For Nairo José Catalán, the example lies in the bees—those creatures that teach us about harmony, tranquility, and unity. These bees, who work for the well-being of their hives, ensuring that nothing is lacking, show Nairo what Colombia needs: unity. After learning beekeeping and working closely with the bees, he realized that what we need is more people dedicated to working for a greater good, he says, so that nothing is missing in the home. The bees teach him about unity because his life has been marked by division—the fracture caused in his community by the war.

The El Salado massacre in 2000 split his people in two. Like lost bees, they had to flee from the place around which their lives revolved, facing the stigmatization of those who viewed them with distrust, as “strange creatures,” because they came from a region caught in the conflict between guerrillas and paramilitaries. “No one wants to leave their home, no one wants to leave their territory,” says Nairo, speaking from experience.

When he returned to El Salado two years later, many young people were confronted with uncertainty and a lack of opportunities. The community was weakened, and they dreamed of something new, something different from the agricultural work that seemed to be their only option—the same work their parents and grandparents had done. Unity became the promise of renewed trust, of the well-being that comes from knowing you’re not alone—that which is passed down through family and friends. And so, their desire to work aligned with an initiative from Fundación Semana, who, after conducting some research, discovered that the most commonly used items for relaxation on the coast were hammocks and rocking chairs. And that’s when they realized what direction their project should take. Why not combine them? Just like the bees, which are the pieces that make up the whole of the hive, in 2010 they created the hamadoras, a hybrid between a hammock and a rocking chair. The significance of this new work lies in the tremendous change it represented for them—finding a new craft in a town where peace was just beginning to be reborn.

So, they learned to weld and create those pieces that offer rest—a luxury of maximum comfort. They formed Amaescol, the association where Nairo, though not officially the president, serves as treasurer, secretary, and all-around go-to person. In other words, he is the one who moves and leads the group that gave him and his companions a new lease on life. The satisfaction has come in the form of admiration—expressed by their customers, who marvel at their beautiful work and ask, “How do you do it? Where do you do it?” To whom, with pride, they answer, “In El Salado.”