GUARDIANS OF THE SACRED RIVER

Known as the ecological capital of Colombia, Minca is a small and charming town located in the foothills of Sierra Nevada, it is famous for its mild climate, lush vegetation, waterfalls, rivers, top ranking biodiversity and traditional Coffee and Cacao tours, it is therefore becoming a growing eco-tourism destination. However its main river is facing ecological degradation due to disorganized tourism, limited wastewater infrastructure, deforestation and global warming.

Working with a community-led Collective, the goals are to increase environmental education, implement a passive greywater treatment system, promote the use of low-cost household grease traps, strengthen an existing biofilter and create the "Water Festivals" to promote a sense of collective ownership towards the river while encouraging artistic expressions like dance and music, together with local entrepreneurships in gastronomy, crafts and community-based tourism.