Between October 26 and 31, a team from Fiare Banca Ética and the Ethical Finance Foundation traveled to the department of Nariño, in southwestern Colombia, to learn firsthand about the community processes, agroecological initiatives, and Solidarity Economic Circuits (CES) supported by the Suyusama Foundation. This educational visit, promoted by the Ethical Banking Group together with Alboan and Suyusama, took place within the framework of the COMPARTE Network, with the purpose of closely understanding how communities in the Global South build fair, sustainable, and cooperation-based economic alternatives.
The journey took place in a territory characterized by its cultural and ecological diversity, where rural, Indigenous, youth, and urban communities have spent years developing projects aimed at achieving a dignified, equitable, and sustainable life. Through meetings, dialogues, and field visits, the delegation learned about experiences that reflect Suyusama’s commitment to social organization, the solidarity economy, and care for our Common Home, inspired by Ignatian spirituality and the pursuit of social justice.
During these five days, the delegation visited initiatives linked to two Solidarity Economic Circuits promoted by Suyusama: the Enjambre Network and Economy for Life. The CES are conceived as spaces that connect practices, organizations, and actors of the Social and Solidarity Economy, integrating sectors such as agroecological production, solidarity finance, fair trade, responsible consumption, community tourism, and ancestral health. Their mission is to respond to the fundamental needs of communities and to promote a social and political movement oriented toward the sustainable transformation of the territory.
Enjambre Network: coming together for life
The delegation began with experiences from the Enjambre Network, which brings together more than 20 organizations and 200 families from Nariño and Putumayo. Among the initiatives visited were:
-
El Jardín de Mamá Luz, an eco-urban project in Pasto dedicated to creating home gardens, designing green spaces, and providing environmental education.
-
The Agro-environmental Association Corazón de María, made up mainly of rural women and youth, which promotes agroecological production and the conservation of watersheds, soils, and biodiversity.
-
The Flor de Monte Association, a collective of rural women committed to agroecology and food processing.
These experiences show how community collaboration strengthens the local economy and increases opportunities for women, youth, and farming families.
Within this network, ongoing work explores how technology can foster economic systems that promote new ways of relating to one another, in support of life and all that sustains it.
Economy for Life: production and consumption for Buen Vivir
The tour continued with initiatives linked to the CES Economy for Life, present in Chachagüí, La Unión, San Lorenzo, and Taminango. There, the delegation visited:
-
ASOMUEVE, a women’s organization that runs a rural bakery as an alternative for the local economy.
-
Association of Youth Seeds of Tomorrow – ASJOSMA and Café Curiquingue, a youth-led enterprise that processes and markets high-quality coffee with a technical and sustainable approach.
-
Vista Hermosa School Farm, a learning space where agroecological production, conservation, and the transmission of campesino knowledge are integrated.
Agroecology based on trust and community tourism
In the area surrounding the Galeras volcano, the delegation learned about the Canastas Verdes process and its Participatory Guarantee System (SPG), which certifies agroecological practices based on trust, transparency, and collective learning, strengthening ties between rural and urban communities.
They also visited sustainable tourism initiatives in La Cocha, such as Reserva del Búho and Hospedaje Los Duendes, which combine environmental conservation, cultural identity, and community-based economy.
Encounter with the Quillasinga people
A significant moment was the visit to the Indigenous Council of Obonuco, where discussions focused on cultural identity, memory, and territorial defense—central elements of the spirituality and political project of the Quillasinga people.
An exchange that strengthens the network
The visit fostered learning and alliances among Fiare Banca Ética, the Ethical Finance Foundation, Suyusama, Alboan, and the COMPARTE Network. The exchange reaffirmed the value of building economies that place life at the center, driven by cooperation, territory, and community.
