Supporting children and families when crisis strikes
Across Colombia, children and young people face multiple emergencies; from floods and natural disasters to violence, displacement, and humanitarian crises.
Emergency Response
While CCC is committed to creating long-term, sustainable change in Colombia, we recognise that many children and communities face urgent crises that demand immediate action. Armed conflict, forced displacement, natural disasters and more threaten lives and disrupt safety, provision of basic services and access to education. When these situations arise, CCC responds with direct support to protect those at risk, working alongside local partners to deliver the aid needed.
The current situation in Colombia
Colombia’s humanitarian landscape remains complex and volatile. In recent years, rising levels of armed conflict continue to drive displacement of vulnerable communities, especially in regions such as Catatumbo where clashes between armed groups displaced over 56,000 and left tens of thousands more affected. Furthermore, high profile acts of violence targeting presidential candidates and state institutions highlight the insecurity plaguing the country.
Alongside conflict, climate-related emergencies continue to devastate already vulnerable regions. In late 2024, the department of Chocó experienced record-breaking rainfall, triggering severe flooding and landslides, and in January 2026 extremely heavy rainfall displaced thousands in Córdoba. These events displaced families, destroyed homes and infrastructure, and cut off entire communities, compounding already existing inequalities.
Responding to Crises Across Colombia
Emergencies have both short and long term effects on children, families, and the projects designed to support them. In the short term, programmes may have to be put on hold to protect staff and participants from insecurity, interrupting timelines and having a severe psychological impact. Forced displacement also means that families can lose access to safe housing, local support networks and education, further exacerbating the risks and effects of already dangerous situations. Certain rural communities can also face isolation in the wake of disaster, leaving people without essential food supplies, medicine, and the basic services needed to support themselves. In the long term, these crises also have a significant impact on children’s wellbeing, increasing the risk of trauma and undermining local progress in tackling key issues.
For these reasons, CCC’s emergency response projects aim to alleviate immediate suffering and hardship in regions most affected by disaster and support the road to recovery for the most affected families and individuals.
What we’re doing and our Projects
Violence and Disasters in Catatumbo
The surge in violence in Catatumbo in 2025 led CCC to develop initiatives to support families displaced by conflict alongside our local partner, Fundación Cinco Sentidos. Through a programme of food vouchers in Ocaña and its surrounding communities, we provided food, toiletries and hygiene products to 115 families affected by violence. Furthermore, CCC delivered psychological support sessions and creative art workshops for over 340 children, offering safe spaces to process trauma and express emotions alongside peers. Simultaneously, 6 parenting workshops were delivered, equipping caregivers with tools to help support their families through their period of displacement.
In addition, CCC formed a strategic partnership with the Catholic Diocese in Tibú, a town at the centre of the conflict, to aid the community through the delivery of food and hygiene kits to conflict-affected families over the course of a year. Together, these initiatives aim to ensure access to essential resources, strengthen coping mechanisms within families, and restore dignity to a proud region currently marked by instability and violence.
Floodings in Córdoba
In June 2026, Children Change Colombia partnered with celebrated Colombian singer Adriana Lucía at the London Colombian Film Festival to raise funds supporting children and communities in Córdoba, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The proceeds will help develop the Casa de la Cultura del Carito, a dedicated space for dance and cultural expression. The need was identified directly by the local community, who spoke of having to empty water left by rain through a leaky roof so that children could have the opportunity to practice dance. Alongside this, CCC delivered a session of Paz a la Mochila, bringing the message of peace through education and the spirit of the dove.
Chocó Violence and Flooding
In Chocó, CCC has partnered with ACADESAN to support those affected by armed conflict by constructing a multipurpose shelter to support 72 Afro-Colombian communities in the region, making up around 15,000 people. The shelter has various bedrooms and facilities for displaced families, and also contains a large communal space which local communities can use as a space for gathering and events. Construction on the shelter finished in June 2025, and in August the shelter opened its doors for the first time, hosting 250 displaced families and a peacebuilding workshop.
At the end of 2024, Chocó was hit by devastating flooding and extreme weather, affecting families all across the region. With some towns and villages already isolated and only accessible by boat or plane, emergency support was desperately needed. Alongside our ACADESAN, we delivered emergency food and sanitary kits to 600 families. Furthermore, we made deliveries of 1289 school kits to schools along the San Juan River, ensuring that children can continue with their education even in the face of disaster.
In Chocó, CCC has partnered with ACADESAN to support those affected by armed conflict by constructing a multipurpose shelter to support 72 Afro-Colombian communities in the region, making up around 15,000 people. The shelter has various bedrooms and facilities for displaced families, and also contains a large communal space which local communities can use as a space for gathering and events. Construction on the shelter finished in June 2025, and in August the shelter opened its doors for the first time, hosting 250 displaced families and a peacebuilding workshop.
At the end of 2024, Chocó was hit by devastating flooding and extreme weather, affecting families all across the region. With some towns and villages already isolated and only accessible by boat or plane, emergency support was desperately needed. Alongside our ACADESAN, we delivered emergency food and sanitary kits to 600 families. Furthermore, we made deliveries of 1289 school kits to schools along the San Juan River, ensuring that children can continue with their education even in the face of disaster.
