All over the world, there are brilliant government-sponsored initiatives that aim to transform and regenerate neighborhoods.
Whether these regions have been hit by high crime crates, been looked upon with prejudiced disdain, or have long-battled extreme poverty — like Dehli, India, where children are taught beneath bridges — their people undoubtedly seek renewal and change.
The neighborhood of Las Palmitas in the city of Pachuca, Mexico is one such town that has been completely transformed — and the results are not just heartwarming, but beautiful as well.
Just a year ago, youth organization Germen Crew spearheaded a project named "El Macro Mural Barrio de Palmitas." Combining art, cultural, and community collaboration, it hoped to build something that would help rehabilitate the district, and attract people from other regions.
Working with the local residents, the group used creative, artistic methods to not only make the place infinitely more vibrant, but also to make homeowners proud of where they're from.
Scroll further to see some photos of the remarkably colorful project. Let us know your thoughts on the changed neighborhood in the comments below!
Germen Crew is an artistic youth organization in Mexico that helps re-envision public spaces by painting graffiti and murals.
Its members have spent the last 14 months painting the facades of 209 houses in the Las Palmitas neighborhood in Pachuca, Mexico.
The government-sponsored project greatly livened up the hillside neighborhood, home to over 450 families, and around 2,000 people.
The area has been transformed into a bright, colorful, rainbow-hued “canvas” measuring over 16,000 square feet — making it one of the largest murals in the world!
The initiative aimed to bring people together through culture and art.
According to project director Enrique Gomez, another goal was to change the negative image of the crime-ridden neighborhood — both outside of the community, and within it.
“People are really changing,” he told The Guardian. “They are growing. There is more community spirit. People are taking the security of their neighborhood into their own hands.”
The organization’s members teamed up with construction workers and local residents to complete the mural.
Initially, the homeowners had to be persuaded to have their property painted. But in the end, they rejoiced in the neighborhood's metamorphosis.
“It’s very satisfying,” Alfonso Reyes, a construction worker, told the paper. “In the morning you wake up and look around, and see the colors that surround you. It’s very pretty. You go out and say, ‘Ah, everything is so nicely painted and fixed up.’ ”
If you'd like to see more of this youth organization's art projects, click here to visit its Facebook page.
What did you think of this inspiring community project? Please SHARE if you think the neighborhood transformation is absolutely stunning!
