El Tiempo, PDF Version (Spanish)
Several foundations came together to donate resistant houses according to the Raizal culture.
Providencia needs to be reborn after Hurricane Iota, which devastated 98 percent of the island. But the island is not alone in this titanic task, since Colombians have shown solidarity and have joined forces to rescue this treasure in the middle of the Caribbean.
One of the initiatives behind what will be the new island is Stand Up Providencia Renace, whose purpose is to build new homes that withstand future attacks from nature, but that are respectful of the Raizal culture.
Behind this movement, which is just beginning but has made significant progress, are Tamarin Foundation, Give To Colombia, Corporación Antioquia Presente, and Fi Providence.
Manuela Santos, promoter of the initiative and member of Tamarin Foundation, explains: “It is about building in a sustainable way, always integrating the community in order to maintain the tradition and identity that characterizes them so much,” adding that those who are behind Stand Up Providencia Renace “they are all close to the island. We are people who live on the continent but we have something there”, like a house, a relative, a friend or a memory.
As for the impact, they hope to have the greatest possible, but it all depends on the donations made. For this, there are platforms such as givetocolombia.org and vake.co/unidosporprovidencia, which are also enabled for foreigners.
In addition, you can donate to the account 073-11948241 in the name of Antioquia Presente, in charge of obtaining resources and led by Nicolás Ordóñez.
“What united us in the background and in essence is this desire that what we want to give these islanders is something that is very respectful of their customs (…), that they are involved in the design of their houses, they are involved in their water and sanitation solutions,” says Ángela María Tafur, president and co-founder of Give to Colombia.
The architect Simón Vélez, as well as island professionals, will participate in this process.
The message from Stand Up Providencia Renace is: “We have spent many years ignoring these islands, many years that they have been very isolated, so let us open our eyes and begin to value the treasure we have called Providencia, because it is a jewel that is not found nowhere else in the world.”