CARE International’s history in Colombia
CARE began working in Colombia in 2019 to support communities facing growing humanitarian needs linked to migration, armed conflict, and inequality.
Besides having experienced decades of internal conflict, Colombia is also the main host country for people fleeing neighboring countries and a key transit point for migrants traveling north. These overlapping crises affect many Colombian communities, particularly women and girls.
Today, CARE Colombia continues to address urgent needs while also supporting longer-term opportunities for women, families, and communities.
CARE and partners’ work in Colombia today
CARE Colombia and our partners support communities affected by conflict, displacement, migration, and climate-related challenges. We help them with immediate humanitarian needs while also supporting families to rebuild their lives and increase future opportunities.
Our work focuses on:
Crisis response
CARE provides humanitarian aid in migration corridors and conflict-affected areas. This includes cash assistance, protection services, psychosocial support, and access to health services. Through the Women Lead in Emergencies approach, we support women to take active leadership roles in emergency response.
Making the economy work for women
CARE supports women to strengthen livelihoods through savings groups such as Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), entrepreneurship training, and access to financial services. These efforts help migrant and host community women rebuild income and support their families.
Health
We help increase access to health services and work with local partners to improve well-being for women, children, and families.
Gender equality
CARE works to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls and supports women’s leadership in communities affected by crisis and displacement.
Food and water
Through initiatives such as She Feeds the World, CARE supports small-scale women farmers to improve agricultural skills, reach new markets, use nature-based solutions, and adapt to climate change.
We also support community initiatives that strengthen protection systems and promote peace in conflict-affected areas such as Northern Cauca. In these regions, women and young people are playing a growing role in local peacebuilding efforts.
Focus on women and girls in Colombia
Women and girls are at the center of CARE Colombia’s work.
CARE works closely with local and national partners, especially women-led and community organizations, to ensure programs reflect local needs and priorities.
CARE supports women and girls to:
- Live free from violence through protection services, psychosocial support, legal assistance, and safe spaces
- Strengthen economic independence through savings groups, entrepreneurship training, and access to financial services
- Access health services through partnerships with organizations such as Profamilia
- Take leadership roles in humanitarian response, community decision-making, and peacebuilding
Through these efforts, CARE works with women and girls as leaders of change in their families and communities.
For recent updates on CARE's work in Colombia, see here.
