El Tambo
Colombia
Turning resilience into opportunity.
A local leader from Colombia’s Pacific rainforest creating opportunity through community farming and cultural storytelling. Jhonnier represents El Tambo, a river community that faces floods, isolation, and limited electricity but continues to thrive through resilience and creativity.
The Community
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.
Community Dream
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.
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.
Obstacles
• Limited access to electricity and internet
• Need for 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.
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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The power of the collective starts here.
Social media becomes social elevation.
Every like, share and view generates income for creators and funds real community projects.
This is what the power of the collective looks like.
