Colombia
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Photo: Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps
Our strategy
Help displaced families, landmine victims, former child soldiers and other victims of Colombia’s armed conflict get the assistance and skills they need to rebuild their lives.
The context
Fighting among left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, drug traffickers and the army has created the largest population of internally displaced people outside Sudan — at least four million and growing.
Our work
- Children & Youth: Helping newly demobilized child soldiers reintegrate into society and preventing at-risk children from being recruited into armed groups
- Emergency response: Providing families displaced by conflict and flooding with emergency assistance and income-generation skills
- Conflict & Governance: Helping communities peacefully resolve existing land conflicts and formalize land ownership
All stories about Colombia
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Colombia: VIDEO: What "community-led" looks like November 1, 2010
Every year thousands of families in Colombia are displaced from their homes and communities due to violence. They form resettlement camps where they can, often in undesirable locations due to lack of options.
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Colombia: Sowing Seeds of Hope October 27, 2010
During our six days in Colombia we saw extreme poverty and conflict side-by-side with hope, courage and empowerment. But most of all, we saw the seeds of lasting change taking hold.
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Colombia: What does empowerment look like? September 20, 2010
What does empowerment look like? It’s difficult to accurately depict such an intangible subject. In a small building located in the heart of Pasto, Colombia, I found a tangible example. In fact, there was a whole group of them. They wore maroon sweatshirts and name badges...
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Colombia: Working on a Sunday — AND it's my Birthday? Entirely worth it! September 16, 2010
August 22 is my birthday and, in 2010, it landed on a Sunday. A typical birthday celebration back home in Chile would be a relaxed barbecue, a few beers and that's it. However, this year was different.
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Colombia: Planting trees in Soacha September 14, 2010
Soacha is poor but full of pride. We're helping residents beautify their community by planting trees and caring for them. It's one step toward turning a barren field into an active park for children and their parents.
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Colombia: Fighting sex trafficking in Colombia's tourist jewel September 14, 2010
Night has fallen in Cartagena, Colombia, and children are for sale.
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Colombia: I've fallen in love September 12, 2010
I have fallen in love … with Colombia. Our team arrived six days ago and over the last few days I have gathered a number of observations and, more importantly, have learned that inspiration often comes in small packages.
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Colombia: Helping Colombia's landmine survivors regain their dignity September 9, 2010
Wedged in a middle seat on a packed Avianca airliner, high over the Colombian Andes, I received a world-class education in treating landmine survivors.
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Colombia: Video: Traveling in the Chocó May 16, 2010
Boats, horses, motorcycles ... and lots of mud. Watch how Mercy Corps staff travel in the rugged and remote Darién region of Colombia.
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Colombia: Video: Empowering displaced women in Putumayo May 16, 2010
Part of our assistance to newly displaced families in Colombia's Putumayo department includes skills training so they can earn a living. Here, women learn how to make handbags that can fetch a good price locally.