Healing for Sexual Violence Survivors in Colombia

With deep appreciation for your support, MADRE continues our partnership in Colombia with Taller de Vida (TdV), as they have expanded their reach to respond to the needs of Indigenous and Afro-communities in Colombia as a result of increased conflict in their territories.

In 2018, TdV created the Artemisa project which has contributed to the psychosocial recovery and reintegration of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian girls and women and their communities in the region of Risaralda. With this project, Taller de Vida is not only providing psychological support to Indigenous and Afro communities, but it’s also creating a space through training and community gatherings for Indigenous and Afro-descendent communities affected by the armed conflict to work together and build dialogue and collective healing. This project also includes advocating for the rights of women and girls, ensuring they are included in the peace process and in community dialogues. 

In the words of one of the young Afro-Colombian activists: "Artemisa leaves a very valuable impact on the community and it is that the girls who were at that time lacking opportunities, lacking a space to rehearse, lacking trainers who could also help us through art and help them to get out of those repressed situations they had, were able to count on all this support and even more, when they were part of Artemisa."

Another member, one of the educators who is part of the training provided by TdV, shared that "TdV pedagogy is thoughtful of the needs of the community & planned out for each process, that's why is so important for more girls and boys to have the opportunity to be part of this process, this allows all of us to resist the conflict and re-build our history.”

TdV’s creative response strategy with activists allows for life-changing transformation that challenges silence, and fosters dialogue on lived experiences, and solutions for lasting change. Thank you for your generosity and solidarity to help uplift important work like the Artemisa project.