Community health assets mapping in a slum in Medellin (Colombia)

Objective: To describe how the community from El Faro neighborhood identifies its community assets, uses them to face life's challenges through the capacity of collective agency; and by generating community development processes, applying the salutogenic theory that considers people as active subjects, with the capacity to conserve and generate health and well-being, through the use of their own resources called health assets. Methods: A map of community assets was made in 2018 in el Faro neighborhood, an informal settlement of Medellin, Colombia, following the phases recommended by other authors and from a qualitative, participatory approach that delves into the health situation of the community. Results: In this process were identified 12 individual community assets, 12 collective, 13 institutional and 10 in the environment. The main community asset among the 47 described was community participation, from the agency capacity, mainly of its leaders who participating in their own organizations encourage development, identity construction and well-being. Conclusion: Asset mapping has served to identify intangible assets for the community and, in turn, this recognition has been useful in strengthening the agency's capacity for community development. This is a territory transformed by community reflection processes allowing to understand situations of exclusion and poverty, seeking to create a more livable place and developing a community capacity to solve their own problems, through solidarity and community support. (C) 2020 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.