As mentioned before, Colombia suffers from very high levels of inequality when it comes to social classes and access to education and support.
Many locals in the Isla Barú area are unaware of the importance of the ecosystem in which they live. A large part has never seen the underwater world in person and therefore pollutes it carelessly. In order for these people to understand that without healthy seas and corals they will be unemployed in a few years (because the beaches will be eroded and the area will be overfished), they need to be taught this knowledge.
Our Footprint Foundation takes participants on educational snorkeling trips to the reefs next to their homes. There they can learn about the colorful and fragile underwater world. Afterwards, participants are taught about the value of this ecosystem and simple, applicable and sustainable solutions for daily life in a nature reserve.
The goal is to create awareness of conservation and its personal importance, thereby encouraging a more sustainable way of life.
During excursions specially designed for children, we teach vivid knowledge about the environment, in a way that cannot be taught in a classroom. With this we hope to make a powerful impression on the youngest generation, so that they can value the environment much more, and try to impact the country for the better in the long run. A free lunch afterwards helps to engage the children and to convince parents to allow us to care for their offspring for a day.
OFF also aims to provide the necessary knowledge and intellectual tools to help low-income families escape poverty and gain access to a more adequate standard of living and a promising future.
By offering workshops and presentations on easily applicable knowledge and techniques, we provide a source of information that is neither offered nor accessible to this segment of society. Topics are related to environmental protection but as well personal development & entrepreneurial skills.
