Development of social projects in Colombia: challenges and prospects for their implementation

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of a social development project is to improve the quality of life of the people it is intended for, and the idea is to maximize the use of the resources invested in them. Therefore, it is inconceivable that a large portion of the capital remains illicitly in the hands of private individuals, thus affecting the amounts remaining in public works and consequently reducing the satisfaction and well-being that could be generated. Objective: To analyze the challenges and perspectives generated by the development of social projects in Colombia. Materials and Methods: The approach was qualitative, articulated by the results of a documentary analysis process supported by reading sheets with the knowledge of the research unit. Regarding the method, a deductive one was followed, initially taking general information and then specifying it based on the development of social projects at the local and regional levels. The type of study was descriptive, focusing on the characterization of the object of study analyzed. Results: The series of limitations that prevent investment in collective benefit projects from having the expected impact were put into context. The significant impact is the misallocation of budgets, which largely remain in the hands of private individuals under the passive gaze of oversight and control entities. Conclusions: There is a lack of effective mechanisms for citizen participation in defining priority projects for communities, with social stakeholders empowered only in theory.