Jhonnatan Martinez

My name is Jonathan Martinez, I’m a computer engineer. Also, I’m a passionate 28 years old guy about sports and animals. I was born and raised in Cali, Colombia and have a sister. I have dedicated my life to helping others and my city through leadership projects and entrepreneurship initiatives. To name a few of those, I have had from fast food to go, an internet room, to toiletries that I used to manufacture.

For the last decade, I have been interested in volunteer work and take all my initiatives to the next level, that is why during my university studies, I joined a NGO called AIESEC which promotes “peace and fulfillment of the humankind’s potential” through leadership. My best experience was in 2011 when I got the IT vice-president position and I had the chance of leading a team and promoting development opportunities to young people. I also participated in several contests such as “Ventures Colombia”, where in 2012 I was a finalist from more than 1,000 applicants and after hard work; in 2015 I was lucky enough to be awarded as the winner in “Alianzas para la Innovacion Pacifico”.

One of the most interesting things has been leading my life project, which is called Pops Recreation. It is a logistics and entertainment company, that has a promise: bring the simple fun of a party towards an unforgettable experience!
My priority is providing part-time job opportunities to young people that allow them to finish their studies and being financially sustainable.
Another big project I am carrying out is to raise environmental awareness among children of my city. In conjunction with Pops Recreation, we have been developing a new methodology to transform a regular party into a potential learning cycle for children towards recycling and ecology concerns. As part of the show, we provide a “green experience” that is a practical program where an environmental guide teach all the fundamentals about how to recycle plastic bottles and its other usages i.e. a pot to plant. There are not only questions, but also action and practical experience. After knowing all the basic theory, they proceed to plant a real tree that they can look after at home for several months. Afterwards, we invite them to be part of a massive planting that we organize in the mountains of the city. It is our way to contribute to reduce the global warming and a good strategy to promote good environmental practices in children that will be the adults of tomorrow.

All these experiences have been not only widely recognized for its innovative methods and procedures in my country, but also, have been mentioned in newspapers and television. I’d love to see that kind of community supporting world’s issues all over the world. Not just during times of warning and disaster like today, but in everyday life.