Healing for Sexual Violence Survivors in Colombia

It’s possible to offer a new life to young girl survivors of sexual violence. That’s exactly what MADRE and our partners at Taller de Vida do. Together, we provide trauma counseling, art therapy and more to young women and girls who have seen the worst of war. And we strengthen and empower young women to advocate for their rights.

Earlier this year, MADRE traveled to Colombia to visit with some of the young girls we work with. We spoke to a group of young girl survivors about their healing journey through Taller de Vida programs and about where they see themselves in the future. We wanted to share some of their reflections with you now.

“Taller de Vida is very important to me. We not only learn how to be a person, we learn what people need. It’s more than a life project. It’s about sharing and personal growth. To succeed at things, you don’t just need to think, you need to act.”

“Before [Taller de Vida], I didn’t know much. Why I existed? How to move forward? But now, I leave the past behind and move forward. I’ve learned many great things.”

“When I arrived, I got knowledge, advice, learned to accept myself and my qualities. Little by little, I’m making my dreams a reality. I want to learn more and keep moving forward.”

“I didn’t know what to do in life. I felt alone. It’s cool for me to come here. I learn to move forward and fight for my dreams.”

“Taller de Vida teaches us to share, create a life project, and value people. It’s a blessing because it teaches us how to be thankful.”

“Before I got here, I was a girl who didn’t know who I was. No one valued me. But then I can here and learned many things. I learned to value myself. Now I know who I am.”

“Before arriving, I was a very sad girl. I was alone and didn’t like to do things with people. What I’ve learned is to love myself. I don’t want to dislike who I am. I learned to support myself and respect others. I want all the girls here to feel love and know they can do a lot in their life. I want to continue studying. I’ve learned that yes, we can succeed.”

Thank you for supporting this important project! With your help, these young girls are benefiting from a community of support. What’s more, through counseling and art therapy, they are beginning to heal from the traumas they’ve endured. With your support, they are reimagining their life from one of violence to one of peace. Thank you for making this possible!

MADRE and Taller de Vida, our Colombian partner organization, use art therapy and counseling to empower former child soldiers and survivors of sexual violence to rebuild from the traumas they’ve endured, to seek justice and to demand an end to violence.

Below are three photos and quotes from the “Take my body out of the war" campaign, an initiative using photography and other expressive art mediums to help former girl child soldiers express themselves artistically and share their experiences of armed conflict.

Thank you for supporting this important project! With your support, girls and young women who have survived sexual violence are healing from the traumas they have endured and benefiting from a vital community of support.

Photo 1: "Silence stayed with me, they caught me. When I was 7 years old … I could not prevent them from taking over my body. Today, I am 17 years old. Never again will I let someone possess my body and I will decide who to love."

Photo 2: "I did not decide. My father decided for me. Instead of letting me go to the park, he gave me to the guerrillas. I turned wild … resentful … I was not a person. Why was everyone indifferent and did not look for me and rescue me? I was only 12 years old."

Photo 3: "Innocence, silence and pain. We lived in the countryside, I was 7 years old, we were playing … but then the biggest horror of my life started. They began to touch me, and I did not say anything for fear of everything."