They belong to the Nasa tribe, a group of indigenous people displaced by the fifty-year-long Colombian conflict.
Their territory is a corridor for drugs, weapons and, increasingly, unidentified armed men. Community leaders have been murdered. Landmines are scattered throughout the area.
Caught between armed groups who have been fighting for half a century, the people of El Congo, Colombia, have had enough. "There were really serious clashes," explains Edgar Pavi, a school director living in the settlement. "We fear for human and material losses. That's why we had to flee several times."
The area has been attacked more than 500 times in the last 10 years. Shootings and mortar fire became part of daily life. But now, the peace deal between the government and FARC in 2016 may be an opportunity for the people in El Congo to rebuild their community life.
The brave Nasa
"We decided we were no longer willing to pay the price of a war that has nothing to do with us," says Guillermo Calambas, a sixty-year-old community leader. "Instead, we want to demand our land rights and promote education for all."
The community has begun to reclaim lands lost in the conflict. They eradicated coca crops and exchanged illicit crops for food crops. "This is one of the reasons why new armed groups see us as a thorn in their side," Pavi says. "These groups do not want our communities to change, but we are determined to do so."
NRC has been actively monitoring the risk of Nasa communities, ensuring that they’re able to enjoy protective measures provided by the state.
Education for all Nasa children
In earlier times, the school used to be under crossfire. Students would hide under their seats. Many children didn’t attend. But now the Nasa can educate every child, thanks to a new facility, safe behavioural trainings and educational materials provided by NRC.
