Handicrafts Made by Vulnerable and Displaced Families Now Sold at Eco-Tourism Souvenir Stores

August 12, 2009

Handicrafts Made by Vulnerable and Displaced Families Now Sold at Eco-Tourism Souvenir Stores

As of today, handicrafts and other products handmade by talented, displaced and vulnerable communities will be sold at the Tayrona National Park’s Eco-Tourism Souvenir Store, managed by Aviatur travel agency. Its beneficiaries, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are victims of people trafficking, anti-personnel mines, forced displacement and forced recruitment by illegal armed groups. In addition to marketing their products, this initiative seeks to offer them internships and job opportunities.

This program is made possible thanks to an agreement signed by Aviatur and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at Aviatur Bogota. The agreement was signed by Norberto Carrasco, general manager for Aviatur and José Ángel Oropeza, Chief of Party at IOM Colombia. Cara Thanassi, Deputy Director for USAID’s Office of Internally Displaced and Vulnerable Populations, signed the agreement as witness.

This initiative is part of the IOM’s Social Marketing Strategy financed by USAID that seeks to improve the life of vulnerable populations. It seeks to connect the private sector to this initiative as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. USAID’s contribution, distributed through OIM, for 2009 is worth $105,000.