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Colombia

Colombia is a country plagued by extreme economic and social inequality, with one of the largest gaps between rich and poor in the world. Almost half of all Colombians live in poverty and 18% of the population lives on less than $2 per day. In the Choco region, 80% of the people live in poverty. Decades of civil war has caused the second-largest internal refugee crisis in the world after Darfur, with approximately 3 million internally displaced people. Conditions of poverty and instability have been exacerbated by this ongoing unrest and other societal ills.

In the Choco capital, Quibdo, youth are a marginalized population, vulnerable to poverty and often coerced or lured into gangs and prostitution by the need for money and protection.

In the slums surrounding the city of Cali, poverty caused by violence and widespread economic and social exclusion has had an especially severe effect on families where the head of the household is female. In the adversarial environment of the slum, the lack of economic opportunities directly impacts the health and well-being of these women and their children.

To address these challenges, Episcopal Relief & Development has implemented a program in partnership with the Diocese of Colombia to implement a micro-finance program for women in Cali, and a youth training and empowerment project in Quibdo, Choco. This partnership will also strengthen the church's capacity to scale up and expand the program to reach other devastated regions.

Creating Economic Opportunities and Strengthening Communities

• Providing micro-loans to women in Cali gives them opportunities for income generation, helping them raise themselves out of chronic poverty. The project started by giving loans of about $50 (US) for women to invest in small businesses such as selling cell phone minutes and making handbags and other arts and crafts.

• Training youth in Quibdo in life skills and entrepreneurship gives them tools to avoid becoming victims of poverty and violence. Bringing youth together through the church gives them a space to organize and engage in alternative activities, removed from potentially dangerous environments.