International Assistance in Colombia

Why we are on site

Life in Colombia is characterized by extreme social inequality, decades of armed conflict and organised drug trafficking. Despite the peace agreement of 2016 between the government and the largest guerrilla group FARC-EP, there is no end in sight to the violence. Many people are forced to flee rural areas in particular. Armed groups are deliberately driving the population away and occupying the precious land in order to increase the area for drug cultivation, animal husbandry and monoculture. This leads to uprooting, great poverty and further increases social inequality. Added to this is the political and economic crisis in neighbouring Venezuela. More than one million Venezuelans have migrated to Colombia due to hunger, hyperinflation and economic decline.

What we achieve together with our partner organisations

Our local partner organisations are committed to improving the living conditions of internally displaced persons and Venezuelan refugees. They improve the health and nutrition situation of vulnerable populations in poor neighbourhoods in the city Medellín and provide humanitarian aid in the rural surrounding area. These measures include psychosocial support, improvement of the drinking water supply, orthopaedic care for physically handicapped people and measures against malnutrition. In the border region between Colombia and Ecuador, our partner organisations carry out cross-border projects that aim to improve the food security and income bases of local indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. The protection of natural resources and sustainability are important criteria.