The Sustainable Territories for Peace in Caquetá project, funded by the European Union and Camões I.P and implemented by IMVF and Red Adelco, has been adapting to the evolving situation in the country in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic. Colombia has been in mandatory general confinement since March 24, 2020.
The project has demonstrated its support for the campaign #QuedateEnCasa (stays at home), also putting all technicians and staff in telework. Still, ways have been found to continue providing support to project beneficiaries and to mobilize resources for Covid-19 prevention and mitigation in the region.
In general, the confinement decreed did not interfere significantly with the daily work of farmers, which takes place in relatively isolated farms. However, the current situation has made it impossible for project technicians to provide face-to-face technical support in the best possible way to follow and support farmers’ work over the telephone. The project technicians have also continued to follow the various local associations and organisations supported by the project by telephone. At the same time, the management and implementation team has taken advantage of this time to update and advance administrative, organisational and follow-up tasks.
The project has also been promoting emissions from the program “Voices of Caquetá for Peace” , a primordial tool to transmit to the communities of the zone information that is essential in the current context.
A first broadcast of this programme was dedicated to the personal, family and community challenges generated by the containment situation. In this issue, carried out by a psychologist, a technique of the social component of the project, advice was disseminated to help face the current situation, such as occupational activities that can be performed, examples of breathing and relaxation techniques, and also information to raise awareness about psychological problems that may arise. It should be noted that radio represents a very important means of disseminating this type of information to which a large part of the inhabitants of the project intervention areas would not have easy access by other means.
In a second broadcast, entitled “Virtuality in times of crisis”, the strategy for monitoring and supporting the beneficiaries was disseminated, focusing on new technologies and the search for alternative forms of dynamisation and communication. The project technicians seek to ensure social and technical support by maintaining permanent contact with the communities through telephone, WhatsApp and e-mail. The main means of communication available were disseminated, recalling the challenge of reaching isolated rural communities, where access to this type of technology is often reduced, and recalling the efforts of the project team to continue reaching all beneficiaries in the current context. This issue also sought to give voice to some of the project’s beneficiaries, who witnessed how they have been coping with the problems generated by the confinement situation.
The program “Voices of Caquetá for Peace” will continue its bimonthly emissions addressing several of the project’s action themes, taking into account the evolution of the current situation and the needs of the local population.