The CUIDÁ: vigias ambientales (TAKE CARE: environmental lookouts) project was initiated by the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley in October 2006 to address issues around sustainable development in the risk management and climate change and to reduce the number of deaths from natural disasters.

 

The CUIDÁ environmental committees contribute to the realization of risk reduction strategies through community empowerment activities. Community plans for risk management, environmental supervision, social appropriation of the territory, and food safety activities as a measure to adapt to climate change have been developed.

 

Objectives include:

• identification and monitoring of risk scenarios, through tours of the territory
• protection of natural resources
• adoption of ravine river sections
• implementation of community strategies to respond to emergencies and disasters

The CUIDÁ environmental committee’s mission is the recognition of the environmental conditions of the Aburrá Valley, in order to advance actions of protection, prevention, recovery by monitoring critical situations that arise. The committees act in a coordinated manner with the community, the Mayor's office, care agencies, schools and other entities and people, in order to recognize and intervene in a timely manner the risks facing the Aburrá Valley.

 

The Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley has been working with CUIDÁ committees to rollout  a food security program. The establishment of organic garden plots in community areas and in some educational institutions has contributed to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases and improving food security for vulnerable people.

 

Female participation in leadership and facilitation roles is a key priority of the CUIDÁ project and specific training has been provided

 

General training programs on climate change have been implemented at community level and in educational institutions to empower all citizens to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

 

• These projects depend on the support of the city administration, which due to lack of resources or non-prioritization of the project can sometimes delay contracting processes. 
• The CUIDÁ committees are comprised on volunteers and people can leave at any time which makes planning programs complex.
• There may be conflicts between committee members which can lead to people leaving the committee.
• The weather can also effect  participation, as some people will not attend on very hot or cold days.

In 2017, the Municipality of Escazú (Costa Rica) commenced discussions with the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley, in order to exchange experiences in community management of risk prevention against natural disasters. The contact was made with the support of the Triangular Cooperation Program of the Government of Spain and Costa Rica, which resulted in a group of local leaders from Escazú visiting Medellín in April 2017, and in October 2017 leaders of Medellín visited Escazú. Subsequently, a cooperation agreement was signed to advance bilateral cooperation, and to encourage the exchange of experiences of management in prevention and risk mitigation including to advance the development of an Early Warning System (SIATA) in Escazú, based on technical support and experience that the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley has in this area.

 

The development of the exchange of experiences carried out by community leaders and professionals of the Risk Management Unit of the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley, generated a very positive impact in all tasks that are oriented towards knowledge, risk reduction, disaster management, characterization of risk scenarios, monitoring, community response strategy, leadership, environmental management, and other educational subjects.

 

This project allowed the project leaders to learn about good practices in other cities so that they can use this knowledge and adjust it to local plans and empower their community to recognize the signs of emergencies and the entities that provide them the necessary support during times of natural disasters. 

 

Some project leaders have travelled to other countries to share their experiences and this has provided motivation to members of the CUIDÁ youth groups in terms of future opportunities available. Additionally, many leaders have generated innovative proposals in order to facilitate co-operation with other countries.