Last week, Malteser International (MI) Secretary-General Clemens Graf von Mirbach-Harff visited our programs in Colombia along with MI Program Director Annette Wächter-Schneider, and Malteser International Americas (MI Americas) Program Director for Latin America Jelena Kaifenheim.

Secretary-General Mirchach-Harff toured many of our projects, including our development projects in the rural region of La Guajira, where we have worked for many years to strengthen the resiliency of vulnerable and indigenous communities, particularly in relation to climate change adaptation, medical services, and food security. Here, he met members of the Sumaain Wayuu community, many of whom are Venezuelan refugees or Colombian returnees who often lack access to critical resources such as water, healthcare services, education, social services, housing and transportation.

Here, as was the case throughout the visit, our high-level executives were able to hear first-hand accounts from community members themselves, going from door to door to listen to their stories.

Program Director Wächter-Schneider visited our Mangrove restoration project, in La Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, which seeks to restore over 80 acres of mangroves, as well as revive the ecosystem surrounding the mangroves, provide training for fishermen, as well as overall bettering the living conditions of those who live near the mangrove forests by awareness trainings on recycling. So far, this multi-year project has created 3 mangrove nurseries – 2 in Tasajera and 1 in Isla del Rosario.

The team also visited the UNHCR camps in the border city of Maicao, where MI Americas provides all of the medical services for incoming refugees, migrants, and returnees.

Overall, the team was thrilled to see the progress many of these projects have made but continue to see the need for expanded services, such as climate change adaptation and the provision of essential services like medical care to vulnerable populations.