Cartagena de Indias: “House of Friends Who Buy, Use, and Don’t Throw Away”

The "Casa de Amigos que Compra, Usa y No Tira" initiative is a community-driven project inspired by ancestral bartering as an environmental and economic solution. It is designed as an exchange model that allows people to access goods and services in exchange for recyclable materials, generating job opportunities and raising environmental awareness.

Initially, the project targeted elderly people, children, and adolescents in vulnerable contexts. It then expanded to include young adults and women, aiming to improve their quality of life through income generation. Participatory processes were established with Community Action Boards and local leaders.

Implementing this strategy has promoted handicrafts made from recyclable materials to raise environmental awareness, reinforce motor skills, cognitive development, and make use of free time. Later, the commercialization of these products was encouraged. With the onset of COVID-19, funding sources were reduced, prompting the community to provide more recyclable materials, which led to the creation of exchange mechanisms that enhanced participants' well-being. Our innovative aspect was the implementation of both fixed and mobile Eco-shops for exchanging recyclables for goods and services. This model was scaled up to organized groups and organizations, ensuring sustainability and replicability in different contexts, promoting collective benefits and economic autonomy. The diversification of funding allowed the strategy’s sustainability, reducing dependency on external financing and benefiting households with unmet needs. The entire strategy has been aligned with the District Development Plan and the National Development Plan, involving social and community sectors, strengthening governance and citizen participation. A network with key actors has been consolidated, including waste pickers, environmental community managers, oversight bodies, and territorial councils, promoting environmental protection and social inclusion.

This initiative has been strengthened through circular economy strategies, with the backing of the Citizen Participation Council, and evaluated by the involved community.

To date, this practice remains active, and a network of environmental community managers, especially women, has been established, linked to various organizations promoting popular economy and collaborative work.

For more information: https://corporacioncasadeamigosmundial.org/