The Wayúu People
In the north of Colombia lives an indigenous population encompassed by the La Guajira desert, the country’s largest. The Wayúu are one of Colombia’s most unique and largest indigenous populations, who have gained notoriety due to never being conquered by the Spanish. The people, dispersed throughout this enormous region, consist of scattered clans making do in the relentless environment. The actual size of the population throughout the area of La Guajira is not well known but is speculated to be in the hundreds of thousands. iHelp is excited to work with the people of this tenacious culture who face unique troubles in the harsh desert atmosphere.
Day-to-day life for The Wayuu involves some of the most extreme poverty, thirst, drought, environmental degradation, and malnutrition in Latin American history, as well as a severe migration flow. Despite their hardships, the Wayuu remain a humble culture full of unique attributes ranging from food, dancing, music, and art.