Amplifying Democracy and Just Elections in Colombia 2022

01 — Project details

As a Digital Strategist for Global Exchange in 2022, I coordinated the efforts of 15 reporters deployed in the Montes de María region, including Palo Altico, María la Baja, El Guamo, San Onofre, and Chalán, which are home to indigenous and black farming communities, with additional coverage anchored in Cali and Bogota. The primary objective was to amplify the message of democracy and fair elections, emphasizing the participation of marginalized communities. This case study highlights the successful execution of the strategy and the subsequent efforts to assess the progress made by the leftist president, Gustavo Petro, in fulfilling his promises.

02 — Campaign Focus

Global Exchange's social media channels became the primary platform for disseminating information related to the Colombia Elections. The campaign emphasized the historic victory of Gustavo Petro as the head of the Pacto Histórico, a progressive coalition of political parties and social movements. The critical message revolved around empowering underempowered communities, such as indigenous people, Afro-Colombians, and low-income farmers, by including them in government decision-making processes.

03 — My Role

As a Digital Strategist, my role was to oversee the campaign's coordination. I worked closely with the 15 reporters stationed in different states in Colombia. Our team of journalists captured stories, conducted interviews, and provided regular updates on the electoral process's progress. By coordinating efforts across multiple regions, we ensured comprehensive coverage of the elections.

Translation and Amplification:

To reach a wider audience and amplify the message, all reporters' content was translated into English and Spanish. This approach catered to the international audience while effectively engaging the local population. By leveraging Global Exchange's extensive social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, we ensured maximum visibility for the campaign and its message of democracy and just elections.

2022 Colombia Elections Live Webinar

+12%

The average engagement rate on posts related to the campaign significantly higher than the industry average of 3%.

230 media mentions

The team of 15 reporters produced interviews, and reports during the campaign period that garnered media coverage.

1 powerful collaboration

Partnering with SíPaz, the campaign facilitated coverage of five regional dialogues, generating 50 detailed reports on community aspirations and government strategies. This collaborative effort amplified the voices of indigenous and black farming communities.

+10,000

citizens participated in real-time polling apps during the regional dialogues, providing feedback on government strategies and public policies.

Supporting Community and Alternative Media: Global Exchange collaborated with the national community and alternative media network, SíPaz, to report from five regional dialogues organized by the government. SíPaz's professional journalists were deployed to capture the aspirations of various social groups participating in the dialogues. Additionally, real-time polling apps were utilized to measure the effectiveness of the government's strategies in empowering ordinary citizens to co-construct public policies.