17 December 2003

Bogotá, Colombia: “When I first came here I fell in love with the place. I thought it would be tough though. I searched in Google for Apartadó, and it did not exist”. Those were Anna de la Varga's first impressions when she arrived at UNHCR´s Field Office in Apartadó (Uraba) in the northwest of Colombia, where the violence of armed groups has left a deep mark. That was last February, but now I would not change this for anything” she says.

Before Colombia, Anna worked for United Nations High Communissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as an intern in Geneva, Switzerland. She was concerned with the plight of internally displaced people, and had read about the organisation's work in Colombia. She applied to the United Nations Volunteers Program (UNV), was accepted on their roster and selected for a UNV position in Colombia soon after.

Anna and thirteen other volunteers work in UNHCR´s six field offices and locations throughout Colombia and at the branch office in Bogota.

UNHCR Colombia received its first UNV in 1999. Now, the fourteen volunteers working with the agency throughout the country have all become essential to its work. Three more are expected to arrive in the short term.

UNHCR operations in the countries neighbouring Colombia benefit from the valuable support of both national and international UNVs: in Ecuador, there are currently three international and five national UNVs, and in Venezuela, three international and five national UNVs are posted as Field, Protection, Public Information and EDP Officers and Assistants.

Having to cope with mosquitoes or riding a mule for hours does not bother Anna. She is not intimidated by the heat and humidity of huge regions of Colombia, or by endless boat trips. She is not even intimidated by the conflict whose victims she is trying to help. "All of this becomes acceptable", she says, "when you see the tears in the face of an indigenous woman as you leave her town.