CREATING COMMUNITY IN COMUNA 13 - Medellin Colombia Feb 2018

CREATING COMMUNITY IN COMUNA 13

Medellin, Colombia February 2018

Simply mentioning the Medellin neighborhood known as Comuna 13 strikes fear in those who have heard of its notorious reputation as one of the most dangerous places in the world. But that was back in the days of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, daily homicides, and incessant fighting between the the government and cartels.

Ups and downs in the barrio

While things are far from perfect, today's community is enjoying economic growth and a flood of tourists that line the streets, purchasing helados and cafe from the local businesses.

The famous escaleras electronicas (outdoor escalators) are both practical and symbolic. linking the previously isolated barrio with the rest of the city. 

We were therefore very excited when we connected with the NGO Proyecto Prime founders Ed (an Aussie) and Diego (a Colombiano who lived in the
U.S.A. for a number of years) and they invited us to teach our leadership program to their advanced English students. On Sundays we joined the rest of the volunteers to help teach English.

In a word (or a few) they stole our hearts. While the class size varied over the three consecutive Wednesdays we had a core group of dedicated students.

The first two classes focused  on building skills in the areas of communication, conflict resolution, and goal-setting. They also had a chance to explore their dreams for their future in an exercise where they imagined their life in 10 years.

On the final day we sent them out into the community to interview residents about what they liked about their comuna and what things they would like to change.

The responses ranged from the mundane (too much dog waste on the sidewalks) to the aspirational (better educational opportunities for our children). 

There were also topics they refused to talk about, like the gangs that still exist, government corruption, and the drugs that continue to infiltrate the neighborhood. 

But, despite these concerns, two things differentiated today's problems from those that  terrified them in the past: the optimism and hope best exemplified by our young leaders.