Colombia – Medellin – Ong Combos
Ximena Rojas, coordinator of the American area, travelled in Colombia in June 2019 to visit the NGO Combos which is located in Medellin. The aim of her stay was to get back in touch with Combos, in order to figure out whether the NGO still was interested in being a member of Dynamo International – Street workers Network.
Ximena have met with the two founders of the NGO and with the coordinators of the different projects. The discussion was mainly focused on the advocacy of street working in the American area based on the publication of the STREAT project by Dynamo International, but also on the functioning of the network and on the planning of the next 3 years.
She also discovered the projects carried out by the educators and artists of Combos within the impoverished townships of Medellin with youngsters and women in situation of vulnerability. The ONG has a considerable material concerning both the work on gender and on youngsters and women who are particularly exposed.
Moreover, Combos has been threatened by paramilitary groups within the townships because of the engagement of the ONG’s educators in favour of children in street situation, who are often used in armed conflict, drug traffic and victims of sexual violence.
Combos has finally reiterated its membership to the network and its intention to participate to regional meetings, considering the complex socio-political situation that is to be dealt with, the need to share experiences and to exchange with other professionals as well as the need for a support regarding the protection of human rights defenders.