Zuana Beach Resort is a five star hotel in Santa Marta Colombia, “the most beautiful bay in America” and also one of the poorest cities in the continent. Due to the high number of tourists, Zuana Beach Resort had to grow, building a new tower, and obviously it will need skilled employees.

The most logical thing was to recruit them from other hotels or classified ads. But we had a different idea: That the new employees had never worked in a hotel. In fact, that they were unemployed.

So we decided to find people with critical social conditions, to help to rebuild their lives ... while the hotel was built.

We started searching on every street, in every corner, and we found 115 people, with low job opportunities, low-income and unqualified young people as well as refugees. When the government noticed our effort, they supported the idea. For 14 months, while the hotel was built up, we trained them to become model employees to change their lives forever. For the first time, while a hotel was being built...many lives were rebuilt.

The campaign was executed during 2014, whilst the Zuana´s Tower II was being constructed. While the tower was built, we were looking for 115 people living in extreme poverty in Santa Marta, in a search street to street, through flyers, posters and billboards. Then, in support with Metroaguas, EL SENA and the PNUD, these 115 people who were living in critical and vulnerable conditions and who did not know anything, were trained and qualified in the tasks of a hotel like camararería, room service, bar, swimming pools, reception, etc.

After 14 months and an arduous training process, the new personnel graduated with honors in a symbolic ceremony.

At the end of 2014, the Tower II of the hotel Zuana was inaugurated officially and 115 lives were rebuilt.

After 14 months, 115 persons who were living in condition of extreme poverty in Santa Marta, were qualified to fulfill the functions of personnel at the Tower II of the Zuana Hotel. As special act, EL SENA, the maximum educational entity for technical staff of the country, offered to them the Technologists Grade, with the guarantee of the National Government, represented by the Office of Development of Santa Marta and the ONU (Organization of American states). The country's media highlighted the news, as an "act of unprecedented inclusion" that this impacted the community of Santa Marta positively. The great result was undoubtedly the recovery of 115 lives, which today have a better future and with the ability and knowledge to get ahead, and give a better tomorrow for their families.