Repairing Schools and Building Emergency Showers in Colombia After Earthquake

It has been a month since the earthquake struck Pereira, Colombia, and while the headlines moved on, the urgent need for relief remains. We continue to work tirelessly on the ground to support front-line responders and hard-hit communities across the region. Recognizing that relief must reach the most vulnerable, we have extended direct assistance to the Emberá community, an ancestral indigenous people of Colombia, by delivering tailored food supplies and essential hygiene kits, while also reaching remote, rural areas like El Cairo with vital resources such as sleeping mats, flashlights, hygiene supplies, and critical hydration. 

We are also focusing on repairing earthquake-affected schools, like the IE Cartagena school in Dos Quebradas. This was one of the most damaged schools after the earthquake. By changing the roof sheets and fixing the cracks in the walls, the school is now safe, restored, and ready to welcome students back to the classrooms!

Our team repaired this heavily-damaged school in Dos Quebradas, Pereira in Colombia. By changing the roof sheets and fixing the cracks in the walls, the school is now safe, restored, and ready to welcome students.

While life in Pereira is slowly returning to a busy rhythm as shops reopen daily, the emergency response phase is far from complete. Communities still face significant recovery hurdles, and our presence remains steadfast.

Living in temporary shelters makes simple things like privacy and staying clean very difficult. At the Mora Mora shelter, we built private shower blocks so survivors like María Esther (an elderly woman who lost her home and searched for safety alongside her dogs) can wash and feel cared for. Meanwhile, at Coliseo Mayor, Pereira’s largest camp, crowded conditions are making people sick. Watch the video to hear María Esther’s story and see Jesse from our team explain how we are building hand-washing stations out of local materials to keep families healthy.