Healing for Sexual Violence Survivors in Colombia

MADRE’s partner in Colombia, Taller de Vida (TdV), accompanies Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities returning to areas previously occupied by armed groups, where sexual violence remains prevalent. By integrating intercultural and ancestral knowledge, MADRE’s partner has developed a valuable and effective methodology to identify and address the effects of gender-based violence in children and adolescents of all genders. This year, TdV partnered with the regional municipal government to train 700 teachers, educators, and community leaders to accompany young survivors of gender-based violence using this methodology. The training emphasized promoting the social inclusion of young survivors in educational and community contexts, committing participants and their institutions to fostering youth’s psychosocial development, protecting and promoting the rights of children, and strengthening family bonds. Our partner also collaborated with local authorities to develop and distribute educational tools on recruitment and sexual violence prevention, as well as healthy childhood development, enabling young families to become active participants in promoting their children's rights. 

Additionally, to further address the poverty and social exclusion faced by many young Indigenous and Afro-descendant parents who return to their ancestral lands following forced displacement, TdV provided nutritional assistance to 300 families expecting or parenting children under three years old. TdV targeted this support at Indigenous and Afrodescendant families experiencing extreme poverty in nine different municipal areas, and lasted 10 months. 

These are a few of the many essential services supported by your donations. Thank you for supporting the health and well-being of young families and children in Colombia!