USAID/OTI Colombia Program Description
COLOMBIA PROGRAM FY2001 Budget - $3,750,000
OTI engaged in Colombia in January 1999 after the inauguration of President Pastrana. In addition to its own portfolio, OTI is managing $2.5 million in the Plan Colombia supplemental for the reintegration of child soldiers.
OTI's objective in Colombia is to advance the peace process by providing resources to neglected communities in conflict areas and opening lines of communication between the government, civil society and armed groups. OTI is carrying out this objective through four different sets of programs:
- Strengthening the role of local NGOs: OTI's $1.5 million small peace grants initiative, "Strengthening Peace through Civil Society Initiatives at the Community Level," makes small grants (under $50,000) to local organizations working for peace and supports local initiatives that can have national-level impact. In the first five months, 12 peace grants worth over $290,328 were awarded to Colombian NGOs.
- Technical Assistance for Negotiation: A grant to Georgetown University in Washington and Javeriana University in Bogota helped the Government of Colombia establish a framework for negotiating a truce by developing a 12-point discussion agenda. The universities also organized forums to address some of the main themes of contention.
- Promoting democratic participation and effective local governance: A grant to the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), which ended in Sept. 2000, strengthened local democracy by supporting small infrastructure projects in collaboration with the community. This project is continuing, but is now being funded by the ICRC itself. The Salesian Missions, working in the department of Meta outside the "despeje" zone, are assisting communities integrate internally displaced people and providing a revolving fund for small loans to rural farmers and entrepreneurs.
- Child Soldier Reintegration: In March 2001, OTI signed a $2.5 million cooperative agreement with the International Organization of Migration (IOM) to implement the "Support Program for Ex-combatant Children." The program focuses on special needs faced by children who have experienced wartime trauma and on productively reintegrating them into society. The program works in concert with the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF), a GOC agency that currently has responsibility for child soldiers. OTI is funding local NGOs to perform functions needed by the ICBF, such as training, psychosocial counseling, etc.
OTI plans to close out of Colombia in December 2001.
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