Coomesar

In Colombia, the armed conflict has left deep scars, and even seven years after the signing of the peace agreement, many people continue to suffer from its consequences due to limited access to security, education, and stable income. Coomaser was founded by peace signatories in Colombia to support the reintegration of former FARC members into civil society, creating alternative livelihoods for them, their families, and other victims of the conflicts in the region, such as peasants and indigenous groups. The cooperative initially focused on fish farming and is now beginning to develop a tourism initiative.

The 11 peace signatories from Bolívar benefit from the cooperative through income generation and food security provided by fish farming. They see great potential for success through tourism, given their proximity to Cartagena, just 40 minutes away. San Basilio de Palenque—the first town in South America to free itself from colonial rule—is also nearby. Visitors will not only contribute to the economic sustainability for cooperative members, but also offer them a platform to share personal stories of how they lived through the conflict, thereby fostering reconciliation and contributing to peace building in Colombia.