Carlos Vives’ Foundation Tras La Perla: Transforming Santa Marta
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — Colombian songwriter and artist Carlos Vives was the recipient of one of two “Agents of Change” awards at the Premios Juventud in 2025. The singer of hits like “La Bicicleta” and “Colombia, mi Encanto” was honored for his developmental projects in Santa Marta and the Colombian Caribbean through his foundation, Tras La Perla. Myke Towers, Puerto Rican singer and fellow “Agent of Change” recipient, presented Vives with the award. Towers stated (author’s translation), “He has connected neighborhoods, taken care of their ecosystem, and instilled a sense of identity and future. That’s good leadership.”
Poverty and Sanitation Issues in Santa Marta and Ciénaga Grande
The National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) reported that the city of Santa Marta ranked third at the national level in 2024 as one of the cities with the highest poverty index in Colombia. About 45 km southeast of Santa Marta, Ciénaga Grande is an estuary ecosystem home to nearly 20,000 people. Residents live in houses built on the water and rely on fishing in the coastal lagoon to survive. However, due to increasing pollution of the ecosystem, access to clean water and fish has been diminishing since the 1980s. In 2000, the site was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Tras La Perla’s Impact in the Colombian Caribbean
Carlos Vives’ foundation Tras La Perla was co-founded with his wife, Claudia Elena Vásquez, to improve the quality of life in Santa Marta, Sierra Nevada and Ciénaga Grande. Through a respectful approach to nature and culture, Tras La Perla works to strengthen social bonds, encourage entrepreneurship and protect the environment.
Tras La Perla’s work includes projects such as:
- Habitat Cumbiana. A project focused on promoting clean water access and sanitation in the community of Buenavista, Ciénaga Grande, with support from the water and sanitation team at the Andean Development Corporation (CAF). As of 2025, Tras La Perla, CAF and the Tim Reynolds Foundation have worked to renovate three houses with fully functional water and sanitation systems. The program also evaluates the quality of water returned to Ciénaga after domestic use to prevent pollution.
- Job training and self-employment. Tras La Perla’s educational workshops teach practical skills, especially for women who are heads of household. For example, one program offered a free class on flower decoration for events. The workshop was aimed at women between the ages of 30 and 45.
- Scholarships. The foundation uses its own resources and seeks partners to support technical, technological and professional education. In 2022, Tras La Perla donated 50% of the tuition cost for Gunzareiman Villafaña Torres, an Indigenous student at the University of Magdalena (UNIMAGDALENA). UNIMAGDALENA contributed 40%, and the Arhuaca community covered the remaining 10%.
- Ciclo Vital. A sexual education program focused on healthy practices, fertility and consent. Underage marriage in Colombia was at 23% in 2015, according to UNICEF data. In the same report, more than 80% of Colombian women surveyed had had intercourse before their 18th birthday. Child marriage affects women’s ability to continue education and increases the likelihood of poverty.
- Pedagogic project. La Casa de los Pescaitos began as a space dedicated to children, encouraging them to learn through play. It is now a dynamic institution that responds to community needs. The center has offered environmental awareness workshops for children.
- Casa de la Danza. A cultural center that offers artistic activities where children and local youth can cultivate their talents.
Looking Ahead
Carlos Vives’ foundation Tras La Perla earned the Colombian singer an “Agent of Change” award at the Premios Juventud. The charity has made a positive impact on the lives of residents in Santa Marta and Ciénaga Grande through projects that educate communities about health and the environment. It has provided tools for people to advance their careers and make a living while helping preserve the cultural heritage of the region.
– Johanna Lorena Arredondo González
Johanna is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.