Colombia

Photo: Aurelie Baumel / MSF In the port city of Buenaventura, 250 houses built on piles in the Miramar neighborhood lacked running water because the water company, Hidropacífico, was not prepared to deliver water via an above-ground distribution system. With the high level of skin infections and gastric disease related to poor-quality water, in late 2009 MSF decided to launch a water and sanitation project.   In 14 months, MSF held 17 training sessions and, working with the Miramar community, rebuilt 725 meters of "water bridges" and installed 200 kits. Now, every house has a tank that provides water around the clock.       Pilot project Miramar was...

Angela lives in Genareros, an indigenous community in Arauca region, Colombia. In April 2010, two of her seven children completed their treatment for Chagas, a disease transmitted by an insect common in rural areas where people live in houses made of clay and straw. As Angela’s young children Yosney and Maryeli celebrated the end of their treatment, she found out that another two of her children also had the disease. Indigenous community "Genareros". Chagas disease is diagnosed through a blood serum test. Patients who are confirmed to have Chagas disease are given a medical check-up before they start a two-month long treatment. Photo: Mads Nissen Chagas disease is endemic in most Latin American countries. In Colombia...

Through this report, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders(MSF) shares its experience in providing medical care, counselling and other forms of support to thousands of victims of sexual violence in many countries around the world. The report is partly born out of outrage about the inexcusable acts that these people have been subjected to and the damage inflicted upon their lives. It demonstrates why it is imperative to make immediate care available, and truly accessible, for those who have been sexually assaulted.