When La Florida was first occupied, the families had huge amounts of land, firewood and access to fruit trees and an ample source of pure water. However, they had no infrastructure or supplies. Without houses or existing structures, they created homes out of scrap metal, nylon, bamboo and anything else they could harness to keep the elements, particularly the violent rains, out of their new homes.
One would think that today, finally, life would be smiling at the people of La Florida. True, they have come a long way but a lot remains to be done. Having been abandoned for eight years, the coffee production of the finca is still insufficient to provide income for the community. This is why projects, such as the Ecotourism, have become an important way for the community to move forward and develop – step by step. The future is full of promises.
SCIDECO is formed of four different communities, Retiro, Guadalupe, La Florida and Rio Negro. Each of the communities is represented in the SCIDECO Coordinating board, elected every two years. The President of the Coordinating Board acts as the legal representative and spokesperson of the organization. In short, SCIDECO is the legal entity representing its members.
Finca Comunitaria La Florida is a collective community based on democratic decision-making and equality. The community members form part of SCIDECO, a labor union designed to fight for the campesino rights in the area of Colomba, and the organization through which the community finally won their right to land.
The internal organization of the community is composed of the General Assembly, in which each member of the community has a vote and no individual or group has the right for veto. Every two years the General Assembly chooses a Directive Board and a President for the community. Also every two years, the General Assembly elects members for the different Committees in La Florida, whose task is to coordinate the multiple projects run in the community, including Ecotourism.
