Update: The Colombia Project

Helene Ballmann Dudley 
Chairman, The Colombia Projects

After reading the article on targeted giving in the last issue of this newsletter, Sue Patterson lobbied members of her training group to make a joint donation. At their 2009 summer reunion, Group 35 collected $1,500 to donate to The Colombia Project in memory of deceased members of their group. Funds will be used to expand a two-year old program administered by Sister Ruby in Genova, Quindío. Coffee growers in Sister Ruby’s area are struggling to support their families after climate changes brought a 50% decline in the harvest over the last three years. The Colombia Project’s short term loans have helped the coffee growers develop alternate sources of income.

Sister Ruby, a Vincentiane nun, is involved in various programs to serve the local community, including a school lunch program. In accordance with Colombia Project guidelines, she was able to use approximately $1,000 of the repayments to construct two small ponds to raise fish for the lunch program as well as pay lunch program salaries and purchase other needed equipment.

Sister Ruby, a Vincentiane nun, is involved in various programs to serve the local community, including a school lunch program. In accordance with Colombia Project guidelines, she was able to use approximately $1,000 of the repayments to construct two small ponds to raise fish for the lunch program as well as pay lunch program salaries and purchase other needed equipment.

Thanks to strong support from community leaders, including the mayor and the local priest, Sister Ruby maintains a high loan repayment rate. By immediately reinvesting those repayments to fund new loans within the community, Sister Ruby has parlayed the 14 million pesos ($6,500 US) which The Colombia Project has sent into 33 million pesos worth of micro-loans.

Sister Ruby is one of 13 project administrators for The Colombia Project’s newest partner MINICOL , which is registered as a non-profit both in the U.S. and Colombia, and supports primary education for marginalized and displaced children. MINICOL administrators in Genova, Concordia and Villa María-Manizales have added Colombia Project micro-credit loans to their tool box of services to aid their communities. Group 35’s donation follows the example of Group 22 (Cooperatives) which donated $1,700 at the Cartagena Conference and then sent a second donation this year, both targeted for the Cartagena micro-loan program.

Alba Lucía Varela, administrator of the program in Magdalena reports that the four satellite programs, run by community leaders since April in Cienaga, Reten, La Guajira and Macao, are progressing well. The goal is for these programs to eventually become self sufficient. Alba has also requested a grant to establish an additional weavers’ coop to benefit a remote community of displaced Wayuu Indians in the Guajira. Although this is quite different from micro-loans, The Colombia Project is working with Alba to submit a $3000-$5000 grant request as another way of promoting economic development. The AMB Foundation of Arizona, which focuses on aid to indigenous communities, funded the 2006 grant project that created a very successful weavers’ coop. That coop’s leadership will assist with this new project which will also include classes in nutrition and the creation of a food coop with the intent of reducing the 1st year infant mortality well below its incredibly high current rate of 85%.

One hundred percent of funds donated to The Colombia Project are distributed as micro-loans in Colombia. Partners in Colombia are compensated for their time and expenses through a portion of the loan repayments. Sale of the Madison, Wisconsin RPCV Calendars supports the operational costs of The Colombia Project.

To purchase a calendar online, visit www.rpcvsf.org and click on MARKETPLACE or contact helenedudley@yahoo.com.