FIELD TRIP TO GUAVIARE IN COLOMBIA

Sara Díaz

It was a Wednesday afternoon when I was notified I would be joining an emergency response in a remote region of Colombia. Two days after, I was on my way to Puerto Alvira, where the intervention took place. It was an odyssey to arrive at the village, it took 3 days filled with flights and boat rides.

The mission was five days long and we covered assistance in health, WASH, protection and food security to over two hundred people. We stayed for five days in the field working long hours. We encountered complex health related cases. There is a two hour boat ride until the nearest health centre. Most people in the community had not seen a doctor for the past two years, since the last heath brigade was held by Medecins du Monde. This is the reality for most of the rural communities scattered throughout the territory of Colombia.

Massive displacements or complex emergencies happen on a daily basis in Colombia. On the international scene, it is known that Colombia’s humanitarian crisis was resolved when Peace Agreements were signed in Habana. The reality in the country differs to what is sensed from the outside.

While the international community is turning a blind eye, I find conflict and violence are the order of the day among Colombians. Alianza por la Solidaridad Colombia is fighting to support victims affected by the armed conflict, and I – as a EU Aid Volunteer- am pleased to give my support.