Medellin's mayor Alonso Salazar on Thursday launched a new project
offering training and housing to young people living in the neighborhoods most affected by violence.
The project aims to offer boys and girls alternatives besides being on the street where gangs are in control.
The program includes 4000 training programs and six community houses, Caracol Noticias reported.
According to Salazar, the city will also have "a much more active police. We will work out a concept of social mobilizations ... The initiative will mobilize Medellin entirely to restore security."
Colombia's second biggest city has experienced soaring violence and murder rates since the beginning of 2009. According to a Mexican study, Medellin is the 8th most violent city in the world. Seven people were murdered in the last 48 hours alone, three of whom were police officers.
