Support Don Jaca's Dream Library Project

I am Dania Saragovia, in the fall of 2022 I art directed the Colombian unit of an American TV series that filmed in Don Jaca, an agro-fishing community of about 800 people in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in northern Colombia. Most of its residents are engaged in artisanal fishing. I spent a few days building a set inside a cinderblock home where the children in the block became my constant companions. When I brought them a ream of paper and color pencils they were overjoyed because they had no access to such basic materials.

When filming wrapped, the American Studio asked how they could support the community and the community had three wishes: a Halloween party, repairs to their soccer field, and a library. While the first two were fulfilled, the library couldn’t be realized at the time due to logistical and time constraints. I remained in touch with the community representative, and now- three years later- we have finally found a suitable space within the local school. Though the space requires roof repairs and some mechanical and electrical work, a generous donor has committed to funding the renovation.

This is the space before renovation begins:

The only local public school, IED Don Jaca, educates over 200 students. The town faces significant challenges, including a limited state presence, unreliable access to water and power services, and scarce educational and technological resources. Despite these obstacles, the children and youth of Don Jaca are eager to learn and a library would be an invaluable resource for them, from preschoolers to high schoolers.

We are also fortunate to count on the support of wonderful collaborators Cecilia Maria Velez (former minister of Education) and María Consuelo Araujo (former chancellor and minister of culture), who have created a thorough and appropriate list of books in Spanish.

I am Emil, Dania’s son. I am 17 and live in Barcelona, Spain. I have been around books my entire life, and learned to read at an early age. I spent my childhood fascinated by picture books and fantasy novels, and more recently adult literature like 1984 and Of Mice and Men. When my Mom described the way of life for the people of Don Jaca, I realized that the access to books that I have taken for granted would make a world of difference for this community.

I am working on creating a list of English-language books for the library and contacting organizations that specialize in providing books for underprivileged areas. We plan to travel to Don Jaca this summer, and I am looking forward to organizing the books, doing read aloud sessions for the kids and documenting our building process.

We are asking for your support. Please consider donating toward the purchase of books and furnishings for the new Public Library of Don Jaca.

Donations will help us acquire books over the next six months, and we’ll continue adding to the collection through 2025-2026. The library will be open to all students and the wider community.

We will be in touch with all our donors throughout the process with photos; you are part of making this dream a reality for a beautiful and vibrant community!