If there is anyone who understands the complex and challenging realities faced by the women of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, it is Kelly Johana Julio Donado. Her story mirrors that of many daughters, mothers, and families who have experienced violence but also hold onto hope, demonstrating through their wisdom that hardship can lead us to our purpose.
Kelly was born in Fundación 40 years ago and spent her childhood and youth in this municipality of Magdalena. Threats from an illegal group, allegedly responsible for her husband’s disappearance, forced her to flee with her young daughter. Displaced from her homeland, she moved to the capital of Samaria to start anew as a single mother and head of the household.
“My daughter was two years old when her father disappeared. We received a warning that we were next. I filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office, and to this day, the case is still being investigated by the office of Justice and Peace. They say he was tortured, killed, and buried,” recounts Kelly.
Despite her pain, Kelly found new meaning in life when she relocated to her final home: the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Here, she not only rediscovered love, but also the healing power of nature. She realized she was meant to serve and help other women who, like her, faced inequality, poverty, injustice, and a lack of education, alongside environmental challenges such as illegal resource exploitation and deforestation.
Initially, Kelly’s social leadership focused on improving living conditions in the most remote villages of the Sierra.
“The roads were unpaved and difficult, making it hard for people to travel to Santa Marta. I stepped-up as a leader to work with 27 families in 10 villages in the highest parts,” she explains.
Despite fears stemming from past traumas and the lawlessness that once prevailed in the region, Kelly became a cornerstone of social work in Minca and surrounding areas. She motivated residents, especially women, to conserve local wildlife and undertake community projects to overcome adversity.
Kelly’s commitment deepened after meeting Sara Inés Lara, Executive Director of Fundación ProAves and co-founder of Women for Conservation. Sara invited Kelly to join the mission of protecting endangered species through Women for Conservation’s three pillar approach: nature conservation, family planning, and sustainable living.
Seven years have passed since then. Today, Kelly balances her responsibilities between her family, personal projects, and coordinating Women for Conservation in the Sierra Nevada. Her work includes organizing cultural and artisanal craft workshops, leading environmental education in three schools, and collaborating with local communities near the El Dorado Reserve, home to over 300 species of birds, amphibians, and orchids, many of which are endangered. Kelly’s environmental awareness activities include training women in sustainable gardening, water conservation, and species protection, preparing them as future birdwatching guides. The goal is to foster female economic autonomy and sustainable livelihoods.
Since 2018, with the support of ProAves and leaders like Kelly, Women for Conservation’s family planning brigades have provided healthcare to over 310 women and girls in the region.
Women for Conservation’s founder, Sara Inés Lara, praises Kelly’s contributions to biodiversity conservation and improving living conditions for both people and wildlife.
“She was the first woman we trained to lead our programs empowering young people and women in education and accessible family planning. Thanks to her, we were able to reach and positively impact the communities surrounding the reserve. Kelly’s ability to connect with women and children has amplified our impact, allowing us to expand programming to other regions of the Caribbean. Kelly has taught us that we must continue to invest in the empowerment of local women, thirsty for opportunity and ready to take action on conserving our natural resources and helping other women grow.”
Kelly views family planning and environmental protection as intertwined, acknowledging that overpopulation impacts resource use. Her positive reputation in the region has also brought her to work closely with indigenous leaders requesting planning brigades to their communities.
Many indigenous people have called me from various parts of the Sierra to bring planning to their communities. Implementing these brigades can only be done through community organizing, respect for ancestral traditions, and permission from the mamos or highest indigenous leaders,” says Kelly, who was recently honored by the Mayor’s Office of Santa Marta for her leadership in the defense of women’s rights.
Each day, Kelly wakes up to the sound of water, wind, bird songs, and the incredible mountains of the Sierra, grateful for her destiny and contributions through her love for life and nature. She dreams of continuing her valuable role in the growing, inclusive community of Women for Conservation, helping other women to grow, be heard, and conserve natural resources.
