Supporting Vulnerable Groups in Colombia
As a humanitarian organisation HALO's mission is to protect lives and restore the livelihoods of those communities affected by conflict, especially by landmines and other explosive ordnance. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic we have sought to continue to support these communities, even though clearance has taken a necessary break during the national quarantine across Colombia.
During these exceptional times, HALO has sought to ensure that we are continuing to meet the needs of the communities we serve, particularly through the provision of protective equipment and sanitation products.
During the quarantine, other organisations continue to help the most at-risk communities, such as Comisar铆a de Familia, who works to support children, adolescents, and other family members affected by domestic violence.
With support from the Canadian Government, HALO has partnered with Comisar铆a de Familia in Meta Department to ensure that they can continue to conduct this essential work in safety, through the provision of protective equipment against COVID-19. HALO has supplied protective face shields, N95 face masks and well as reusable cloth face masks, gloves, anti-bacterial gel, safety goggles and protective suits. This has benefitted over 180 people across the municipalities of Lejan铆as, San Juan de Arama, Mesetas, Uribe, Puerto Rico and El Castillo.
"Thank you to all the people who made this donation possible for us. Since this pandemic began, we have been working around the clock attending to all the problems that are presented here at the municipal level. For us these kits are extremely important because we are seeing a lot of people every day, raising the risk of COVID-19 contamination鈥� - Carmen Prada, Family Commissioner - Lejan铆as, Meta.
"We also want to thank the donors who鈥檚 contribution allows us to carry out this work in the different commissaries of the department鈥�. - Eryk Munoz, Senior Demining Supervisor.
Since the beginning of the pandemic HALO has been working shoulder to shoulder with the authorities to restart humanitarian demining operations in order to continue to contribute to a safer world, and a Colombia free of landmines and explosive ordnance.
HALO created its own biosecurity protocols to protect personnel and the communities in which we operate, in compliance with the Colombian government led initiative, and as of early June our teams were able to restart operations in a number of municipalities in Antioquia.
We aim to continue clearing territories in all assigned areas and municipalities in the near future to empower local communities to have a better quality of life and live without fear.
