Strengthening Education in a Rural Community of Guerilla Ex-Combatants and Their Families: A Participatory Action Research Approach Toward Peace-Building in Colombia

• In Event: The Power of Culturally Responsive Education in a Global Context

Abstract

In the context of peacebuilding in Colombia, a community of guerilla ex-combatants and their families is creating an education project grounded in their values and culture. The purpose of this study is to strengthen education in a post-conflict rural community by designing and implementing informal educational programs based on the community’s values and culture; and building women capacity to lead and implement those programs in the community through a Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR). After two years of implementation, in this paper we present the challenges (related to the pandemic and the lack of government commitment) and opportunities (related to empowering women and children through cultural sustaining pedagogies) of long-term and participatory educational initiatives in complex social contexts.

Authors

• Lina Trigos-Carrillo, Universidad del Norte

• Laura Fonseca, London School of Economics

• Maria Alejandra Fino, Universidad de la Sabana

• Sebastian Quintero, Universidad de la Sabana