During an event held by the Association of Food Banks of Colombia (Abaco), together with Colombia Takes Care of Colombia and the Food Bank of La Guajira, the Thread Bank initiative was launched.
The project seeks to improve the food and nutritional security of the population in a situation of vulnerability in the department of La Guajira.
But why is it necessary?
The figures are worrying
According to figures compiled by Abaco, 726,000 people -66 percent of the population of La Guajira- live below the poverty line. Of these, 435,000 earn less than 127,000 pesos per month.
Bancos de Hilos seeks to provide quality food to children from different sectors of La Guajira.
In other words, it is the poorest department in the country.
With regard to chronic malnutrition, more than 250,000 people in La Guajira suffer from it or suffered from it during their early childhood.
The seriousness of these figures lies in the fact that those who suffer from this scourge lose 14 IQ points, have five fewer years of schooling and their income is 54 percent lowerwith respect to those who do not suffer from this disease during their first years of life.
(You can read: ‘If Bogotá does not overcome chronic malnutrition, Colombia will not’).
“We have to undertake a serious commitment to the prevention of chronic malnutrition that affects not only people who suffer from hunger but also the country’s economy and development”, assured Juan Carlos Buitrago, director of Abaco, in an official statement from the organization.
The Thread Bank initiative
The Banco de Hilos program aims to enhance the culture, the artisanal capacity of the Wayúu community and at the same time prevent deaths from malnutrition, chronic malnutrition and its consequences.
Buitrago narrated during the event a problem, which is little portrayed, that revolves around the Wayuu backpack industry. These are bought from the manufacturers, who usually belong to indigenous communities in the area, for very low prices -from 10 to 20 thousand pesos-, taking advantage of the situation of poverty faced by these ethnic groups.
This is the only way to have smarter children, (…) capable of lifting their communities out of poverty
Why is it unfair? These pieces of art are sold in stores, websites and tourist areas for prices close to 100 thousand pesosor more.
Given the need to eradicate chronic malnutrition in La Guajira, especially in children under five, and to demonopolize the sale of backpacks, the Banco de Hilos project was born.
The idea is to buy the backpacks for a reasonable price and, as payment for the work of the women artisans, they will be given a subsidy, food, education and more benefits for their children.
(We recommend: ‘In the FAO they were neglected or there was no coordination’: SAC).
“with this project We are going to improve the living conditions of 1,950 people in vulnerable conditionswe are going to strengthen the artisan skills of Wayuu women, help them market their backpacks so that they have better income, but also do community strengthening and nutritional support with pregnant women and younger children to guarantee that in these communities we have zero deaths due to malnutrition and zero chronic malnutrition“, said the director of the organization.
The idea is to buy the Wayúu backpacks made by women belonging to these communities at a fair price.
Some organizations that are part of the project are: The Global Food Banking Network, Novartis, Fundación Éxito, Fundación ARGOS, AVIANCA, Fundación Puntos Verdes, LITO SAS, Construyendo 500,001, Sierra Nevada, Kaionare, La Tienda de la Empathy, Huge and Tik Tok .
How to help?
You can buy the pieces of art developed by the women of La Guajira and allow an improvement in the food security of your children in the Abaco official website.
You also have the possibility of sponsoring a child or making your donations in money to the different initiatives of the organization, by the same means.
If you are a person or company and want to donate resources, knowledge and/or services, contact Abaco: mercadeo@abaco.org.co or WhatsApp Bussiness https://wa.me/573132457978.
The children of Uribia, a municipality located in La Guajira, are also affected by this scourge.
(You may be interested in: They denounce the death of two Wayú minors due to malnutrition).
“The invitation is for all people and organizations to join efforts in this
draft. We are convinced that only with the confluence of wills and capacities of the public and private sectors, the third sector, academia, the media and multilateral organizations we are going to find sustainable solutions to end hunger in Colombia”, concluded Constanza Gómez, director of Colombia Cuida Colombia, in the statement.
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