs facility established with TİKA’s support and run by women. They observed and participated in the production stage. They got together with the beneficiaries of the project and were informed about the herbs peculiar to Colombia. The volunteers team also worked on a coffee farm for a whole day and experienced the coffee production process from the harvesting to the cup.