BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//PYVOBJECT//NONSGML Version 1//EN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Africa/Nairobi BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20000101T000000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=1 TZNAME:EAT TZOFFSETFROM:+0300 TZOFFSETTO:+0300 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20261014T133412Z - 45597@3e408194c951 DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Nairobi:20250603T180000 DTEND;TZID=Africa/Nairobi:20250603T190000 CREATED:20261014T133412Z DESCRIPTION:Diversifying Funds and Mobilizing Communities for Justice and Progress: The Case of FEM Colombia\nAs international donors incre asingly withdraw from global cooperation\, grassroots organizations in the Global South are stepping up with bold\, sustainable alternatives. One su ch organization is FEM Colombia\, a community-driven initiative that’s t ransforming how Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities reclaim land\, a ssert their rights\, and shape their own futures. On the 3rd of June\, 202 5\, Kuja-hosted a webinar where we sat down with Ana Maria Gonzalez\, Co-F ounder of FEM\, for a rich conversation on FEM’s model of inclusive deve lopment and their innovative approach to funding diversification. The webi nar was a testament to how localized knowledge and community ownership are not just viable paths forward — they are essential.Centering Land\, Ide ntity\, and Rights FEM’s work is deeply rooted in Colombia’s ethnicall y diverse and environmentally rich Pacific and Caribbean regions\, where s ystemic inequalities persist. These areas experience higher rates of pover ty\, limited access to healthcare and education\, and historic land dispos session. In response\, FEM has helped over 20\,000 people secure collectiv e land titles\, enabling communities to protect their territories and pres erve cultural identity — a principle they call "Land Forever." But FEM ’s vision goes far beyond legal victories. They engage communities throu gh ethno-education\, ethno-health\, and leadership training\, especially t argeting women and youth. Their work fuses legal advocacy with participato ry planning\, making development both inclusive and deeply rooted in local realities.Turning Obstacles into Opportunities FEM’s journey hasn’t b een easy. Many traditional funders deemed the organization “too local\, ” financially unviable\, or geographically inconvenient (being based in Cartagena rather than the capital\, Bogotá). And the private sector wasn ’t a likely ally\, often due to conflicting interests around land [...] DTSTAMP:20261014T133412Z LOCATION:Kuja\, Kenya SUMMARY:Diversifying Funds and Mobilizing Communities for Justice and Progr ess: The Case of FEM Colombia END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR