Press Release: USAID Announces $25 Million for Displaced Persons, September 28, 2000

Press Release: USAID Announces $25 Million for Displaced Persons, September 28, 2000
Plan Colombia:

USAID Announces $25 Million for Displaced Persons

For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 28, 2000

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted $25 million to five non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide social services to 660,000 displaced Colombians. USAID, through these U.S.-based NGOs and international organizations, will help local governments promote employment for displaced persons and help them obtain basic healthcare, primary education, and decent shelter. The majority of displaced persons receiving assistance from USAID are located in city slums and rural areas in northern Colombia and along the Pacific coast. These Colombians have been displaced by guerrilla and paramilitary violence and, being unable to return to their place of origin, have become long-term displaced until the conflict is resolved. The five grantees are:

-- World Vision received $3.9 million to work in four urban areas: Soacha (near Bogota), Bucaramanga, Monteria, and Cali. The project will create jobs, promote basic health care and sanitation, improve shelter, potable water, and sewage drainage, and improve access to primary schools. The two-year project will benefit 98,000 persons, primarily women heads of household and children.

-- The International Organization for Migration received $8.9 million for job creation, basic health, primary education, shelter, and community services. The assistance will reach 87,000 beneficiaries over two years in the departments of Putumayo, Caqueta, Narino, Valle de Cauca, Santander and Norte de Santander.

-- The Panamerican Development Foundation received $9.0 million for job creation, basic health, primary education, shelter, and community services. The two year project will benefit 75,000 persons near Monteria and Villavicencio

-- UNICEF received $1.7 million to help the psychological recovery of children who have been displaced or traumatized by violence in Meta, Cordoba and Putumayo. The two-year project will assist 8,000 children.

-- Profamilia, a Colombian NGO, received $1.5 million to provide primary health care to over 400,000 persons. Services will be delivered through Profamilia's network of private clinics for two years.

As of October 19, 2000, this document was also available online at http://usinfo.state.gov/admin/011/lef302.htm