GeoPark completes second stage of Putumayo Soñado community leadership & sustainable development partnership

Forty community leaders from Puerto Asis completed the second stage of the Putumayo Soñado public-private-community partnership at a closing ceremony last Friday. The initiative by the Javeriana Cali University’s Institute of Intercultural Studies and GeoPark subsidiary La nueva Amerisur aimed to strengthen community leadership and promote sustainable development in the region.

Community leaders taking part in the project strengthened their leadership skills for over a year, and designed projects to support development in Puerto Asis. Experts from Javeriana Cali led the training process, in which participants had the opportunity to design nine projects focusing including road infrastructure, biodiversity protection and sustainable production focused on the promotion of integral development in Puerto Asis.

Representatives of the Putumayo Government’s Competitiveness Department, the Puerto Asis Mayor’s Office, the Regional Ombudsman’s Office, the National Institute of Land Transit and Transport, the Putumayo Chamber of Commerce and other key entities attended the closing ceremony.

“In the course of the program we have seen how each of the leaders have strengthened their capacities to create and design projects that not only transform the reality of Puerto Asis, and also how they dream of long-term sustainable development for this region,” La nueva Amerisur Neighbor Relations coordinator Mayrene Forero said at the ceremony. “That is precisely the legacy we want to leave: initiatives that promote the integral and sustainable development of our neighboring communities.”

Juan Camilo Lopez, a researcher at the Javeriana Cali Institute of Intercultural Studies, said: “This project is a clear example of how intersectoral collaboration can lead to true social transformation, ensuring that all members of the community are not only heard, but also empowered to lead change.”

Luz Mery Hermida is a community leader from the rural area of Puerto Asis, and added that: “Thanks to Putumayo Soñado we have made new connections in the community, discovered new colleagues and renewed our commitment to our communities. At the end of this training, we, as leaders, are committed to taking advantage of this opportunity and continuing to work for the sustainable development of our territory. A very important lesson is that collective work will be the key to our efforts bearing fruit.”

Implementing Putumayo Soñado reflects the Company’s commitment to help create a legacy of prosperity in Putumayo while respecting and promoting human rights, and contributing to the consolidation of peace in communities.

ABOUT GEOPARK

GeoPark is a leading Latin American oil and gas exploration and production company with assets in Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil, and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 2014. It is Colombia’s second largest oil producer with close to 8% of total national production. Since it was founded, GeoPark has had an Integrated Value System called SPEED, which summarizes the Company’s commitment in five critical areas: Safety, Prosperity, Employees, Environment and Community Development. SPEED has been GeoPark’s key to attracting the best talent, being the preferred partner, the best neighbor and developing a successful, safe and sustainable operation.

For more information: conexiones@geo-park.com