Sowing Hope: communities coming together to rebuild their homes
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On August 10, 2026, 7:34 a.m., the ground shook across much of western Colombia. In less than two minutes, dozens of families saw their homes crack, collapse, or become uninhabitable.
Although the magnitude 7.4 earthquake was centered in San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó, its impact was strongly felt throughout the mountains and rural areas of Valle del Cauca.
In La María and San Juan, two rural communities in Valle del Cauca supported by Impulso Verde, those ninety seconds were enough to change daily life for many families.
But the story of La María and San Juan did not begin with the earthquake.
For more than two years, these communities have been building collective solutions to care for their territory through community nurseries, environmental education, and sustainable livelihood projects. With support from Impulso Verde, these local initiatives have grown stronger, fostering community leadership and mutual support networks. When the earthquake struck, it did not find passive communities waiting for outside assistance. Instead, it found people already equipped to organize, support one another, and respond together.
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La María: a rural community in the mountains above Cali
In La María, a rural community located in the mountains surrounding Cali, post-earthquake assessments revealed a stark reality: 19 families, representing 72 people, are currently living in homes that have partially or completely collapsed.
Despite complex land tenure conditions, these families are deeply integrated into community life. Several have long participated in the native species community nursery developed with the support of Impulso Verde.
Technical evaluations showed that many homes were built using traditional construction methods that are particularly vulnerable to strong seismic events. In many cases, foundations, walls, and roofs lacked the structural connections needed to withstand an earthquake of this magnitude.
With support from Impulso Verde and Álvarez Hurtado Ingeniería SAS, reconstruction efforts are now focused on earthquake-resistant techniques adapted to rural contexts, including reinforced foundations, treated guadua bamboo structures, and anchoring systems designed to improve resilience against future earthquakes. The goal is not simply to repair homes, but to rebuild them in a safer and more sustainable way.
While this work moves forward, families continue to do their part. They have cleared debris by hand, secured unsafe areas, and found temporary ways to shelter themselves and their loved ones.
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San Juan: a rural community in Yotoco where the school was also affected
In San Juan, a rural community in the municipality of Yotoco, the earthquake also affected families connected to the local school, where more than 350 children and young people take part in environmental education activities and a specialty coffee project.
Technical assessments carried out in the community and surrounding areas highlight the scale of the damage: 12 of the 14 buildings inspected suffered partial or total collapse, and several structures are now considered at critical risk. Significant ground fissures also point to broader hillside instability affecting the area.
In total, 229 people were impacted, including members of the school community.
Among them is the Hernández family. Their home partially collapsed while a 10-year-old child and his 76-year-old grandmother were still living there. Their experience reflects a reality shared by many families in the region: losing a home overnight because existing structures were unable to withstand an earthquake of this scale.
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Six families, one shared hope
A few weeks after the earthquake, media attention began to fade. The needs, however, remain.
Many families still lack access to safe housing, and rebuilding to appropriate standards requires time, resources, and technical support.
That is why we are continuing our Sowing Hope campaign.
Our goal is to support six families, three in La María and three in San Juan, as they rebuild their homes. To make this possible, we aim to raise $90,000 to cover construction materials, essential household items, tools, and the technical assistance required to rebuild safely.
We do not want to tell this story only through what has been lost. We also want to highlight what these families are already doing: maintaining community nurseries, teaching their children to care for the land, and organizing collectively to face the challenges ahead.
Because rebuilding is about more than restoring walls. It is about helping families regain a place they can call home, ensuring children can grow up safely, and enabling communities to continue believing in their future.
How you can help
Rebuilding is a collective effort, and your support can make a lasting difference.
You can make a donation today through:
Every contribution becomes concrete support into reality: cement, treated guadua, reinforcing steel, roofing materials, and other essentials needed to provide six families with a safe place to call home again.
Because rebuilding a home is about more than restoring walls. It is about helping families regain stability, security, and hope for the future.
Who is Impulso Verde?
Impulso Verde is a Colombian-French nonprofit organization that has worked in Colombia for 10 years, mainly in the departments of Nariño and Valle del Cauca. During this time, it has planted 1.5 million trees alongside a network of 200 families connected to community nurseries, 70% of whom are women. Through the environmental education program Mi Amiga la Naturaleza, it has raised awareness among more than 10,000 children and young people about caring for their territory. Its multidisciplinary and multicultural team has been recognized nationally and internationally for its conservation work and community engagement.
Impulso Verde Kuaspue
E-mail: contacto@impulsoverde.org
WhatsApp: (+57) 321 8737202
