About Us
Our Logo
Our logo depicts the hicotea viewed from above, swimming forward. The pattern on its shell traces the branching waterways of La Mojana: the Cauca, San Jorge, and Magdalena rivers converging into a single living network. Just as these rivers meet to sustain one of Colombia's richest wetland ecosystems, Fundación Hicotea brings together international resources and local talent to nurture the next generation. The turtle swims forward, resilient, unhurried, purposeful.
Our Mission
Fundación Hicotea supports education, scientific research, and environmental conservation led by young people in the San Jorge and La Mojana wetland region of Sucre, Colombia. We bridge international resources with local talent to create lasting impact in one of Colombia's most ecologically important and underserved territories.
Why Hicotea?
The hicotea (Trachemys callirostris) is a freshwater turtle native to the wetlands of La Mojana. It symbolizes resilience, adaptation, and deep connection to the water ecosystems that define our region. Like the hicotea, the communities of La Mojana have thrived by adapting to the rhythms of water. And like the hicotea, they deserve protection and support.
La Mojana
La Mojana is a vast floodplain ecoregion in northern Colombia where the Cauca, San Jorge, and Magdalena rivers converge. Home to extraordinary biodiversity and centuries of amphibious culture, it is also one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the country. Our work centers on San Marcos, Sucre, a municipality at the heart of this territory.
Our Founder
Andrés Romero is a machine learning engineer originally from San Marcos, Sucre. Having grown up in La Mojana and built a career internationally in technology, he founded Fundación Hicotea to create a bridge between international resources and the talented young people of his home region.