After 4 months of weaving networks of support, trust, and affection through the training of leaders from various communities, the closure of this special training process took place on Sunday, December 10th, at the Antonio José Lemus Guzmán Auditorium of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cauca. The event had a significant impact on the residents of the region.

The Diploma for Leaders in Community Health Promotion emerged as a proposal from Professor Carlos Erazo, an expert affiliated with the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Cauca. Initially, he developed a project called 'Leaders 2027' aimed at training individuals in community health promotion, which resulted in a single cohort. In the second half of 2023, a new initiative was born out of this project, taking the form of a diploma. The clear goal was to provide a diploma focused on contributing to the university's commitment to building peace within the department.

Approximately 60 people enrolled in this new diploma program, attending classes every 15 days on Saturdays, and later, in November, every 8 days as part of the closure activities. In the end, only 40 leaders completed the entire process successfully, maintaining an 80% attendance rate and completing an intervention project based on a community issue, using the tools acquired during the learning process."I think the most beautiful part was reading those projects. Many of them were handwritten because many people had difficulties accessing digital tools, yet they completed them. Reading about the issues and proposed solutions was the most enriching part," expressed Laura Isabel Rengifo Ávila, a medical resident and coordinator of the diploma program.

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Therefore, the critical task ahead, essential in the aspiration to positively impact the medium and long term, is to closely follow up on these intervention projects. This involves going beyond the academic walls to reach the communities, learn from them, and serve as a tool to contribute to and validate the knowledge and wisdom that people have empirically acquired, which are entirely valid."It is okay to believe and dream that we can change the world little by little. That's why I allow myself to quote the great teacher Héctor Abad Gómez, who said: 'Everything we do in the search for new agreements for coexistence, all the paths we open towards reconciliation, broaden the necessary stage for achieving the best possible quality of life'," concluded Dr. Rengifo.

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From this University of Excellence and Solidarity, we take pride in fostering community initiatives that contribute to peacebuilding across diverse fields such as medicine, arts, conflict resolution, and civic engagement, among others. This commitment, which we have upheld for over 7 years, is ingrained in our DNA as a regional hub of intellectual inquiry. We recognize that beyond educating future professionals, our mission must also be rooted in finding mechanisms to positively influence our surroundings, thereby enhancing the quality of life for the people of Cauca, the region, and the nation.

For more information:

Faculty of Health Sciences

Email: fsalud@unicauca.edu.co