Cartagena, Colombia…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
In a country affected by a 40-year conflict between guerillas, government forces and illegal paramilitary groups, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Colombia continues to help hundreds of single mothers displaced by the ongoing conflicts.
Last month ADRA inaugurated its fourth new training center in Cartagena where single mothers can go to learn sewing or to be a beautician. Fifty students recently graduated from a three-month course there. Another center in neighboring Bogota recently graduated 49 women as well. The other two centers are located in the cities of Envigado and Saravena. The centers also provide health and hygiene education and courses on self-esteem and bookkeeping.
“Colombia is the second country with the greatest internal displacement [population] after Sudan,” says Gabriel Villarreal, ADRA Colombia’s director. There are more than 3.8 million displaced people since 1995, according to the Consul for Human Rights and Displacement in Colombia. He says that number will not decrease as long as there are internal armed conflicts within the country.
The growing number of displaced families throughout the country prompted ADRA Colombia “to implement training centers for the displaced women and single mother heads-of-households,” Villarreal explains. He says it’s a situation that has also affected many Adventists families.
Villarreal has been overseeing the work of all four centers. The program is made possible with the help of ADRA and the women's ministries department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Colombia. Financial support has also come from ADRA Spain and Generalitat Valenciana, a non-government organization (NGO) in Spain, among others.
He says although the project helps only a small percentage of single moms, the program is making a difference.
Villarreal says that the four centers continue year-round in three cycles. Every year, approximately 120 women from each center complete the three-month course. So far 800 single mothers have graduated from the four centers and approximately 4,000 people have benefited from this on-going project since 2002, according to Villarreal. ADRA is connected with other NGOs like a micro landing organization which is facilitating small loans for the graduates to help them start their own business.
As far as following up on students who've completed the program, Villarreal says ADRA Colombia evaluates the project periodically.
“We have found that many previous students are working in their training area,” he says. “We visited a woman who opened her own beauty salon and now earns a living and has funds to send her children to school and buy clothes. Another single mother opened her own small business, taught her sister and they both are able to support their families.”
“It’s a small amount compared to the needy population that ADRA can graduate each time, but every little bit does help,” says Wally Amundson, ADRA director for Inter-America. Amundson has personally followed up on the results of the program and was present during the two most recent graduations in Bogota and Cartagena.
“Many years ago ADRA Colombia began with the idea that women like you could enjoy new opportunities and see that you are still able to reach more,” said Amundson at one of those graduations. ADRA Colombia provided “the grain of sand that is missing, but you make this project a success, therefore our most sincere appreciation for putting your trust in us.”
Marta Vargas, a graduate of the Bogota center, thanked leaders for the training program at her graduation.
“This help is not given every day and is not found around the corner,” she said. “With the knowledge that we take, we have another open door to be able to work.”
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church is known here for implementing the types of projects that attend to the basic needs of the displaced population,” says Villarreal. “It is practically the only church which implements these types of projects.”
“Last year we visited the mayor of Cartagena and he thanked ADRA and the Adventist Church for this project and for their concern for the well-being of the displaced famlies,” he says.
Villarreal says there are plans to expand this project to other cities, and that he and his team is soliciting funds from donors to open more centers. His plan is to have 10 training centers in Colombia, one for each of the church conference regions.
For more information on ADRA Inter-America projects and how to donate, contact 305.403.4700.
For more information on ADRA International projects and to donate funds, go to http://www.adra.org./www.adra.org
