From the source to the confluence—A community journey to heal the San Antonio River

In the Andes of southwestern Colombia, the San Antonio River flows through one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet—disappearing underground through ancient rocky labyrinths, reappearing as a waterfall, and winding through the urban heart of Támesis before joining the Río Cartama. For generations, communities have swum into its waters, celebrated its shores and drawn their drinking water from its flow. Today, this relationship is under threat.

The Corporación Visión Suroeste is launching a two-year initiative to restore the San Antonio as a living, watery and drinkable river—not only as an environmental goal, but also as a cultural and ethical commitment rooted in the community’s deepest sense of what it is. Through participatory science, cultural activation, community governance, and territorial restoration actions, the initiative weaves together the ecological and social threads of the watershed, laying the groundwork for a ten-year regeneration program that could inspire rivers and communities across Colombia and beyond.