About us

Our Mission


To promote the sustainable use of natural resources in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta and its foothills, while helping increase the well-being of local communities by developing socio-environmental programs. 


Who we are

We are a team of 4 permanent staff members who work to help create positive change in the Sierra Nevada region through socio-environmental projects. 

"It's easy to fall in love with Colombia's Sierra Nevada.

When I first visited Minca in 2010, I discovered a land of beautiful waterfalls, enormous jungle trees, snow-capped peaks and mountainside farms. More than nature, it was the warmth of the people here that drew me in. My understanding of the issues they faced was what led me to stay.

Through educational programs and animal clinics, we started by providing care for our community's pet population. Next, we focused on education as the foundation for a better future. Quickly, we understood that tourism was growing and we turned our attention there to reduce the negative effects created by this industry.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta has great potential but faces many challenges. It is a region with very low standards of education for children, insufficient opportunities, and high poverty rates.

We are working to fix these issues, one social or environmental project at a time. Yet what drives us most are not the challenges we face but the change we see around us.

We see it in the smiles of children now inspired to care of the environment. We see it on the faces of the volunteers we host and the people they help. "     - Diana Benincore Reyes, Director, Misión Gaia                                                     

Our Team

Diana Benincore

Executive Director

Adam Buzga

Mango Jam Coordinator & Sustainability Operations

Wilson Herazo

psychologist 

Rafael Velosa 

Veterinarian

Wendy Herazo


Andrea Medina

Operative assistant

volUnteers

Lina Jimenez

Operational Assistant

Diana Alzate

Animal Health & fundraising

BEST FRIENDS

Tito

Our paRtners

Misión Gaia works with rural communities, local schools, government and private organizations in the Minca, Sierra Nevada area. Together with different organizations, young students are given the opportunity to train comprehensively


Children Change Colombia 

·     Its mission is to support, empower and protect children and young people who are survivors or at risk of the most neglected problems in Colombia, strengthening local bases to positively impact their communities and defend their rights in the long term.



RIO ELEMENTO

·     Is a hostel located in Minca, provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a bar. In conjunction with the Gaia mission, 10th grade students from the beneficiary institutions of the project were given the opportunity to carry out professional practices, which contribute to their vocational training.


 


Casas Viejas

It is a hostel with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, comfortable rooms, high-quality food and drinks, and outdoor activities that make you live an authentic experience of connection with an inspiring natural environment.



finca san rafael

·    It wakes up with the chirping of toucans, hummingbirds, parrots and other of the 300 species of birds that inhabit this area. Being able to smell the coffee beans and watching them dry in the sun. Such is the life of visitors in the quiet Finca San Rafael.