As international donors increasingly withdraw from global cooperation, grassroots organizations in the Global South are stepping up with bold, sustainable alternatives. One such organization is FEM Colombia, a community-driven initiative that’s transforming how Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities reclaim land, assert their rights, and shape their own futures.

On the 3rd of June, 2025, Kuja-hosted a webinar where we sat down with Ana Maria Gonzalez, Co-Founder of FEM, for a rich conversation on FEM’s model of inclusive development and their innovative approach to funding diversification. The webinar was a testament to how localized knowledge and community ownership are not just viable paths forward — they are essential.

Centering Land, Identity, and Rights

FEM’s work is deeply rooted in Colombia’s ethnically diverse and environmentally rich Pacific and Caribbean regions, where systemic inequalities persist. These areas experience higher rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and historic land dispossession. In response, FEM has helped over 20,000 people secure collective land titles, enabling communities to protect their territories and preserve cultural identity — a principle they call "Land Forever."

But FEM’s vision goes far beyond legal victories. They engage communities through ethno-education, ethno-health, and leadership training, especially targeting women and youth. Their work fuses legal advocacy with participatory planning, making development both inclusive and deeply rooted in local realities.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

FEM’s journey hasn’t been easy. Many traditional funders deemed the organization “too local,” financially unviable, or geographically inconvenient (being based in Cartagena rather than the capital, Bogotá). And the private sector wasn’t a likely ally, often due to conflicting interests around land ownership.

Rather than shrinking under this pressure, FEM got creative.

• They monetized their own value — calculating the worth of their volunteer contributions, community-owned infrastructure, and unique cultural knowledge.

• They launched social businesses, attracting angel investors and creating jobs for local vendors.

• They secured a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor, crowdfunded within their networks, and pursued South-South grant partnerships with funders who understood their context.

• FEM also transformed its governance, building a tiered support network of honorary members, associates, and friends to sustain community fundraising and outreach.

Lessons for the Global South — and the World

Ana Maria emphasized the importance of lean operations, continuous learning, and mission-aligned entrepreneurship. At FEM, building economic alternatives through community-based enterprises isn’t just about money — it’s about dignity, resilience, and justice.

Watch the recording of the session here. 

Speaker 

Ana Maria Gonzalez-Forero

Cofounder - FEM Colombia

www.femcolombia.org

Ana Maria is Colombian political scientist & mother of 2. Co-founded FEM (2007), securing land rights for 20,000 Afro-Colombians in 17 years via participatory models & social enterprises. Obama Scholar '18. Served Cartagena Gov't, tackling displacement & exploitation. Now with Voces Nuevas, advocating for Global South inclusion & a new world order.