Forty-seven hectares of Hacienda Nápoles, famous for having
once belonged to Pablo Escobar, the late leader of the Medellin
drug cartel, will now be used for an income-generating project
benefiting 120 families of demobilized persons and vulnerable
populations in the municipality of Puerto Triunfo, Antioquia
Department.



The families will grow 1,350 tonnes of chilli peppers per year and
sell them to the multinational company Amazon through the Colombian
company Comexa. The beneficiaries will earn an average of USD 275
per month during the first year, and approximately USD 325 per
month from the second year on. The families will also receive
technical training to develop structures to guarantee the long-term
sustainability of the project once IOM assistance is finished.



The Hacienda Nápoles, now property of the Colombian
government, will be used by IOM to implement this project, part of
a reintegration and community development programme in the
departments of Antioquia and Sucre, in coordination with the Senior
Presidential Counsellor for Reintegration.



The programme is financed by the Colombian cement company Cementos
Argos through its Foundation and by United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) with grants of nearly USD 1.3
million from each donor.



The public-private partnership created by IOM in 2006 with Cementos
Argos and USAID, supports economic and social recovery for persons
reintegrating into civilian life and the residents of host
communities. In Colombia, more than 31,000 men and women are in the
process of reintegrating into civilian life following the
demobilization of certain illegal armed groups following
negotiations with the government.



In handing over the land, Frank Pearl, Senior Presidential
Counsellor for Reintegration, said: "This project represents the
business model that the Colombian State wants to implement in the
rest of the country to benefit demobilized persons, their families
and communities."



This project, which is the first to be implemented under the
alliance of public and private organizations, also includes
complementary activities such as social, environmental,
entrepreneurial strengthening, and educational activities. The
education component will build and/or adapt and equip computer
rooms that will benefit 1,200 children and 75 teachers in 24
schools.



For more information contact



Jorge Andres Gallo

IOM Bogota

Tel: 57.311 5619495 or 57.1.5946410 ext. 142

Email: "mailto:jgallo@oim.org.co">jgallo@oim.org.co