Who we are
Asociación Sembrando Semillas de Paz (The Sowing Seeds of Peace Association), better known as “Sembrandopaz” is a grassroots peacebuilding organization, legally founded in 2005, but with an accumulation of nearly twenty years of social work—a legacy left by JUSTAPAZ. We are dedicated to facilitating the construction of peacebuilding capacities among grassroots organizations, with the goal of supporting processes of integral and sustainable human development within the populations of the Caribbean region in Colombia. We are a community committed to creative transformation towards holistic life plans that are sustainable, fair, and nonviolent, through pedagogical empowerment.
Organizational Structure
Sembrandopaz is legally organized as an Association. It includes a General Assembly of Associates, which is the maximum authority of the organization and meets annually. The Board of Directors is the head of the Assembly, assuring the implementation of organizational policies and agreements. The Sembrandopaz team has the responsibility to carry out the work of the organization according to the mission and vision, and the direction of its executive and operational leadership.
Mission
We are a community that respects human dignity and engages in creative transformation to become a restorative community space. We engage communities through the values of participatory education, nonviolent coexistence, spirituality, solidarity, dialogue, democracy and respect for the environment. We strive to generate ¨wealth¨ in a broad sense, through holistic human development that allows individuals to contribute to a more just and harmonious society.
Vision
We see ourselves as a sustainable community that serves as an inspiration, an example and a support network for other communities, helping them build sustainability through new forms of integration and collective efforts to overcome ignorance, inequality, poverty, and hunger.
Purpose
Sembrandopaz aims to be a facilitating space that supports the efforts of grassroots civil society organizations to build a sustainable culture of peace through social justice and sustainable human development, serving as an educational bridge between the population and state institutions to strengthen the public sector.
Our staff
Sembrandopaz staff is made up of a team of hard-working, dedicated and passionate individuals who are committed to the mission and vision of Sembrandopaz, as well as to the region. See below to meet each staff person!
Yeferson Arroyo Alvarez
Coordinator of the Villa Bárbara Experimental Farm
Leonardo Banquez Vargas
Chócoro and Community Entrepreneurship Promotor
Yesica Blanco Lozano
Co-Coordinator of Political Culture work
James Castro Vergara
Agroecology Specialist
Narciso Diaz
Villa Bárbara Experimental Farm Administrator
Ricardo Esquivia Ballestas
Founder and Director of Sembrandopaz
Estefany González Genes
Environmental Promotor
Lillian Hall
Coordinator of Morrocoy Nature Reserve
Ricardo Hidalgo Chamorro
Administrative and Community Support
Veronica Montaño Chamorro
Co-Coordinator of Political Culture
Yennis Ochoa
Citizens Agoras Coordinator
Daris Padilla Guzman
Financial and Administrative Assistant
Stella Ramos Doria
Financial Coordinator
Oswaldo Sierra Mercado
Morrocoy Nature Reserve Administrator
Jes Stoltzfus Buller
Associate Director of Sembrandopaz
Adriana Terán Pérez
Accountant
Oscar Vergara Torres
Co-Coordinator of Economy for Good Living
Jose Vergara
Financial Assistant
Maria Alejandra Yepes
Community Promotor for Youth Protectors Program
Camila Yepes Monterrosa
Community Promotor for Women’s Programs
Mudimka Kassam
Community Liaison with MCC Seed Program