Dateline ACT

Colombia 01/04

‘Water is life!’

by Anneli Dufva, Church of Sweden Aid/ACT International

Bucaramanga, Colombia, December 9, 2004--Ask Luis how the water project in his village will change living conditions, and he will exclaim, “Water is life!”

Luis lives with his wife Istmenia and their seven children in Nueva Colombia, a shantytown outside the city of Bucaramanga in northern Colombia. This is one of several areas where the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO), a member of the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, is assisting people who have been displaced by the 40-year-long conflict that has plagued the country. One of the consequences of the protracted conflict has been that today, more than 15 million people live in extreme poverty. In other words, two-thirds of the population is living in poverty and millions are suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

The conflicts between drug cartels, guerrilla groups, paramilitary groups and the army are intense, forcing more than 1,000 people from their homes every day. They often end up in slums in the large cities - areas without electricity, drinking water, sewage systems, health care or schools.

The needs of displaced people living in these conditions are extensive and range from basic survival needs like food and clean water to living without a regular income. IELCO is responding to many of these needs, using a comprehensive approach.

In some of these shantytowns like the one where Luis lives, residents obtain their water from wells that are more like simple, shallow holes in the ground. The water can be muddy, and people sometimes try to filter it by using a funnel with a piece of cloth slipped over it. Because it is usually the only source of water, it is used for all household purposes, including cooking, hygiene and washing clothes.

The assistance IELCO is providing in Luis’ village will provide access to clean water, greatly improving their lives in this basic area of need. The risk of spreading water-borne diseases will be cut down, as the water will be safer to drink. It will also be easier for households to obtain for their daily chores.

As the family finishes lunch, 8-year-old José is desperately scratching the remains out of a dented saucepan. “He’s often complaining about not having enough to eat,” his mother says. Istmenia is unemployed, and Luis is trying to provide for his family as a freelance electrician. He has no regular income. “This, of course, affects our living conditions, both in terms of the food situation and our family’s relationships, says Luis.

IELCO has a canteen in the area where children can go to eat lunch. Luis admits that some of his children go there occasionally, but he’s not proud of the fact. The church runs canteens in several places in Colombia as part of its goal to regularly provide children from displaced families with balanced, nutritional meals.

The makeshift towns put up by displaced people are often on rough terrain, on slopes or on infertile ground – pieces of land no one wants. Since farming on this land is usually not possible, displaced people often have little access to food or an income. IELCO is addressing this by assisting displaced people in trying to find new means of income.

IELCO has also participated in establishing heathcare centers in other areas. When the church starts a project, it not only provides for people’s basic needs, but it also educates them on getting involved in the projects to encourage ownership and responsibility for the improvements.

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