Collapsing structures and displacing families across Pereira and rural townships after the earthquakes, local communities immediately stepped up to create safe places out of what just seemed as an empty soccer field. That’s how Santa Rita shelter came to life, a community-led camp built out of sheer resilience and solidarity.
This is just one of the many places All Hands & Hearts has been working directly alongside community members in Pereira, Colombia, where uncommon places are turned into a safe, sustainable temporary shelter.
Life at Santa Rita
Built on a local soccer field by community leaders like Sofia, the Santa Rita shelter was created to give displaced families a place to sleep when returning to an unsafe and structurally damaged home was no longer an option.
Families who lost their homes or fled structural danger quickly began gathering at Santa Rita. It started with just five families but expanded rapidly overnight as more neighbors sought shelter. To shield families from heavy rains, community members built improvised overhead covers using football goalposts, plastic tarps, and ropes. With no electrical grid on site, a single spotlight and small hung lights illuminated the field.
Material possessions can be rebuilt, prioritizing human life and providing immediate safety remains the camp’s driving force.
How We Left Our Special Mark by Supporting the Shelter:
To relieve pressure on the camp’s organizers and improve daily living conditions, we strengthen Santa Rita’s infrastructure and essential services:
Sanitation & Hygiene: To support a growing population, we assisted with camp sanitation facilities including makeshift and portable bathrooms and showers to keep the community safe and healthy while long-term housing repairs begin.
Community Kitchen & Food Supplies: We supplied the camp kitchen with large-scale cooking equipment, gas cylinders, and steady food stock to prepare hot meals for displaced residents and local volunteers.
Weatherproof Protection: Our team installed heavy-duty tarps and secondary overhead covers over tents to keep families warm and dry through severe rain.
Built on Community Legacy
“We were close friends with our councilman, he was a victim of the earthquake. So we did this to honor the legacy of someone who really lived to serve the community.” Sofia, local leader at the shelter shared with us. Santa Rita reflects the spirit of the rural towns surrounding Pereira; communities that take care of their own. In some way, this camp was also established to honor fallen public servants who dedicated their lives to community service, ensuring no family in the rural countryside feels forgotten.
Weeks have passed since the earthquake disaster but it takes years to rebuild a city. You can be part of Pereira’s journey towards recovery.
Make a Difference
The need is growing. Your support allows us to continue showing up by working alongside communities, supporting local efforts, and doing everything we can in the coming weeks to help families recover.
Thank you for your support.
