Author: Gloria Hercilia Niño
Today we are going to have a conversation with the young Diana Cacais. She has been a native of Sibaté, Cundinamarca for over 25 years, and her story is as follows:
Her mother came from a town in Tolima, from which they were displaced. She walked along the highway toward Bogotá in search of a better future and a better life for herself and her daughter. This journey brought her to the town of Sibaté, our beautiful municipality, where the local population kindly welcomed her and helped her find a place.
She ended up at the psychiatric hospital “La Colonia”—not because she was mentally ill, but because she needed shelter, a place to rest, and somewhere safe to give birth to her baby. There, a family decided to help her and take responsibility for the child, who was then adopted by this family. They have provided everything necessary for her ever since.
Diana is now a professional in social work. She is also a youth leader. She cares deeply about the well-being of her family and the people around her. She is also concerned about improving her surroundings and addressing the various environmental, social, or cultural issues that may arise in the municipality.
A great role model for her was her cousin Juan Álvaro, who left her a legacy of teachings of all kinds, as he was also a tireless youth leader who pursued many projects and utopias to improve the quality of life for the people of Sibaté.
Diana seeks to continue this legacy, and in many ways, she is succeeding—joining forces with other young people from the municipality. She actively participates in several youth social organizations. This is how she works toward the well-being of both the land and the community in which we live.
