To help more Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) become
self-sufficient, Colombia’s Presidential Commission for
Social Action and International Cooperation (Acción Social)
has announced the allocation of USD 28.7 million to help 23,300
displaced families create income-generating projects.

This comprehensive assistance package will be managed by IOM and
will focus on job placement, the development of micro-enterprises
and on vocational training.

The beneficiaries will receive psychosocial support and regular
advice on how to develop small business plans or how to enter the
job market.  They will also receive administrative training
and micro-credit loans, as well as support during the
post-investment phase.    

IOM has already selected 32 well-established local partners,
including faith-based organizations, civil society, academia and
chambers of commerce, who will work alongside the
beneficiaries.  

In order to qualify for the programme, families must be
registered as displaced in the National Registry of Displaced
Population (RUPD), and must be able to show that they have not
previously benefited from Acción Social’s
income-generating projects. 

According to the official national registry, there are 2,119,079
IDPs in Colombia.

Through this initiative, Acción Social is fulfilling its
commitment to the displaced, as stipulated in Law 387 of 1997 and
Constitutional Court Ruling 025 of 2004.

For more information, please contact:

Jorge Andres Gallo

IOM Bogota

Tel: + 5715946410 Ext. 142

E-mail: "mailto:jgallo@oim.org.co" target="_blank" title=
"">jgallo@oim.org.co