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European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

‘We are leaving to seek a better life’

For thousands of migrants, Colombia's northern coastal town of Necoclí is the first step of a long journey. The destination: what they hope will be a better life.

They live in makeshift camps lacking all basic services. They wait for a ride on one of the boats cruising towards the Darién Gap. This is a thick jungle between Panama and Colombia that they have to cross by foot, risking their lives.

More than 91,000 people have crossed the Darién until October 2021. The number is set to double by the end of the year when the dry season makes the terrain more accessible.

With EU humanitarian funding, the German and Colombian Red Cross have established 2 temporary medical facilities.

Thanks to this, more than 4,800 migrants have received:

  • medical services
  • medicines
  • psychological support

They also received personal protective equipment to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Video © European Union, 2021
Publication date: 18/11/2021

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