Emergency Food Support for Families in Catatumbo

One of the most urgent needs for families affected by displacement and violence is access to food and essential hygiene products. In the first phase of the emergency response we provided 50 hygiene and food parcels, and now as part of Healing Wounds, Rebuilding Lives, we have launched a food voucher program aimed at providing this vital support to 122 highly vulnerable families temporarily settled in Ocaña and surrounding areas.

How it works:

• Partnerships with local businesses:  We work with local stores where families can redeem vouchers for basic food staples and hygiene products. These partnerships ensure fair pricing, product availability, and dignity in service for every beneficiary.
• Carefully defined product list: To guarantee real nutritional impact, vouchers can only be used for essential items such as rice, beans, vegetables, protein sources, and hygiene products. Products like alcohol, tobacco, sugary drinks, or non-nutritious ultra-processed foods are explicitly excluded.
• Monitoring for transparency: Each voucher is assigned to a specific family, and we are also exploring electronic vouchers to further improve security and accountability.
• Regular distribution cycles: Families may receive between one and three rounds of vouchers over six months, depending on their level of need, reaching an average of 20 families per month. This ensures consistent, reliable support while helping families stabilize their situation.

By addressing food insecurity directly, this program provides families with immediate relief while they work toward long-term recovery and emotional healing through our other psychosocial and educational initiatives.

Links:

• Distribution of Food Vouchers in Catatumbo [Video]