Although the conflict officially ended with the demobilization of the paramilitary in 2006, in many rural places the violence persisted. Here it was only in 2011 that families who had fled because of the violence began to return. When they did, they had to basically start their lives over, and the only thing they had to offer was land, which they sold as quickly as possible to provide for their families. Tourism had already begun in Colombia in the cities, and international travelers and investors began to see the  region as an incredible investment opportunity: breathtaking views, close to the city and ocean, cooler climate and incredibly cheap land. They could envision tourism and began to build the hostels, hotels and restaurants that exist today.Â
Unfortunately the majority of those benefiting from the tourism and economic opportunities here are foreign. Many businesses opt to have volunteers instead of give jobs to locals. The overload of tourism is straining the infrastructure and leaving the community without water, in some cases draining their sewage directly into the river, and there is more trash polluting the area everyday.
We created the museum to increase awareness and promote sustainable tourism, so everything the museum earns is reinvested in community projects such as free English classes, scholarship/job searches, business help, translations and publicity, local workshops and more. See our local projects page for more information!