Building Social Infrastructure and Increasing Access to Health Services in Colombia

Building Social Infrastructure and Increasing Access to Health Services in Colombia

A young girl receives a dental check up at a health fair in San Jancinto.
Through the USAID-funded Colombia Responde program, Global Communities is working with rural communities the Montes de Maria region, a mountainous area near the northern coast of Colombia whose population has suffered heavily from the ongoing armed conflict resulting in massive displacement among communities. Today, while the violence has diminished, the Government of Colombia is still working to establish sustainable peace and security for displaced residents to return to their homes. Through the Colombia Responde program, communities in Montes de Maria are learning how to work more effectively with the Colombian government to improve their living conditions and rebuild their social and physical infrastructure.
Building Social Infrastructure
The lack of social infrastructure is one of the biggest issues among rural communities in Montes de Maria. This shortcoming constrains access to education, housing, health and other basic rights. After a planning process, 16 rural communities from El Carmen de Bolivar, San Jacinto, Ovejas and San Onofre prioritized 16 infrastructure projects to be supported by their local governments and Colombia Responde. To date,14 of these projects have been completed.
For example, in the community of El Hobo, the Community Development Committee, prioritized the construction of a community center. Previously, residents had to hold meetings in private homes. Between 2000 and 2004 it was dangerous to hold meetings because armed groups threatened them. Now, local organizations like the Community Action Board, the Parents Association and the Community Development Committee are much stronger organizations because they can meet freely and more regularly.
In the community of Arenas del Sur, much of the community infrastructure had deteriorated due to years of abandonment and internal conflict. Residents there decide to build a computer resource room to benefit local students and improve the community health clinic. To serve the clinic they are recruiting a permanent health promoter and training selected residents in first aid. The building also has a room for “Farmers’ Voices,” a community radio program.    
                                                                                               
These improvements to the social infrastructure strengthen not only access to education, but also the health and social capital of more than 1,000 citizens of Montes de Maria. The total cost of the projects was $55,498.
Increasing Access to Health Services
One of the goals of local governments in Montes de Maria is to improve access to health services. This was reflected in the municipal strengthening action plan supported by Colombia Responde. 
As part of this plan, the San Jacinto municipal government hosted a two-day health fair. The objective on the first day was to make educate youth about reproductive health and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Approximately 200 youth attended. On the second day, the municipal government presented a comprehensive health program called “Health in your Neighborhood,” targeting the municipality’s most vulnerable residents. During this fair, more than 300 people received health services including oral hygiene services, vaccinations, pap smears and HIV testing.
The local government plans to hold more of these fairs to allow citizens from rural communities to access to health services.
Learn more about how the Colombia Responde program is supporting communities: Helping Local Communities Take Ownership of Projects in Colombia.