Saltamontes Network 

In response to Colombia’s 2016 Peace Process, the founders of Saltamontes Network— Zackary S. Lash, a student at Swarthmore College, and Geovanny De Los Reyes, an art teacher and survivor of the Colombian Armed Conflict—contemplated how they could contribute to peacebuilding efforts on the ground.

 

In 2017, Saltamontes Network was sponsored by Swarthmore College’s Peace & Conflict Studies Department to work with Colombian communities impacted by the Conflict. Following the success of this initial community assessment, Zackary was awarded the Joanna Rudge Long 56’ Award in Conflict Resolution in 2018 to return to Colombia and continue developing this peacebuilding project. Zackary’s undergraduate thesis, documenting Saltamontes’ trajectory and impact, received Highest Honors from external examiners.

 

By 2019, Saltamontes Network was established in Colombia as a fully recognized and operational nonprofit organization. In 2020, Saltamontes received the fiscal sponsorship of the Institute for Education, Research and Scholarships (IFERS), an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity organization based in California.

 

Since graduating from Swarthmore College, Zackary and his partner Geovanny have stayed on as Saltamontes’ Co-Directors, dedicating themselves to building the organization into a robust force for social innovation, interconnectivity, and positive peacebuilding efforts in Colombia.

 

With a core team of nine and direct access to an increasingly vast web of local relationships, including government officials, education systems, and community organizations, Saltamontes continues to grow its scope and impact.

 

Since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Saltamontes Team has been working remotely, focusing its resources on mentoring local leaders and their initiatives. When conditions permit, Saltamontes will continue to connect virtually with communities who have built up the appropriate infrastructure to do so. Saltamontes will also reactivate programs and activities that have been put on hold since March 2020, including a volunteer program for local high school students in Cartagena and in-person visits to community partners.