Colombia
After working in Colombia for nearly 30 years, we opened our own HelpAge office there in 2008.
Working closely with local partners, we:
- protect older people who, due to civil unrest, have fled their homes to take refuge in shanty towns
- help older people access pensions, benefits and health services
- support the Colombian Confederation of older people, which helps older people take action to defend their rights.
We are currently distributing aid to older people affected by floods in northern Colombia.
The difference we made in 2009-10
Through our project in Cali we have:
- trained 10 families in farming and business skills
- found temporary accommodation for 15 families
- dealt with 23 legal procedures for newly displaced families
- organized four group events to bring some normality back into the lives of displaced older people.
What next?
Through our work in Cali we will:
- give legal help to 289 older people (and their loved ones) who have been forced to flee their homes
- provide temporary shelter for 60 families
- make sure all local assistance organisations remember the specific needs of older people.
Our partners
Provida Colombia, CESTRA (Colombia), Red Tiempos de Envejecimiento Activo y Digno, Fundación Red de Desarrollo y Paz de los Montes de Maria, Fundación Paz y Bien, Asociación Cultural Casa del Niño