Helene Dudley

When it comes to economic ills, if the U.S. sneezes, Colombia catches pneumonia. In these difficult economic times, the good news is that a dollar still stretches to provide a whole host of remedies in Colombia and through the RPCV network 100% of any dollar donated can find its way to the program and community of one’s choice.

The Magdalena Foundation (college scholarships and mentoring), The Colombia Project (micro-credit and communal banks) and MINICOL (primary and secondary education scholarships and mentoring) are purely volunteer efforts in the U.S. with no funds withheld for administration, allowing 100% of donations to reach the intended recipients in Colombia. One or more of these organizations currently serve Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Caldas, El Chocó, La Guajira, Magdalena, Nariño, Quindío, Valle de Cauca, and Risaralda. All three organizations work through talented, dedicated and frugal grassroots partners in Colombia. The U.S. organizations provide funds and conduct regular due diligence site visits, but the partners in Colombia are the ones who do the important work of making positive improvement in people’s lives.

At a February, 2009 meeting near Manizales, Colombian administrators for all of these organizations shared information about their own programs and many expressed interest in adding services offered in other sites. There was particular interest in replicating the Magdalena scholarship and mentoring program for MINICOL graduates and in replicating Cartagena’s communal banks. Alba Lucía Varela and Ofelia Fernandez, who administer respectively the scholarships and the communal banks, are both willing to help the others replicate these programs if funding sources can be identified to serve specific communities. Alba and Ofelia, in turn would like to duplicate the full service centers where MINICOL offers literacy, nutrition, sewing, weaving, music and other programs. Participants at the February meetings exchanged email addresses and expressed eagerness to mentor each other to replicate services.

Based on my Colombia Project experience and numerous visits to Colombia, it is my opinion that a multi-pronged approach is necessary to achieve sustainable change in marginalized communities. Children need access to schooling or the next generation will be lost, but they cannot get to school if their families do not have enough income to pay for transportation, tuition, uniforms, books, shoes and supplies. Mentoring and support networks are needed along the way when obstacles appear and bureaucracies are unresponsive. Good health and nutrition are essential.

When Group 22, a Colombia Peace Corps co-op group recently sent its second targeted donation for the micro-credit program that several of its members visited in Cartagena, it occurred to me that similar targeted RPCV group donations could be the key to allow our partners to expand specific services in specific communities.