Stories of Transformation: From Gangs to Change

Some authors define resilience as the ability to develop skills and positive attitudes in an unpleasant scenery and under negative circumstances. In this tour, you will witness the resilience of a group of young people from the Egipto neighborhood in Bogotá. You will hear about their fascinating life stories, especially about their radical transformation from being gang members to becoming tour guides. They are eager to show you how their personal development influenced their social environment in a very positive way. This tour is a great way to have an approach to the reality of many Colombian underprivileged neighborhoods.

After being picked up in private transport, head to El Chorro de Quevedo, the founding place of Bogotá, with your English-speaking guide. Once there, meet one of the leaders of the Breaking Borders project who will be your local guide (there are 2 guides on this tour). Then, visit La Candelaria neighborhood, the place where the first aqueduct of Bogotá was located and the church of "Nuestra Señora de Egipto. Afterwards head deeper into the neighborhood through Calle 10, a so-called “Royal Street” where you will also find cobble-stoned streets and colorful houses with balconies. In the past, it was the only street that Egipto inhabitants could use to go to the city center.

Next, you will reach “El Cuadrado”, which once was a strategic point for the gangs for having control of the territory. Here, your tour guide will talk about the reasons that gave birth to the division of the community into 2 enemy gangs and why this violent conflict didn’t seem to have an exit. Learn about your guide's life as a criminal and how he turned his life around. Here, try a home-brewed "chicha" and a local snack. After that, you will pass through a slum where you will see the characteristics of an underdeveloped community. The community still struggles with access to basic utilities and most of the people don’t have a comfortable lifestyle. On the final stop of the tour, you will see an example of how the community has transformed for the better.