The Wayuu People

The Wayúu people have a poverty rate of 84%, a stark contrast when compared to the 14.4% poverty rate of the United States (February 2022). With poverty often comes malnutrition, the leading cause of death among the Wayúu children.   It is estimated that malnutrition claims the life of 1 in 10 children under the age of five. Most of these deaths go unreported as they occur in homes rather than distant hospitals. The Wayúu have been termed “forgotten in the dust.” As many as 5,000 Wayúu children have died in the past decade from malnutrition and lack of basic medical care.

Malnutrition in this area is further compounded by a desertification by foreign industry mining for coal and weather patterns that together diminish clean water in the area. Wells are almost all dry, and ones with water are left severely contaminated. All this has contributed to La Guajira’s environmental agency, Corpoguajira, to report that 75% of La Guajira families suffer from food insecurity.
The issues of the region are even more augmented with the recent influx of migrants seeking refuge from an unstable Venezuela, representing the largest migration of people in history besides to the Holocaust. Many women and children, who are exposed to abuse, neglect, and victimization do not reach major cities due to lack of money and live in informal settlements or on the streets with no guarantee of protection, jobs, education, or food security. Government programs for both the Wayuu and foreign migrants are often impeded by corruption and slow progress. By donating and volunteering in organizations such as iHelp, relief can bypass government and go to the people directly who need it the most.

Malnutrition and disease due to water scarcity and inadequate sanitation are perhaps the biggest threats to individuals and public health throughout the region of La Guajira. Working with Atix Fundación and other local organizations, we plan to repair and rebuild existing wells, construct new wells, and improve sanitation processes within the communities. Increasing access to water will help directly address the rampant dehydration malnutrition that threatens the inhabitants of this region, which sits at 6 times the national Colombian average and claims the life of 1 in 10 children born in Wayúu communities.

iHelp also aims to implement innovative farming and food production methods using hydroponic technologies to help the communities in this region improve the efficiency of food production during periods of water scarcity. The La Guajira region is very unique, with its hot and arid desert climate presenting unique challenges to implementing hydroponic technology. To accomplish this long term goal, we will be working with local experts from Colombian Universities and Fundación Madrid Campestre to design, build, and test innovative approaches to this technology that is specifically designed for the challenges of the La Guajira region.

In the community of Sichichon, two deteriorating 5 by 6 meter rooms serve as the sole learning environments for over 100 students. In the community of Kalouyachon, no such structures exist for their youth.

iHelp is committed to improving the learning conditions in these areas by building new structures for the communities, improving access to the internet, and collaborating with community leaders to further address the unique needs of each population. Collaboration with Colombian nonprofits, enable us to mobilize a large volunteer force to help us with these efforts. We are exploring options that utilize locally sourced and recycled materials to introduce building methods that are both renewable and economically responsible, fulfilling our pledge of creating a significant and sustainable impact.

During the dry season, wells dry up further, and communities rely on generators to pump water up from deeper wells that reach the receding water table. While engaging in dental procedures during our joint medical outreach operation, the dental equipment continually consumed all available power on their power grid. Lights flickered on and off throughout the village while the dentist carried on providing dental procedures using headlamps.

iHelp plans to improve access to power sources by installing solar panels, turning the harsh desert sun into a positive force. In Kalouyachón, we are actively obtaining parts and funding to repair a wind generator that has fallen out of commission. In its absence, survival through the dry seasons has become increasingly more difficult as water cannot be pumped up from the water table. iHelp is also committed to providing safety net power sources such as fossil fuel generators in the event renewable power sources suffer malfunction or damage.