For more than thirty years, the Afro community of La Sierra (Chiriguaná, Cesar) has suffered the effects of large-scale coal mining. Among its many victims: the multiple streams and aquifers in the territory, which have been affected by the deposit of particulate matter and the seepage of heavy metals into the water.
Faced with this situation, the Mujeres Guerreras de La Sierra, the company EKOFIL and many others teamed up to finance and install 250 clay filters in the homes of La Sierra. Produced from clay, activated carbon and colloidal silver, using ancient technologies, the EKOFIL filters are able to remove heavy metals, microorganisms and other residues from the water, ensuring that it is safe to drink. The filters have a useful life of three years, after which their main component must be replaced at a cost of around 30,000 Colombian pesos (EUR 8.00), thus offering a sustainable model for every household.