"I told my wife: Let's get out of this town before we lose our
lives." With these words, José starts recounting the past
few years of his life.

Arjona, a small town in the Department of Valledupar, became a
virtual ghost town the night of 26 February 1997.

Every single resident fled the town before sunrise.

They only took their children, the clothes on their backs and
all of the memories their heads could carry.

After a three-hour canoe ride, they arrived in
Chiriguaná, the closest town where they were able to breathe
a sigh of relief.

"We spent an entire week witnessing the killing of family,
friends and neighbours.  The guerrillas would yank them out of
their homes and murder them in cold blood in the town square. 
The rest of us could hear the bullets and shuddered in fear
thinking we were next," explains José, a 37-year-old
fisherman who left behind his work, his home and his bravery to
flee from certain death.

"We think we're very brave and strong, but that's not
true.  When I saw what that group did to my friends, family
and neighbours my entire body trembled.  All I could think of
was how to save my family," recalls José.

Starting Over

José arrived in Chiriguaná with his family and
armed with the best intentions of forging ahead. "The mayor helped
us.  He provided food for my family and 15 others who had fled
with us.  I spent all waking hours eking out a meager living
to support my family. I bought and sold vegetables, sometimes I
fished, and other times I worked as a farm hand.  After three
months I began building a wooden home in an area of town where all
of the internally displaced had gathered. We were poor but safe,"
adds José.

But life was so difficult for José and his wife that they
decided to leave Chiriguaná and try their luck in
Valledupar, the capital of the Department of Cesar, where according
to the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation and Social
Action (ACCION SOCIAL), 54,000 internally displaced Colombians are
currently living.

His luck did improve in Valledupar because José managed
to find work in the fishing industry.

And although he is able to provide for his family, he has
benefitted from the humanitarian assistance provided by ACCION
SOCIAL, with support from IOM.

The assistance, which consists of food vouchers redeemable at a
national supermarket chain, has been distributed to José and
thousands of other displaced families throughout the country.

On 21 August, José and his family received USD 256 in
food vouchers.  He and his wife immediately went to the
supermarket to stock up on food for their family.

"I am not able to make such large purchases.  We buy food
on a daily basis and according to the money that we have
available.  Today's purchase will see us through for at least
two months," exclaims José as he buys food for his
family.

Some 2,200 displaced families living in Valledupar also received
the food vouchers that day.  Assistance in cash was also
provided for many beneficiaries who needed help to pay rent and
other basic needs.

The USD 1.3 million distributed on 21 August in Valledupar is
part of the assistance being provided by the Government with
support from IOM to displaced Colombians.

The assistance provided to the internally displaced also
includes income-generating schemes.  So far some 50,000
persons have received training to find employment or start up small
businesses which will put them on their way to their economic
independence.