

El Tambo
Colombia
Turning resilience into opportunity.
The Community.
El Tambo is a river community from Colombia’s Pacific rainforest creating opportunity through community farming and cultural storytelling. The community faces floods, isolation, and limited electricity but continues to thrive through resilience and creativity.
Community Dream
What we are co creating
The panela cooperative can become both an income source and a cultural bridge. With digital storytelling and fair-trade partnerships, El Tambo could connect with wider markets and share its identity through food. Tourism is not yet viable here, but digital products and social campaigns can help fund the first stage of production.
What's needed for growth
• Reliable access to electricity and internet
• Cooperative training and environmental permits
• Funding for basic production equipment and tools
Our Story Together
We have not yet travelled to Chocó but have worked closely through the recipe book project. Jhonnier’s stories and videos showed us the reality of life in El Tambo — the beauty of the rainforest, the struggle to access electricity, and the sense of community that keeps people moving forward.
The project.
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The Vision
Create a cooperative for panela production that provides stable jobs, supports local farming, and helps rebuild after floods. The goal is to reduce dependency on aid by generating consistent income through trade.
Jhonnier Moreno is a linguist, electrician, and community leader from El Tambo, a remote village near Quibdó. He represents his local council and works to improve living conditions for families affected by floods and poverty. He participated in the recipe book project, sharing the story of the pastel chocoano, a dish that helped feed his family during the pandemic and became a symbol of community strength.
What we are co-creating
The panela cooperative can become both an income source and a cultural bridge. With digital storytelling and fair-trade partnerships, El Tambo could connect with wider markets and share its identity through food. Tourism is not yet viable here, but digital products and social campaigns can help fund the first stage of production.
What's needed for growth
• Reliable access to electricity and internet
• Cooperative training and environmental permits
• Funding for basic production equipment and tools


Be part of the story.
Visit and learn directly from the community or support through artisan pieces and gift vouchers.

We don’t ask for donations.
Instead, we collaborate with communities to co-create physical and digital products, from recipes to experiences, that you can buy, gift, or enjoy.
Every purchase fuels local learning, reinvests into community growth, and supports long-term self-sustainability.



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