The María Cano University Foundation, Cali campus, had an outstanding participation in the Guayacán Showcase of the 2025 Showroom, a space for connection and learning organized by the WWB Colombia Foundation. This event brought together 30 participants in a collaborative work session where findings, challenges, and results of projects supported by the Research Fund were shared, with an emphasis on participatory and applied action methodology.

Professor Jorge Eliecer Manrique Julio, Research Leader at the Cali campus and Coordinator of the FISIOTER Research Seedbed, together with Marily Cecilia Figueroa Castillo, a student of the Physiotherapy program and member of the seedbed, represented the institution at this important event. They presented the results of their research to various academic and community stakeholders, contributing to the exchange of knowledge and the appropriation of research outcomes within local contexts.

The shared research, titled “Improvement of Health Conditions of Rural Women in Sevilla-Valle through Participatory Action Research,” was approved and funded by the WWB Colombia Foundation under the 2022 Call for Proposals, in the category of strengthening research capacities. The project was carried out in the Alto Coloradas rural area of the municipality of Sevilla, implementing educational interventions on first aid, personal hygiene, balanced diet, and emotional health. The highly participatory approach helped strengthen practical skills within the community.

Through its participation in the Guayacán Showcase, the María Cano University Foundation reaffirms its commitment to applied research and the generation of knowledge that responds to the real needs of the communities in Valle del Cauca. The event also marked the conclusion of the WWB Colombia Foundation’s journey through the four departments of the Colombian Pacific region, consolidating a strategy of community engagement and participation in research.

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