Photo Credit: Refugees International
02/15/2007

Marta Rodriguez came to the town of San Onofre, Sucre in 2005 with her family of seven people after fleeing their hometown of Las Brisas on foot. Her husband Ricardo built the house they now live in on municipal land that they are squatting on – she is cooking in the outdoor kitchen. Marta and Ricardo never registered with the government as displaced people, and were not aware that the government has an obligation to provide them with assistance. Ricardo tries to work as a porter, but can only find a job two or three days a week – he gets paid five dollars a day when he does work. None of the Rodriguez children are enrolled in school because the family cannot afford to enroll them. While Ricardo said they have access to health care, he complained that regardless of whether he has the flu, muscle pain from work, or symptoms from chronic lung problems, the treatment is the same – the little red pill – ibuprofen.