In February of this year, the Sacred Thread Foundation made an important visit to the indigenous communities of La Guajira, in northern Colombia.

During this trip, the foundation carried out various projects aimed at benefiting members of the Ciruelakat, Cabritos, Uyaraipa, Urrachikat, and Jarinjinamana communities, such as the delivery of 350 school kits, five water tanks, and five biosphere water filters.

This visit was made possible thanks to the collaboration and support of various private and public institutions.

GOALS

• Delivery of school kits for students aged 5 to 18, children of artisans from the communities of Jarijirimana, Cabritos, Ciruelakat, Urrachikat, and Uyaraipa.

• Update the census.

• Review social projects carried out in communities, providing opportunities for improvement and feedback.

• Conduct a community workshop to improve the community daycare center.

• Training and alignment of community leaders.

• Conduct an innovative workshop for the Cabritos community to publicize community-building projects.

Kit Delivery

During this trip, 350 school kits were delivered so that local children can start school in 2021. Fifty-six kits were delivered to the Cabritos community, 159 kits to the Ciruelakat, 48 kits to the Uyaraipa, 43 kits to the Urrachikat, and 44 kits to the Jarijirima. The success of this project is due to the generous contributions of our sponsors Davita, the Colombian National Army, Ferdinand Hacklam, Carolina Castro, Carolina Serna, Gladys Paredes, Holga Guzmán, and Nubia Quintero, who believe in education as a path to building a better country.

EKKA COMMUNITY SHOP

To fulfill this project, 4,000,000 COP in sales, five water tanks, a bag of dog food (since dogs in these communities are often forgotten and abandoned in vulnerable situations), and 10 bags of chicken feed were donated. The food delivery was a continuation of the chicken coop project launched in 2020, which aims to facilitate families' access to eggs, both as a source of food and income. This project was made possible thanks to our kind friend, Ferdinand.

WATER IS LIFE

Five biosand filters were delivered, funded by the PROSOWA Foundation. These filters are made of cement and filled with a specialized sand that removes impurities from the water, eliminating 98% of contaminants. PROSOWA provided the necessary tools, including three molds, so the communities could build the CAWST filters themselves.

CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP

During the week of February 22-26, 2021, a construction workshop was held with the Los Cabritos community, guided by the Promedio Foundation. This workshop focused on improving the community center and marked the beginning of the Michi project. This project aims to improve the quality of life, protect culture, and foster productive projects through a cultural center that will provide communities with a space to gather, learn, and preserve traditions. We strive to develop the existing structure and combine the old with the new; to listen to and work with community members to incorporate their ideas and requirements into the development, such as protection from the sun and wind; and to revive and employ traditional Wayúu building techniques and ancestral architectural designs, integrating them with other forms of teaching and practice.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP

• Make the best functional and formal use of natural materials and reusable raw materials identified and available in the area.

• Implement workstations that allow for the development of a manual and assembly-line construction process following the agreed design, quality, and schedule.

• Develop, together with the community, the work methodology and agreed-upon design modules, so that they constitute the model to be followed throughout the completion of the project.

• Provide advice and answer specific questions remotely