ANNUAL REPORT
2016
Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
FUNDACIÓN PROYECTO TITÍ
Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
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MAKING GREAT
2016 was a year of great progress in our efforts to protect cotton-top tamarins and the forests they call home. We continue our efforts to protect cottontop tamarins at our long-term field site in Santa Catalina, but we are very excited to be able to expand our efforts into new communities in San Juan Nepomuceno.
With the help of many of our students and their families, we continue to emphasize the importance of recycling and keeping the forests and their communities free from litter. We have collected more than 12 tons of plastic waste and this has been recycled into 538 TITI Posts that are now used as fence posts in our restoration areas. We really are saving trees for tamarins!
Photo: Federico Pardo
PROGRESS!
them in cotton-top tamarin conservation activities. More than 1780 students participated in our programs this year, and recent evaluations show that these programs positively impact students’ behaviors and attitudes to cotton-top tamarin conservation.
ROSAMIRA GUILLEN
Executive Director
Our newly created protected area Los Titíes, borders Los Colorados National Park, one of the largest protected areas for cotton-top tamarins in the region. We are developing a new study site in the area that will allow us to compare how cotton-top tamarins thrive in a tropical forest that is rather different from our previous study site in Santa Catalina. We are very interested in comparing the factors that are influencing cotton-top tamarin survival at our two field sites and with our historic data from Colosó.
Colombian fashion designers have worked with the artisans to create new and exciting designs for ecomochilas that have been featured on the runway. We continue to receive national and international recognition for our efforts to create products that help to save cotton-top tamarins and their forest home. We are incredibly grateful to all our donors and friends of Proyecto Tití who help us make significant progress in our efforts to conserve cotton-top tamarins each and every day. We are also very thankful to our Colombian partner organizations that help to make the conservation of the cotton-top tamarin a reality and to the many communities that support and engage in these efforts to save Colombia’s flagship species, the cottontop tamarin. I am very thankful for the amazing team that leads this effort each and every day. Their passion, motivation, and dedication to ensuring that cotton-top tamarins continue to have a future in Colombia makes me so very proud!
We are also pleased to announce that we have 79 hectares of land under conservation easements that will be restored to support forest corridors for cottontop tamarins and other wildlife in the region. These corridors will provide us with the ability to connect smaller forest parcels to the larger Los Colorados National Park. With seedlings planted in 2016, we look forward to transferring these plants from our new nursery into the first restored area for cotton-top Sincerely yours, tamarins in 2017! We continue to work with school children to engage
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PROYECTO
TITĂ?
Cotton-top tamarins are small primates that are the size of a squirrel and are found in the tropical dry forests of northwestern Colombia. The long-term survival of this charismatic monkey is threatened by extensive destruction of its forest home and capture for the illegal pet trade. Proyecto TitĂ is a multi-disciplinary conservation program whose mission is to protect the critically endangered cotton-top tamarins and the forests they call home.
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We envision healthy wild populations of cottontop tamarins, in well preserved and interconnected forests, living in harmony with local human communities, and being recognized as a symbol of the Colombian Caribbean region’s natural biodiversity.
Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
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ABOUT
PROYECTO
TITĂ?
Our conservation program is dedicated to the following areas of focus: A long-term field study of cotton-top tamarins and their forest home that allows us to understand what factors influence their survival and the viability of their forest home. A conservation education program that focuses on increasing knowledge, changing attitudes and influencing the behavior of students to become trusted stewards of Colombia’s natural resources. A sustainable community development program that decreases individual’s dependencies on forest products while providing them with economic alternatives that aid in the conservation of cotton-top tamarins and their forest home. A strategy to protect, restore, and connect forest parcels to increase the amount of forests for cotton-tops and to work on protecting these areas to ensure the long-term survival of the cotton-top tamarin in Colombia.
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Photo: Mia Kennel
We focus the majority of our conservation efforts in the States of BolĂvar and AtlĂĄntico in the northern region of Colombia. However, we work in partnership with regional environmental authorities and non-profit organizations throughout Colombia to develop strategies that expand our efforts to conserve cotton-tops throughout their historical distribution in Colombia.
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IN
2016... 8
Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
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FIELD STUDIES
OUR SECOND
FIELD SITE
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We look forward to comparing the data we collect on the biology of this critically endangered species with the results obtained from our field site in Santa Catalina and our original site in Colosó to help us understand how cotton-tops are adapting to their changing environment.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
We have begun efforts to establish a field program in our protected reserve “Los Tities de San Juan” in San Juan Nepomuceno in collaboration with the regional environmental authority CARDIQUE by documenting various species currently using the reserve. Our goal is to use information gathered from the cotton-top tamarins and forests in this region to help us understand the factors that influence their survival.
Photo: Proyecto Tití Photo: Proyecto Tití
Photo: Proyecto Tití
Juan Carlos Barrios (Right), Field Biologist, working in the forest with Cesar Buelvas (Left), Field Technician with Los Colorados National Park.
Deer, macaws and frogs, some of the many species that have been sighted at our reserve “Los Titíes de San Juan”.
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NEW INSIGHTS We are so pleased to celebrate 16 years of studying Támara, the oldest wild cotton-top tamarin on record! She continues to provide new insights on how elderly tamarins function in their social groups. As the most prolific monkey with 27 babies during her reproductive life, she is now enjoying the next chapter of reproductive senescence and a much younger mate! As Támara begins to relinquish her leadership of the group to her daughter, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for her.
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Támara is the matriarch of Group 11, one of our long-term study groups in the wild.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
FIELD STUDIES
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MONITORING
OUR
IMPACT We have published the results of our second population survey of cotton-top tamarins in Colombia Results indicate that the population of cotton-top tamarin is close to 7,000 and that it continues to remain stable. With the extreme pressures that are facing wildlife and habitat, we are certainly celebrating that we are reversing the decline of cotton-top tamarins in Colombia.
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However, we remain vigilant and continue our efforts to engage our community partners and environmental authorities in protecting cotton-top tamarins and their forest home.
Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
FIELD STUDIES
Jon, the dominant male from Group 19, carries his twins born in 2016.
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Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
FOREST CONSERVATION
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German Emeris, Field Assistant, visiting the forest parcels that will be connected through the restoration program with Cesar Buelvas, Field Technician from Los Colorados.
This restoration project will also provide new opportunities to conserve water, an important resource needed in this region of Colombia.
MORE
PROTECTED AREAS
Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
In cooperation with FundaciĂłn Herencia Ambiental, we are working with 26 local landowners to create a forest corridor that will connect small forest parcels to Los Colorado National Park in San Juan Nepomuceno. Through the use of conservation easements, 79 hectares of land will be restored to provide key habitat for cotton-top tamarins and the many species found in the forest.
Twenty-six landowners, whose property neighbors Los Colorados National Park, make a public commitment to comply with the conservation agreements signed in August of 2016.
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FOREST CONSERVATION
RESTORING
FORESTS FOR THE FUTURE We are pleased to lead new efforts to restore tropical dry forests for cotton-top tamarins in San Juan Nepomuceno. This region has undergone a radical conversion from tropical forest habitat to intensive agricultural production in the last few decades. Farmers who have seen the impact of these destructive practices have joined us to restore and connect small forest patches to provide corridors for wildlife. We have worked with local landowners to create nurseries so that we can grow the plants needed for our restoration efforts. We have focused on ensuring that we plant trees that provide food for cotton-top tamarins and many other species. These native plant nurseries provide an income for the local communities who care for the seedlings until they will be ready to be planted during the 2017 rainy season. We look forward to these plants taking root so that they can help provide the much needed refuge for the native wildlife of the region.
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Seedlings of “Camajoru� (Sterculia apetala) that will be planted in our restoration areas as part of our efforts to connect forest patches surrounding Los Colorados National Park.
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Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
CONSERVATION EDUCATION
INCREASING A new generation of students from local communities continue to learn about cotton-top tamarins and what they can do to help. In our TITIKIDS program, elementary school children learn about the difference between domestic and wild animals and the importance of not keeping wild animals as pets. Learning about why cotton-tops should remain in the forest with their families helps to ensure that we can decrease the number of cotton-tops that are captured for the illegal pet trade. As students participate in our CARTITILLA program, they build a strong association with the cotton-top tamarins and look forward to showing how their actions will help cotton-top tamarins continue to have a future in the wild. Fostering the creation of the next generations of conservation leaders in local communities is paying off as we see more young leaders emerging and creating programs that are having a lasting impact in their community.
Ten schools are part of our programs to engage youth with nature. Over 700 students participated in the TITIKIDS program and more than 1,000 students participated in the CARTITILLA program. More than 6,300 students have participated in our education programs since 2010. We are so proud of our young people who are now leading efforts in their own communities to conserve Colombia’s natural resources.
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Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
AWARENESS
The elementary school students from San Jose in Luruaco show their excitement for all they have learned in the TITIKIDS program. They all pledge not to have cotton-top tamarins as pets in their homes!
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CREATING CONNECTIONS TO
Photo: Proyecto Tití
CONSERVATION EDUCATION
EXPLORE NATURE
After learning about cotton-tops in the CARTITILLA program, the students love the opportunity to visit the forest and see the stories that they have been reading in the classroom come to life right before their very eyes! It’s remarkably impactful for these students to meet a wild cotton-top tamarin and see how they live in the forest. For many of the students, this is their very first trip to the forest, even though they live close by. They learn about how protecting the forest has benefits for both humans and animals and leave with a sense of pride on how they are now responsible for helping to protect this precious resource for future generations.
Our education programs have shown to increase knowledge and interest in conserving cotton-top tamarins, but is there a long-term impact that changes a child’s behavior to support conservation efforts? We studied students that participated in our program 5 years ago to determine whether they have retained the information they were taught and whether they had engaged in opportunities to help cotton-top tamarins. We were thrilled to find out that this program has had a remarkable impact on students! They not only retained the information, but they actively put what they learned into action to help save cotton-tops! 22
Students from schools in Luruaco and Loma de Arena visit the forest to see the cotton-tops and discover the magic of nature that surrounds them.
Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
This gives us hope for the future that we continue to be effective in developing future conservation leaders.
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CONSERVATION EDUCATION
LEADERSHIP
Photo: Proyecto Tití
Students who join our TITI LEADERS program take their interest and passion for conservation and learn how to lead efforts that engage their community in caring for cotton-tops.
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Groups of students come together to create projects that highlight the importance of saving cotton-tops through the development of inspirational murals, the use of organic farming practices to increase crop yield thereby decreasing the need to cut more forest, and community recycling programs to reduce the amount of litter and plastics that are found in the environment.
TITI LEADERS of San Juan Nepomuceno in action as they paint a mural depicting the importance of saving cotton-tops.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
CONSERVATION
Photo: Proyecto Tití
FOSTERING
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Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
Photo: Proyecto Tití Photo: Proyecto Tití
The TITI LEADERS of Santa Catalina share their work to create a park for children in Los Limites with community members.
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CONSERVATION EDUCATION
MORE SUPPORT
FOR TITI LEADERS
Photo: Proyecto Tití
This was a great opportunity for the students to put into practice what they have learned in our programs. Now they have a park where young children can play and learn about cottontops!
Photo: Proyecto Tití
Disney Latin America’s Friends for Change awarded two of our TITI LEADERS a grant to take their idea of creating a park where children could learn and play in nature and turn it into a reality. A new community park was created that focused on fun activities featuring cotton-top tamarins while promoting the message to not have them as pets.
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CONSERVATION EDUCATION
A CAREER IN
CONSERVATION Ana Utria and Nelson Álvarez have participated in all of our education programs and were awarded a BLUE SKY scholarship to attend technical school to further their education. As part of their education, they are required to do a 6-month internship and we were excited to welcome them back to Proyecto Tití where they assisted our education and community programs.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
We are excited to announce that Ana and Nelson will be graduating in 2017 with their degrees and we look forward to having these young professionals leading conservation efforts in our communities in the future.
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Photo: Proyecto Tití
Nelson Álvarez and Ana Utria assisting in our education and community programs during their internship with Proyecto Tití.
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CREATING SUSTAINABLE
ALTERNATIVES
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Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
More than 12 tons of plastics have been collected by 51 families in 8 communities in an effort to help clean up the environment and recycle plastic waste into other products. Not only are families earning money, but they are helping to keep the waterways, forests, and wildlife safe from plastic debris. Reducing the amount of plastic that is littering the environment can have a positive impact on both people and wildlife.
Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
Families collect plastic found in their communities and sell it to Proyecto TitĂ so that it can be recycled into other products to benefit communities and cotton-tops.
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
TITI POSTS
SAVE TREES FOR TAMARINS
Much of the plastic that is collected in local communities is recycled into TITI POSTS that can be used as fence posts that last for years. You will see TITI POSTS used in our restoration efforts as we build fences to delineate the protected areas in the region. Thanks to the many donors and community recyclers, we are pleased to announce that we have created and installed 538 TITI POSTS in 2016. These posts are used instead of young trees and help us to save trees for tamarins.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
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Alfredo Martínez, Community Programs Assistant, demonstrates how a TITI POST is made.
Santiago Mendoza of Nuevo MĂŠjico shows his fence constructed of TITI POSTS that delineates the conservation easement on his land.
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Photo: Cámara Lúcida
Photo: Cámara Lúcida
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Judy Hazbun’s collection “Unnecessary” and Francesca Miranda’s collection “Between the Lines” featured new models of eco-mochilas created to complement their beautiful fashion collection.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ECO-MOCHILAS
ON THE FASHION RUNWAY The eco-mochilas created by the artisans from our local communities that live near the forest had an amazing opportunity to work with two Colombian fashion designers Judy Hazbun and Francesca Miranda. They worked together to produce new eco-mochila designs to compliment the fashion creations by these amazing Colombian designers. We were so excited to see how well received our eco-mochilas were on the runway!
This was such a special opportunity for our artisans to work with designers who supported our commitment to protect cotton-top tamarins and their forest home! 35
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CREATIVITY We are always pleased when the artisans get together to create new products! Our artisans have created a new line of exclusive handbags (TITI DELUXE) crocheted from plastic bags that are so beautiful yet practical. Yes, they can carry your laptop too!
Photo: Proyecto Tití
Need a new decoration for your backpack or sweater? We have some cute new cotton-top pins just for you! Who wouldn’t look adorable with some cotton-top tamarin hair ties for your pony or pigtails?
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These are just a few of the new products that our artisans have created this year as they continue to provide opportunities to reduce their dependency on forest resources by selling these products to help cotton-top tamarins!
Photo: Proyecto Tití
HAS NO LIMITS
Photo: JG Collomb Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
New products designed by the artisans to continue to raise awareness about cotton-top tamarin conservation efforts.
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
SHARING As the winner of the 2012 Equator Prize from the United Nations Development Program, we were excited to be asked to share how our community development program continues to impact communities and conservation at the Conference of the Parties in Cancun, Mexico. Ana Isabel Arroyo who is the president of ASOARTESANAS shared not only how our sustainable community development programs have expanded over the years but she also was able to participate in training programs geared at sharing stories through social media.
This was an exciting time for us to gain additional recognition for the work that impacts our local communities and we are so proud of these amazing people for their commitment to saving cotton-tops. Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
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Ana Isabel with the Colombian flag and a cotton-top tamarin at the entrance to the Convention of the Parties.
Ana ready to give her talk on how the artisans are leading efforts to save cotton-tops in their communities.
Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
OUR STORIES
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Photo: Camilo Cepeda
INCREASING AWARENESS
CELEBRATING
COTTONTOPS
Students enjoying the Day of the Cotton-top parade as they dressed up as native wildlife singing about the happiness they find in their forest homes
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Photo: Camilo Cepeda
Photo: Camilo Cepeda
This year was our 10th anniversary of the Day of the Cotton-top Tamarin celebration and what a celebration it was! We had 80 students dancing to the “Song of the Cottontop Tamarin” as they lead a parade through the community of Luruaco. The parades theme was the importance of keeping cotton-top tamarins and native wildlife in their forest homes and not in your home. Children continued to celebrate as the various schools competed in dancing, singing and storytelling, all focused on keeping cotton-top tamarins out of the illegal wildlife trade. A great time was had by all as we celebrated everyone’s commitment to protecting cotton-top tamarins!
Photo: Camilo Cepeda
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INCREASING AWARENESS
SHARING WHAT WE LEARNED
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Members of Disney’s animal care team met with Fundación Proyecto Tití’s education team to share their animal training expertise and create a dog training program for AmiGUAU.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
We were so very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from and share ideas with our colleagues from other countries who are working with us to save cotton-top tamarins.
Photo: Proyecto Tití
Members of Proyecto Tití visiting the Black Lion Tamarin Project’s restoration area in Brazil.
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INCREASING AWARENESS
SHARING OUR STORIES
IN NEW VENUES Photo: WCN
We have had the opportunity to share our efforts to save cotton-top tamarins with new audiences in Colombia and in the US as a means to engage more people with our conservation efforts.
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Rosamira Guillen, Director of Fundación Proyecto Tití at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo in San Francisco.
Photo: TEDx Barranquilla
Dr. Anne Savage, Director of Proyecto TitĂ, Inc., shares her experiences at TEDx Barranquilla.
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OUR SINCEREST
THANKS
Our thanks to Disney for their continued support in helping to protect cotton-top tamarins and for providing opportunities for children and their families to be engaged with nature. We thank you for always sharing valuable knowledge and skills that have helped Proyecto TitĂ become a model conservation program in Colombia.
We are also very thankful to the Wildlife Conservation Network for the dedication and support of our efforts to protect cotton-top tamarins. We are so very proud to be a WCN conservation partner and appreciate the unconditional support you provide to us through the expertise of your staff and volunteers.
A very special thank you to Hacienda El Ceibal for their continued support of our efforts to save cotton-top tamarins. Your dedication to protecting the newly established protected area on your land is an example for landowners to follow.
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We are very thankful for our institutional agreement with CARDIQUE that demonstrates our commitment to cotton-top tamarin conservation efforts. It is this type of partnership between NGO’s and local environmental authorities that has led to major accomplishments on behalf of our organizations to conserve cotton-top tamarins and the forests of Colombia.
OUR DEEPEST
APPRECIATION To our local partners, with whom we shared challenges and accomplishments in 2016:
And to the following organizations who contributed in 2016 to our conservation efforts on behalf of cotton-top tamarins and their forest home:
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WITH GRATITUDE
AAZK of San Francisco Chapter, Asociación Comité Regional Norte de Colombia, Austin Zoo, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, Blank Park Zoo Blue ribbons Bags, Buttonwood Park Zoo, Chattanooga Zoo, Combe Martin Wildlife Park, Drayton Manor ParkFundación Estudiantil Rochester, Houston Zoo, John Ball Zoo, La Citadelle de Besancon, Mesker Park Zoo, Milwaukee County Zoo, Moody Gardens, Naples Zoo, Omaha’s Doorly Zoo, Parco Natura Viva, Safari West, Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center, Twycross Zoo, Utica Zoo, Wildlife Safari, Zooland Park, Zoo New England.
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We also would like to thank all the people and organizations that have helped us conserve cotton-top tamarins by their donations, the purchases of products made by community members (eco-mochilas, plush toys, etc.), and the donations to manufacture the tití posts through our on-line campaigns. We appreciate all the people who have donated their time and experience to this project, especially Dr. Dave Wehdeking, who shares his veterinary expertise with our organization. We are grateful to all the people and organizations that have supported our work throughout the years. Click here to see more.
FINANCIAL
REPORT INCOME
Financial Statements Summary* INCOME Donations/Grants: $394.896,93 Contracts (Forest Connectity Project): $96.334,98 Product Sales: $18.577,83 Other: $17.335,29
3% 4%
75%
18%
TOTAL INCOME: $527.145,03 (Less cost of sales: - $13.407,06) EXPENSES Research programs: $216.907,42 Educational programs: $132.951,71 Community programs: $72.929,94 Administrative expenses: $62.347,62
Donations
Product Sales
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $ 485.136,69 SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR $ 16.616,68 (After depreciation and taxes)
Patrimonio - KfW Contract Others
EXPENSES 13%
45%
15% 27% Exchange rate used: $1 USD = $2,800 Colombian Pesos*
Education programs Community programs
Research programs Administrative expenses
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AN AMAZING
TEAM! BOARD OF DIRECTORS Anne Savage, PhD., President Gustavo Bell Lemus Reinaldo Niebles La Torre Roberto Arazo Ospino, Fiscal Advisor
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STAFF Rosamira Guillen Monroy, Executive Director Luis Soto Rojas, Head of Research Programs Johanna Vega Abello, Head of Education Programs Carlos Vizcaíno Tesillo, Head of Community Programs Mónica Pinillos Comas, Head of Administration and Accounting Carolina Chinchilla Simmonds, Marketing Coordinator Juan Carlos Barrios Vasquez, Field Biologist Francy Forero Sánchez, Field Biologist Félix Medina Carrascal, Field Assistant Germán Emeris Murillo, Field Assistant Katherine Torregroza Cervantes, Education Programs Coordinator Leysthen Díaz Buelvas, Education Programs Coordinator Johana Pasión Vallejo, Education Programs Assistant Rosa Rodríguez Angulo, Education Programs Assistant Ana Meléndez Blanquiceth, Education Programs Assistant Bertha Osorio Leyva, Education Programs Assistant Alfredo Martínez Olivares, Community Programs Assistant Ana Utria Cortina, Intern of Community and Education Programs Nelson Álvarez Sánchez, Intern of Community and Education Programs Carolina Yudex Sierra, Administrative and Accounting Assistant
Photo: Proyecto TitĂ
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Photo: Suzi Eszterhas
FUNDACIÓN PROYECTO TITÍ Calle 77 # 65 – 37, Local 208, Barranquilla – COLOMBIA (South America) Phone: (57) (5) 353 1278 – info@proyectotiti.com
www.proyectotiti.com Executive Director: Rosamira Guillen rguillen@proyectotiti.com - Mobile: (57) 310 636 0639