Julián David Padilla
Business for Social Good
Julián left One Young World 2017 inspired but with no clear route of action. He connected with a project supporting the most vulnerable communities in District 18 in Cali. The forced migration of rural communities as a result of the civil war has resulted in many being underserved by social services such as healthcare and education.
In the last few years, with the support of RB, the project has provided five protective spaces for over 5,000 children, providing nursery spaces, education services and new opportunities to grow and live in peace. It has impacted over 400 families with a social programme to help the community to better support itself. A further 20 women have been provided with leadership training. These initiatives contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project so it is not indefinitely reliant on support from volunteers and RB.
The next phase is for Julián and RB is to leverage the company’s expertise to address clean water issues and sanitation in the community, and replicate this model in more and more communities around Colombia.
This new stage is transforming cultural hygiene practices linked with Lysol and Sanpic brands impacting more than 560 families and around 3.800 people in this same district through social and environmental education programmes which will allow people to have healthier lives and happier homes.
This is a new era of the project. RB is now restoring the communities eco-socially allowing them to have a new way of living. Eco-restoration will reduce the environmental impact on the Melendez river which is one of the main hydric sources of Cali, Valle del Cauca. Social-restoration will transform hygiene practices by changing the waste management habits.